Gary L. Dunbar, executive director of the Field Neurosciences Institute, part of Ascension St. Mary's, was recently presented with the Gusi Peace Prize International Award.

Dr. Dunbar recently traveled to Manila, Philippines to accept this honor at the Gusi Peace Prize International 20th Annual Awards Night.

The Gusi Peace Prize award is given by the Gusi Peace Prize Foundation to recognize individuals and organizations who contribute to global peace and progress through a wide variety of fields. Dunbar was one of 18 international recipients selected for the award and chosen because of his global contributions in both the educational and the research domains of neuroscience. Similarly, his contributions in research, especially for developing new strategies for treating damage to the nervous system, including transplantation of genetically altered adult stem cells as a potential therapy for injury to the brain and spinal cord as well as neurological deficits in Huntington's, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases, has earned international recognition and a prominent leadership role in the American Society for Neural Therapy and Repair.

"I felt both honored and humbled to be selected for the Gusi Peace Prize, especially after meeting and hearing, first-hand, what the other 2019 Gusi Laureates have accomplished in the context of helping others, which was humbling to me," shared Dunbar. "The prize is given to those whose efforts have provided significant improvements to the lives of others through education, research, politics, and/or the arts, along with a strong commitment to humanitarian commitments, so I felt deeply honored to be included in this group of people."

Dunbar has been the executive director for the Field Neurosciences Institute since 2008. Martha Ann Joseph, Chair of the institute's board of directors, was thrilled to hear that Dunbar was a recipient of the Gusi Peace Prize International Award.

"(Field Neurosciences Institute) is blessed to have Dr. Dunbar as our executive director for the past 11 years as he has always embraced the mission of the organization, to help others in terms of preventing brain injury and searching for cures for neurological problems emanating from trauma and disease to the nervous system," Joseph said.

"Dr. Dunbar embodies the very premise of the Gusi award in attaining peace and dignity for fellow humans by his tireless devotion to finding new ways to treat a variety of neurological disorders and for his dedicated efforts in educating the next generation of neuroscientists, physicians, and health-care providers at the highest level," added E. Malcolm Field, Field Neurosciences Institute director.

Presently, Dunbar holds the John G. Kulhavi Professorship in Neuroscience, as well as the E. Malcolm Field Endowed Chair in Neuroscience at CMU.

The Gusi Peace Prize was founded by the Honorable Ambassador Barry Gusi, to honor and continue the work of his late father, Captain Gemeniano Javier Gusi, who fought against Japanese oppression during World War II and later championed human rights in the Philippines. For 20 years, the Gusi Peace Prize Award has been awarded to prominent individuals from all over the world who have made significant contributions to the betterment of humankind.

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International Peace Prize awarded to Ascension St. Mary's executive director - Midland Daily News