University of Virginia Library

Professor Named
Markle Scholar
For Health Work

Dr. Norman H. Bass, assistant
professor of neurology at the
University School of Medicine, has
been named a Markle scholar for
academic medicine.

Dr. Bass is one of 25 scholars
named from nominees of 80 medical
schools in the United States and
Canada. He is the fifth member of
the University medical faculty to
receive the title in the past six
years.

"I am very gratified that this
fine young member of the department
of neurology has received this
award, both as a continued vote of
confidence in the quality of the
University faculty and as an index
of the forward surge in neurosciences
which is taking place in the
medical school," Dr. Thomas H.
Hunter, chancellor for medical
affairs, said.

Dr. Bass received his A.B. degree
from Swarthmore College and his
M.D. from Yale University Medical
School. He served - a two-year
residency in neurology at the
University of Virginia, then was
research fellow at Massachusetts
General Hospital in Boston, McLean
Hospital in Belmont, Mass.,
and Harvard Medical School. He
joined the University's department
of neurology in 1967.

Dr. Bass has held fellowships
from the National Institute of
Neurological Diseases and Blindness
for research in neurology. In 1967
he received the S. Weir Mitchell
award from the American Academy
of Neurology for outstanding research
by a junior member of the
academy.

In addition to teaching clinical
neurology to medical and postdoctoral
students, Dr. Bass directs
research in the University's newly
organized neurochemistry laboratory
in the department of neurology.
A major goal of the research
program is the biochemical redefinition
of many diseases presently
classified under mental retardation.
Current research is designed to
assess the effects of malnutrition
and hypothyroidism on the biochemistry
of the cerebral cortex,
with emphasis on both the nature
of the defect in brain development
and its possible reversibility with
appropriate therapy.

The John and Mary R. Markle
Foundation, established and endowed
by Mr. and Mrs. Markle in
1927, started the present scholar
program in academic medicine in
1947. Purpose of the program is to
improve medical education and
research by giving both recognition
and financial support to young
teachers, investigators and administrators,
and helping them prepare
for positions of leadership in
academic medicine.