Ida Fox, MD, began her term as president of The American Society for Peripheral Nerve (ASPN) on January 19. Fox, who serves as co-director of the Center for Nerve Injury and Paralysis at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and serves as director of the hand surgery fellowship program in the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, has been a steadfast champion for clinical and educational excellence.
The American Society for Peripheral Nerve makes it their mission to improve and promote the highest quality of patient care in the areas of nerve disorders through interdisciplinary collaboration, scientific investigation, innovation and advancing education. The society was established in 1990 by a cohort of 21 founding members, among whom was internationally recognized nerve surgery specialist, Susan Mackinnon, MD, who served as president from 1995-1996.
“Ida’s presidency of The American Society of Peripheral Nerve is important for the society’s stated mission,” says Susan Mackinnon, MD, Minot Packer Fryer Professor of Plastic Surgery. “The society has international members and members from across several surgical specialties. Dr. Fox deserves this recognition of her innovative clinical work and research that traverses nationalities and disciplines.”
Fox is a member of the plastic and reconstructive surgery faculty at WashU Medicine and specializes in restoring limb function to patients with paralysis. She has been recognized for her clinical acumen, with the Dr. Neville Grant Award for Clinical Excellence from Barnes-Jewish Hospital in June 2024. She has also received the Paul M. Weeks, MD, Resident Education Award, which attests to her dedication to mentoring the surgeons of today and tomorrow.
Fox leads Department of Defense-funded research to improve care of the upper extremity in the setting of cervical spinal cord injury. She offers both newer nerve and traditional tendon transfer techniques to people living with these injuries and their experiences inform her research approach. She is recognized Internationally as a pioneer and thought leader in the development and introduction of nerve transfer surgery to spinal cord injury patients.
Last April, the division hosted the Washington University Nerve Course, which drew international attention. Fox served as a faculty surgeon at the two-day course, which provided training in several areas, in a collaborative demonstration to highlight the multidisciplinary nature of nerve surgery.