UI Neurologist named to the Beth L. Tross Epilepsy Professorship
Gordon Buchanan, MD, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Neurology, was appointed the Beth L. Tross Professor in Epilepsy during a May 2 investiture ceremony.
As a neurologist, Buchanan specializes in treating patients with epilepsy. He is a member of the Iowa Neuroscience Institute and his National Institutes of Health-funded research focuses on understanding the basic mechanisms of epilepsy, sleep-wake regulation, and the effects of seizures and vigilance state on cardio-respiratory control and how these may interact to lead to sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP).
In March, Buchanan published an opinion article in the journal Trends in Neurosciences outlining similarities between SUDEP and SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome), suggesting a possible common neurological cause to these syndromes.
About the Tross Family
The Beth L. Tross Epilepsy Professorship is made possible due to the generosity of Nathan and Beth Tross, of Highland Park, Illinois. Nathan earned a BA degree in economics from the UI in 1982, and he is president and chief investment officer of Tennyson Capital. He serves on the board of directors and the investment committee for the UI Center for Advancement. Beth attended the UI from 1978 to 1983 and is a third-generation Hawkeye. She taught Montessori preschool for 15 years and served as an advisory board member for the UI Stanley Museum of Art.