Robert J. Schwartzman, M.D.
Dr. Schwartzman runs a very active clinical practice that runs the gamut of neurological diseases. Although his clinical activities focus on neuropathic pain disorders, it also includes movement disorders, demyelinating diseases and seizure disorders. His current research effort includes intractable neuropathic pain disorders and pain states associated with autonomic dysfunction such as chronic regional pain syndrome (CRPS) also known as reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD). He is currently involved in a number of clinical trials evaluating the use of novel therapeutic agents and techniques for the treatment of neuropathic pain.
Guillermo Alexander, Ph.D.
Dr. Alexander's current research focuses on the study of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, amino acids, neuroactive peptides and biogenic amines found in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid of patients with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS)/reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD). These studies could shed light on the mechanisms that bring about exaggerated pain and could aid in the development of more effective treatment modalities. In another series of studies he is utilizing a transgenic mouse model for ALS to study the effect of genetic background on the severity of the disease.
Anahita Deboo, M.D.
Dr. Deboo's area of interest is neuromuscular disease and electromyography. She has participated in clinical trials of the treatment of pain in diabetic polyneuropathy. She is involved in ongoing clinical projects and treatment trials in ALS patients at the MDA/ALS Center. In the basic science lab, electromyographic techniques are being developed for use in animal models of ALS.
Jeffrey S. Deitch, Ph.D.
Dr. Deitch's research concerns the trophic influences on neurons and cell-cell communication in ALS, a fatal neurodegenerative disorder. He uses neuronal and muscle cell cultures from the mutant SOD1 mouse model of ALS to probe the role of tyrosine kinase and inflammatory signaling pathways during motor neurons degeneration. His lab also maintains a colony of the transgenic mouse model of ALS for testing promising therapeutics to treat ALS.
Elias A. Giraldo, M.D., M.S.
Dr. Giraldo's scope of clinical practice includes all aspects of cerebrovascular disease and neurological critical care, especially acute treatment of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, thrombolytic and mechanical thrombectomy treatment, development of stroke and neurocritical care databases, and stroke clinical trials. His clinical research is focused to the study of reperfusion treatment for acute ischemic stroke, stroke and neurocritical care outcomes, and stroke epidemiology.
Yuesong Gong, Ph.D.
Dr. Gong is a member of the Alzheimer's disease and Dementia Program at Drexel University College of Medicine. Dr. Gong's research interest involves molecular pathological changes which lead to synapse loss or synapse dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease and no-Alzheimer's disease brain. Dr. Gong's lab identifies and characterizes the protein abnormalities from different patient groups with dementia by proteomics, to screen compounds to block these aggregated protein formations, and to develop the immunotherapy to clean these abnormal proteins. Dr. Gong collaborates with other research institutions to develop these novel compounds and immunotherapy further to protect synapse function and to improve memory that occur with these patients.
John Grothusen, Ph.D.
Dr. Grothusen's background is biochemistry and bioanalytical methods. In the past he has been involved in animal research in neurodegenerative diseases and pain using techniques such as intracerebral microdialysis. His present area of interest is chronic pain and the use of non-invasive methods for sensory and autonomic nervous system testing in humans. He runs the clinical quantitative sensory and autonomic nervous system testing laboratory for the department.
Terry Heiman-Patterson, M.D.
Dr. Heiman-Patterson's research program encompasses many aspects of neuromuscular disorders. Using human muscle cell cultures derived from biopsies, her laboratory studies the cell and molecular biology of muscle development and disease. Major research programs focus on 1) developing the use of hemin to upregulate expression of dystrophin and related proteins as a therapeutic for muscular dystrophy and 2) investigating the cellular mechanisms of free radical damage in neurons. In addition, a linkage study is currently underway to find the gene(s) responsible for hereditary spinal paraplegia, as are clinical research trials of potential treatments for ALS.
Anahid Kabasakalian, M.D.
Dr. Kabasakalian received her training in neurology at Temple University Hospital, fellowship training in behavioral neurology at the University of Florida, and in neuropsychiatry at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and New Hampshire Hospital. Her area of interest is neurodegenerative disease
David J. Libon, Ph.D.
Dr. Libon is a clinical neuropsychologist with a specific interest in dementia. Recent publications has focused on the co-morbid effect of MRI-white matter alterations in Alzheimer's and how MRI-white matter alterations changes the phenotypic presentation of Alzheimer's disease from an amnesic disorder to a dysexecutive disorder. Other work has shown that Alzheimer's disease patient's reaching a certain criteria for MRI-white matter volume respond better to medication. Additional work has revolved around neuropsychological studies that chart the longitudinal course in patients with Frontotemporal Dementia. This work has shown that the initial phenotypic expression in Frontotemporal Dementia remains stable over the duration of the illness. These date are important with the context of the emergence of disease altering pharmacological medication to treat Frontotemporal lobe Dementia. Dr. Libbon is also involved in the Department of Neurology Pain Program where patient are seen for neuropsychological evaluation.
Carol Lippa, M.D.
As Director of the Alzheimer's disease and Dementia Program at Drexel University College of Medicine, Dr. Lippa's clinical interest involves neurologic changes that occur in aging. Her clinical work focuses on the management of cognitive and behavioral problems that occur in Alzheimer's and non Alzheimer's dementia patients and patients with milder forms of memory loss. Dr. Lippa is also involved in clinical drug trials for memory loss and dementia. Dr. Lippa collaborates with major research institutions throughout the world. Dr. Lippa has conducted extensive research in the neurobiology of aging and dementia. Her laboratory correlates clinical data from dementia patients with genetic immunohistochemical and molecular biologic data. One aim is to develop better methods for classification and early diagnosis of this patient group. Another aim is to find better ways to prevent or intervene with the disease process. Her laboratory work identifies and characterizes protein abnormalities that occur in the brain in dementia subjects to aid with developing therapies that prevent or treat the various dementia subtypes.
Jyoti Pillai, M.D.
Dr. Pillai is the Neurology residency Program Director. She is also the Director of the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit. She is trained in Neurophysiology and Epilepsy. Her main research interests include surgical and medical management of refractory epilepsy and bone loss in patients on anti-epileptic drugs and also women's health issues related to epilepsy.. She is also involved in the Neurophysiology Lab, which includes reading EEGs and evoked potentials, monitoring during carotid endarterectomy, as well as Wada testing. She is also involved in various drug trials in epilepsy.
David Tabby, D.O.
Dr. Tabby graduated from Princeton University in 1980 with a degree in Population Biology. He earned his Osteopathic Medical degree from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1984. He completed his Neurology residency at Thomas Jefferson under Robert J. Schwartzman, M.D. in 1988, where he served as chief resident. Dr. Tabby was in private practice in Philadelphia for 14 years. In 2002, he became an Associate Professor of Neurology at the Drexel University College of Medicine. In addition to general Neurology and headache, Dr. Tabby runs the MS program. He has multiple ongoing trials with terifulnomide and in cognition in MS with Dr. Libon. He is the Neurology Clerkship Director for the fourth year students, the Director of weekly resident outpatient clinic and the faculty liaison for journal club. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Neurology.
Y. Swamy Venkatesh, M.D.
Dr. Venkatesh specializes in Clinical Neurophysiology, Neuromuscular Disease and Botulinum toxin injections for focal movement disorders. He trained in Endocrinology at the M.D Anderson Cancer Center, in Neurology at the Boston city Hospital Program and Clinical Neurophysiology and Neuromuscular disease at the Brigham and Women's hospital (Harvard Medical School). His research interests include diabetic neuropathy, endocrine myopathies, entrapment neuropathies and novel uses of botulinum toxin. He is the director of neurological services for the Mercy Health system.
A. Charles Winkelman, M.D.
Dr. Winkelman is a neuro-ophthalmologist who has special interest in visual disorders of higher cortical function, pseudomotor cerebri and ischemic optic nerve disease.
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