Baptist Health Foundation Hosts Endowed Chair Installation for Diego Torres-Russotto, M.D.
CORAL GABLES, FL – January 31, 2025 – Diego R. Torres-Russotto, M.D., FAAN, FPRD, chair of neurology at Baptist Health Miami Neuroscience Institute and neurology program director at Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, was installed as the Distinguished Endowed Chair in Neurology at the Institute in a ceremony and dinner on January 16, 2025 at the Ritz Carlton Coconut Grove, Miami. The program was led by Bo Boulenger, president and CEO of Baptist Health; Joe Natoli
EVP and chief administrative officer of Baptist Health; Alex Villoch, CEO of Baptist Health Foundation; and Michael McDermott, M.D., chief medical executive and Irma & Kalman Bass Endowed Chair in Clinical Neuroscience at Miami Neuroscience Institute. The program was followed by a presentation by Dr. Torres-Russotto.
The endowed chair was established in 2024 with a $2 million gift to the Foundation from an anonymous donor. The endowment will support Dr. Torres-Russotto’s research in movement disorders such as tremor, orthostatic tremor and Parkinson’s disease.
“We are thrilled to be a part of this important occasion supporting Dr. Torres-Russotto’s work,” said Alex Villoch. “The generosity of our donor will have an enormous impact on advancing treatments for neurological disorders that affect so many in South Florida and beyond.”
Dr. Torres-Russotto specializes in neurology and movement disorders, including Parkinson’s disease, dystonia, tremors, spasticity, gait disturbance, tics and other neurological illnesses. He also performs botulinum toxin (Botox) injections, deep brain stimulation and pump-based treatments.
Prior to joining Miami Neuroscience Institute in 2023, Dr. Torres-Russotto served as professor and vice-chair for education and chief of movement disorders at the Department of Neurological Sciences at University of Nebraska Medical Center. He has published more than 120 scientific papers, chapters and other publications, and established one of the largest international studies of orthostatic tremor. He is a member of multiple national and international research consortia: the Huntington
Study Group, the Parkinson Study Group, the Tremor Research Group and Tremor Study Group.
His research interests include tremor, orthostatic tremor, evidence-based physical examination, chemodenervation, Parkinson’s disease, dystonia, and provider burnout, wellness, and resilience. He has received numerous recognitions as an educator, such as the Distinguished Mentor Award and a campus-wide Outstanding Teacher Award from the University of Nebraska Medical Center and the Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award from the Gold Humanism Honor Society.
“I am deeply honored to accept this endowed chair,” said Dr. Torres-Russotto. “We are making tremendous progress in the treatment of movement disorders. This gift represents the donor’s belief in us to continue pursuing groundbreaking discoveries that provide hope for patients with complex neurological problems.”
About Baptist Health Foundation
The mission of Baptist Health Foundation is to inspire philanthropy and build extraordinary donor relationships in support of excellence, innovation, community wellness and global leadership in healthcare at Baptist Health South Florida. Through philanthropy, the Foundation supports and expands Baptist Health’s ability to provide outstanding patient care and bring the latest treatments to patients and families affected by a serious illness. Donor contributions also allow the Foundation to assist Baptist Health facilities in keeping pace with technology and equipment advances, perform cutting-edge research and offer continuing education opportunities to medical staff. Learn more at BaptistHealth.net/Foundation and connect with us on Facebook and Instagram.
About Baptist Health
Baptist Health is the largest healthcare organization in the region, with 12 hospitals, more than 28,000 employees, 4,500 physicians and 200 outpatient centers, urgent care facilities and physician practices spanning Miami-Dade, Monroe, Broward and Palm Beach counties. Baptist Health has internationally renowned institutes specializing in cancer care, brain and spine care, heart and vascular care and orthopedic care. In addition, it includes Baptist Health Medical Group; Baptist Health Quality Network; and the Baptist Health PineApp, a virtual health platform. Baptist Health South Florida is an academic and clinical affiliate of Florida International University. A not-for-profit organization supported by philanthropy and committed to its charitable mission of medical excellence, Baptist Health has been recognized by Fortune as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America and is the most awarded healthcare system in South Florida by U.S. News & World Report. For more information, visit BaptistHealth.net/Newsroom and connect with us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn.
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