For Immediate Release
Contact: Christopher Cosentino
Director of Marketing & Communications
Phone: (212) 242-1968 x229
Email: ccosentino@hdsa.org
JANG-HO CHA, MD, PHD APPOINTED CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES AT THE HUNTINGTON’S DISEASE SOCIETY OF AMERICA
New York, NY (December 2014) – Dr. Jang-Ho Cha, MD, PhD. has been appointed Chairman of the Board of Trustees at the Huntington’s Disease Society of America (HDSA).
“This is an exciting time for HDSA,” said Dr. Cha. “We recently launched a new research effort, the Human Biology Project, and there continues to be exciting new developments in Advocacy, Clinical Trials, Centers of Excellence, as well as Chapters and Affiliates. I have been really encouraged about the direction in which HDSA has been moving under the leadership of outgoing Board Chair Steve Seekins, and I am looking forward to continuing the progress. At its best, HDSA unites efforts of everyone—patients, families, caregivers, medical professionals, and advocates—to combat HD. ‘Help for Today, Hope for Tomorrow’ is more than a tagline; it’s a motivating beacon for each of us.”
Dr. Cha is currently the Global Head of Translational Medicine, Neuroscience at Novartis. He obtained his M.D and Ph.D. from the University of Michigan and did his residence in neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, MA. During his career at Massachusetts General Hospital at the New England HDSA Center of Excellence, Dr. Cha held multiple positions culminating in Associate Professor of Neurology.
Active in the HD community, he has held several leadership positions, such as Chair of the Gordon Research Conference on ‘CAG Triplet Repeat Disorders’ and chair of the Huntington Study Group HD Clinical Research Symposium. Internationally he has worked with the US-Venezuela Collaborative Huntington’s Disease Project for Hereditary Disease Foundation and with the Huntington Study Group. Dr. Cha is a regular speaker for HDSA and has presented regularly at the Annual HDSA Convention, local Chapter educational events and support groups and on a Caregiver’s Corner webinar.
Huntington’s disease is a fatal genetic disorder that causes the progressive breakdown of nerve cells in the brain. It deteriorates a person’s physical and mental abilities during their prime working years and has no cure.
HD is known as the quintessential family disease because every child of a parent with HD has a 50/50 chance of carrying the faulty gene. Today, there are 30,000 symptomatic Americans and more than 200,000 at-risk of inheriting the disease.
The Huntington’s Disease Society of America is the premier nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of everyone affected by HD. From community services and education to advocacy and research, HDSA is the world’s leader in providing help for today and hope for tomorrow for people with HD and their families.
To learn more about Huntington’s disease and the work of the Huntington’s Disease Society of America, visit www.hdsa.org or call (800)345-HDSA.
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