Shanmitha Arun, BS, Receives ANF's 2024 Pediatric Research Award

Shanmitha Arun, BS, has received the Pediatric Research Award for her work as the first author of the “Scleroderma Myositis Presenting as an Asymmetric Shoulder Girdle Weakness” abstract.

Ms. Arun says atypical clinical presentation prompted her to learn more about overlap syndromes in the pediatric population and gave her an idea of the complexity of underlying disease processes. The research analyzes the case of a 12-year-old patient referred to the NM clinic for evaluation of brachial plexus injury but whose clinical symptoms and laboratory and radiological findings were atypical. That atypical constellation prompted Ms. Arun’s team to perform a thorough work-up, and they arrived at a final diagnosis of overlap myositis condition with anti-SRP54 Ab, anti-PM_Scl75 Ab. Ms. Arun says establishing a firm diagnosis helped ensure the patient received appropriate treatment. 

She says she appreciates the guidance and expertise of her mentor, Dr. Mathula Thangarajh, in this project and that receiving the Pediatric Research Award is an honor. “[The award] fosters my sense of purpose and fuels my dedication to pediatric neurology research and clinical care,” she says. Going forward, Ms. Arun is interested in pursuing an academic career in neurology. She looks forward to attending the AANEM Annual Meeting to explore other areas of interest, learn from cutting edge research, and connect with others in the field. 

Ms. Arun's abstract will be presented at the 2024 AANEM Annual Meeting in Savannah, Georgia, Oct. 15-18 among all abstracts, including the Best Abstract Award, Best Abstract Runner-Up Award, Residency and Fellowship Member Award, Medical Student Award, and President's Research Award abstracts.