The American Society of Neuroimaging gives William R. Kinkel, UB professor of neurology, its first lifetime achievement award

BUFFALO, N.Y. — A University at Buffalo professor emeritus in the Department of Neurology in the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences has received the first lifetime achievement award to be given by the American Society of Neuroimaging.

William R. Kinkel, MD, professor emeritus of neurology, was presented with the award in January at the organization’s 40^th annual meeting at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Kinkel, whom colleagues have dubbed “the George Washington of neuroimaging,” is a founder of the American Society of Neuroimaging, which originated in Buffalo in 1976. He also is the founder of the Dent Neurologic Institute.

A faculty member of the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences since 1986, and an alumnus, Kinkel is credited with developing at Dent and at UB what were likely the world’s first neuroimaging fellowships designed for neurologists. Because of his passion for teaching fellows how to read images generated by computed tomography (CT), positron emission tomography (PET), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and other neuroimaging techniques, Buffalo now has the distinction of hosting two of the nation’s five neuroimaging fellowships. These fellowships are required training for any neurology trainee who seeks board certification in the subspecialty of neuroimaging.

Kinkel, who is board certified in both neurology and psychiatry, was director of the Dent Neurologic Institute from 1968 to 2003 and program director for the residency program in neurology at UB. He was chairman of neurology at Millard Fillmore Hospital from 1965 until 1998.

Kinkel founded the Society for Computerized Tomography and Neuro-Imaging and has chaired or co-chaired courses and subcommittees of the American Academy of Neurology focused on specific neuroimaging techniques. He also served in the U.S. Air Force.

Kinkel is a resident of Orchard Park.