FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AASM Contact: Doug Dusik, 630-737-9700, ext. 9329, ddusik@aasm.org
Emory Contact: Kerry Ludlam, 404-727-5692, kerry.ludlam@emory.edu

DARIEN, IL – July 14, 2011 – Nancy A. Collop, MD, director of the Emory Sleep Center and professor of Medicine and Neurology at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Ga., became the 26th president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) in June.  Her one-year term as president of the board of directors began Monday, June 13, 2011, at SLEEP 2011, the 25th Anniversary Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies LLC (APSS) in Minneapolis, Minn.

A renowned sleep specialist and recognized expert in sleep-related breathing disorders, Collop will provide leadership for a professional society that represents more than 9,000 physicians, scientists and allied-health professionals in the field of sleep medicine.

“It is a privilege and an honor to lead a professional society that has been the catalyst for the growth and development of the sleep field during the past four decades,” said Collop. “As president, I will ensure that the AASM continues to promote the highest standards of medical care for patients with sleep disorders while also supporting the scientific and clinical advances that will lead to diagnostic and therapeutic innovations in the future.”

Collop became an AASM member in 1990 and has served on the board of directors since 2006.  She also has been on the American Board of Sleep Medicine board of directors since 1998, holding the position of ABSM president from 2002-2009.

In September 2010, Collop was named director of the Emory Sleep Center, part of the Emory University School of Medicine and Emory Healthcare, which is one of the nation’s leading health-care systems.  Board certified through the American Board of Medical Specialties in internal medicine, pulmonary medicine, critical care and sleep medicine, Collop works in close partnership with experts from all disciplines of medicine.  Together, they further the Emory Sleep Center’s interdisciplinary approach to treating patients with sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea, insomnia, narcolepsy, restless legs syndrome and parasomnias.

“I am grateful for the support and encouragement that I have received from my colleagues at Emory, and I will represent them with pride during my term as AASM president,” said Collop.

Before joining Emory, Collop served as the medical director of the Johns Hopkins Hospital Sleep Disorders Center. She also has held academic positions at the Medical University of South Carolina and the University of Mississippi. She earned her medical degree in 1984 from the Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine in Hershey, Pa.

Under Collop’s leadership, the AASM will continue to set the clinical standards for the field of sleep medicine and will promote quality patient care by accrediting sleep disorders centers.  Currently there are more than 2,250 AASM-accredited sleep disorders centers across the country. The AASM also will further its educational offerings for sleep medicine professionals and advance the understanding of sleep and sleep disorders by providing funding for strategic scientific research.

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Established in 1975, the AASM is a professional membership society that is the leader in setting standards and promoting excellence in sleep medicine health care, education and research (www.aasm.org).  To learn more about the AASM and the field of sleep medicine, contact Public Relations Coordinator Emilee McStay at 630-737-9700, ext. 9329, or emcstay@aasm.org.

The Robert W. Woodruff Health Sciences Center (https://www.whsc.emory.edu/home/about) of Emory University is an academic health science and service center focusing on teaching, research, health care and public service.

To arrange an interview with Nancy Collop, MD, or for more information about the Emory Sleep Center, contact Assistant Director of Media Relations Kerry Ludlam at 404-727-5692 or kerry.ludlam@emory.edu.

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