John Stobo Prichard Award
Plenary Lecture
Dr. Lee-Chin Wong
Associate Professor of Pediatric Neurology
National Taiwan University Children’s Hospital
National Taiwan University
Taiwan
Microcephaly: Focus on Monogenic Postnatal Microcephaly Syndromes
About the Speaker
Dr. Lee-Chin Wong is an Associate Professor of Pediatric Neurology at National Taiwan University Children’s Hospital, Taiwan. She obtained her M.D. and Ph.D. from National Taiwan University.
Her clinical and research interests include pediatric movement disorders, neurogenetics, and neurometabolic diseases.
Dr. Wong is a core member of the Rett Syndrome Joint Clinic in Taiwan, which provides care for patients with Rett syndrome and related disorders, including FOXG1 syndrome and CDKL5 deficiency disorder. She established the country’s first nationwide Rett syndrome registry.
Her research encompasses genotype–phenotype correlations, neuroimaging, sleep disturbances, and novel therapeutic strategies, including probiotic interventions targeting the gut–brain axis in these disorders.
Watch this pre-lecture interview, Hadi Helali speaks with Dr. Lee-Chin Wong
Abstract
Many postnatal microcephaly syndromes arise from mutations in genes that regulate transcriptional programmes during forebrain and hindbrain development. In addition, variants affecting synaptic structure and function, as well as neurometabolic pathways, contribute to this expanding group of disorders.
These conditions present with a broad spectrum of neurological features, including brain malformations, epilepsy, movement disorders, and complex neurobehavioral abnormalities.
This talk will highlight the underlying genetic mechanisms, clinical phenotypes, diagnostic approaches, and emerging therapeutic strategies for monogenic postnatal microcephaly.
About the John Stobo Prichard Award
Dr John Stobo Prichard
Dr John Stobo Prichard was born in Barry, Wales, and trained in England and the United States, before dedicating most of his medical career to Canada. He served in the Royal Army Medical Corps during the Second World War and was awarded the Military Cross for bravery under fire.
Following his military service, he trained at the National Hospital, Queen Square, and later at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. In 1950, he moved to Toronto as the first full-time neurologist at the Hospital for Sick Children, where he built a distinguished career spanning over three decades.
At the Hospital for Sick Children, Dr Prichard established the electroencephalography service, initiated combined neurological–neurosurgical rounds, and advocated for dedicated neurological care facilities. He also played a key role in developing research programmes in neuroscience and advancing multidisciplinary approaches to patient care.
Dr Prichard was deeply committed to education and mentorship, attracting trainees from around the world. His influence extended globally through his teaching, leadership, and collaborations across continents.
He was instrumental in the development of services for children with intellectual disabilities and contributed significantly to public health initiatives in Ontario. His work included shaping programmes in special education and addressing complex health challenges in underserved populations.
In 1975, Dr Prichard founded the International Child Neurology Association (ICNA) and served as its first President. He also organised the first International Child Neurology Congress in Toronto and was the founding editor of the International Review of Child Neurology.
In recognition of his remarkable contributions to child neurology, education, and global collaboration, ICNA established the John Stobo Prichard Award to honour individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the field of Child Neurology.
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