Michael Shoykhet, MD, PhD, named the Ruth Pack Wolf and William B. Wolf, Sr. Chair of Neurosciences
As director of the Center for Neuroscience Research at Children’s National, Dr. Shoykhet works across laboratory science, clinical care and mentorship.
Children’s National named Michael “Mish” Shoykhet, MD, PhD, as the Ruth Pack Wolf and William B. Wolf, Sr. Chair of Neurosciences.
Dr. Shoykhet serves as the director of the Center for Neuroscience Research, a dynamic hub within the Children’s National Research Institute comprised of highly accomplished developmental neuroscientists and clinical investigators.
The big picture
Dr. Shoykhet joins a distinguished group of Children’s National physicians and scientists who hold an endowed chair. Children’s National is grateful to generous donors who have altogether funded 52 professorships.
These appointments support groundbreaking work on behalf of children and their families. They foster new discoveries and innovations in pediatric medicine. Endowed professorships also carry prestige and honor that reflect both the recipient’s achievements and the donor’s commitment to advancing and sustaining knowledge.
Why it matters
As director of the Center for Neuroscience Research at Children’s National, Dr. Shoykhet works across laboratory science, clinical care and mentorship. His extensive experience enables him to bridge the gap between researchers and clinicians, helping to identify opportunities that advance both scientific discovery and patient care.
Dr. Shoykhet’s research focuses on protecting children from brain injury after cardiac arrest and other critical illnesses. He uses preclinical, clinical and big-data studies to discover new ways to improve outcomes for children, including an innovative machine learning and artificial intelligence tool that accelerates discoveries in brain inflammation.
In one project, insights from laboratory models of cardiac arrest helped guide a study examining how temperature is regulated in children following cardiac arrest. Researchers analyzed treatment methods used in clinical settings and identified approaches that produced better outcomes. The findings ultimately helped inform guidelines from the American Heart Association for the care of children after cardiac arrest.
Dr. Shoykhet’s training and experience as a physician-scientist uniquely position him to improve the lives of children through excellence in science, collaboration and education.
“I am deeply honored to be named as the Ruth Pack Wolf and William B. Wolf, Sr. Chair of Neurosciences,” Dr. Shoykhet says. “It allows me to create opportunities that enhance both the science and the quality of care we deliver.”
This endowed professorship was made possible through generous investments from the Trustees of the Wolf-Pack Fund in honor of Ruth Pack Wolf and William B. Wolf, Sr.
Moving the field forward
The Wolf family, through their vision and generosity, is ensuring that Dr. Shoykhet and future holders of this professorship will launch bold, new initiatives to rapidly advance the field of neuroscience research, elevate our leadership and improve entire lifetimes for children.
“This professorship honors both Dr. Shoykhet’s exceptional contributions to neuroscience research and the Wolf family’s commitment to improving children’s lives,” says Catherine Bollard, MD, MBChB, senior vice president, chief research officer and the Dr. Robert J. and Florence T. Bosworth Distinguished Professor of Cancer and Transplantation Biology Research at Children’s National. “Their generosity ensures continued progress toward better outcomes for children, especially those facing brain injuries and critical illnesses.”
