Neurology Faculty

Clinical Professor and Chair ad interim 

Randall R. Long, MD 

Neurology practitioner with interests in clinical neurophysiology, peripheral nerve toxins and sports neurology

Professor Emeriti 

Elliott M. Marcus, MD 

Clinical and experimental aspects of epilepsy and in clinical neurophysiology; author of a textbook of medical neurosciences

Professors

David Chad, MD 

Neuromuscular clinician, electromyographer and educator; program director for the Clinical Neurophysiology Fellowship Program. Special interests include nerve and muscle histology and clinicopathological correlations for neuromuscular diseases

David A. Drachman, MD 

Clinical and laboratory-related studies of Alzheimer’s disease the neurology of aging, memory, and mechanisms of dizziness and human spatial orientation. Work includes the cholinergic aspects of dementia, the standard criteria for Alzheimer’s disease, and the method for differential diagnoses of dizziness; program director for the Neurology of Aging Fellowship Program

Marc Fisher, MD 

Cerebrovascular disorders, from preclinical studies to clinical trials of drugs for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke. Research interests include utilizing animal stroke models to evaluate the evolution of ischemic injury and to evaluate new therapies 

Susan Billings-Gagliardi, PhD  (Cell Biology and Neurology) 

Central nervous system white matter diseases in mutant mice. Leads an interdisciplinary group that is developing Web-based curriculum on stroke for medical students 

Edward Ginns, MD, PhD  (Psychiatry, Pathology and Neurology)

Director of the Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory at UMMS. Ginns’ research focuses on inherited disorders affecting the nervous system, with an emphasis on understanding the role of genetic and environmental factors in susceptibility to and protection from mental illness

Paul Marshall, MD  (Pediatrics and Neurology)

Clinical pediatric neurologic problems, especially seizure disorders and brain malformation 

Daniel A. Pollen, MD 

Electrophysiological studies of the primate visual cortex and clinical research related to the molecular genetics of familial Alzheimer’s disease 

William J. Schwartz, MD 

General clinical neurology practice; research is focused on the neural regulation of circadian rhythms and neural stem cell transplantation 

Thomas W. Smith, MD (Pathology and Neurology) 

Neuropathology of dementia and neuropsychiatric disorders, neoplasia, brain trauma, and nerve and muscle.  He has a strong interest in clinicopathologic correlation and education. 

Merrill K. Wolfe, MD (Cell Biology and Neurology)

As a teacher of human neuroanatomy, incorporates state-of-the-art technology and cutting-edge clinical advances to enhance person-to-person teaching 

Clinical Professor

Jane C. Sargent, MD 

General clinical neurologist, including neuro-ophthalmology, neuromuscular disease and electromyography 

Joseph Tonkonogy, MD  (Psychiatry and Neurology)

Psychiatric and behavioral evaluation of patients with neurological disorders

Associate Professors

Marie Acierno, MD  (Surgery and Clinical Neurology) 

Optic nerve diseases, eye movement disorders and other neurologic manifestations presenting as visual-related disorders 

Sheldon Benjamin, MD  (Psychiatry and Neurology)

Sandra L. Horowitz, MD 

Majaz Moonis, MD 

Management of dementia, stroke and clinical neurophysiology; director of the Stroke Prevention Clinic at UMass Memorial Medical Center--University Campus 

David Paydarfar, MD 

General clinical neurologist; studies the neural control of respiration and autonomic function 

Peter N. Riskind, MD, PhD 

Multiple sclerosis and other inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system; research focuses on the interactions of fatigue, infections, and hormones with the immune system in multiple sclerosis; program director for the Neuroimmunology Fellowship Program 

Joan M. Swearer, PhD 

Clinical neuropsychologist; Research includes clinical features and treatment of dementing illnesses, epilepsy and multiple sclerosis  

Clinical Associate Professors

Ursula E. Anwer, MD 

Treatment of sleep disorders, headache and neurological problems of pregnancy 

Isabelita R. Bella, MD 

Clinical, electromyographic,and pathological aspects of neuromuscular disorders; primary investigator at for the multicenter study “Arrhythmias in Myotonic Muscular Dystrophy”

Nancy M. Fontneau, MD 

General clinical neurologist; special interests in electromyography, stroke rehabilitation, spasticity management and Botox therapy  

Lawrence J. Hayward, MD, PhD 

Laurie E. Knepper, MD 

Cerebrovascular disease, especially in young patients; migraine headaches, multiple sclerosis and dementia 

Michael S. Lavoie, PhD 

Ann L. Mitchell, MD 

Neurology Residency Program Director and Neurology Clinic Physician Director; clinical interests in sleep and memory disorders  

Thomas F. Mullins III, MD 

Neurologic utilization and practice standards, noninvasive vascular studies and spinal neurology  

Jayant G. Phadke, MD 

Chief of Neurology at Worcester Medical Center; specializes in sleep disorders medicine, neurorehabilitation, multiple sclerosis, and epilepsy and EEG.  

Catherine A. Phillips, MD 

Management of refractory seizures, surgical treatment of epilepsy, and all aspects of electroencephalography and epilepsy

Paula D. Ravin, MD 

Management of patients with movement disorders and refractory headaches; program director for the Movement Disorders Fellowship Program. 

Clinical Assistant Professor

Brian K. Dessureau, PhD 

Neuropsychological assessment of adults and children; geriatric neuropsychology and life-span developmental psychology

Assistant Professors

Steven P. Donhowe, MD 

Directs the Electromyography Laboratory at Worcester Medical Center; autoimmune peripheral neuropathies  

Martha A. Fehr, MD 

General neurologist; epilepsy, neurologic complications of organ transplantation and HIV

Cynthia M.J. Higgins, PhD 

Gary R. Keilson, MD 

General clinical neurologist; electrodiagnosis, neuromuscular diseases and headache  

Alexander Kloman, MD 

Chief of the Division of Neurology at Berkshire Medical Center; general adult neurologist with special interests in practice management and resident and medical student education  

Cynthia B. Passarelli, MD 

General neurology in a multi-specialty group practice 

Muhammad Ramzan, MD 

Neuromuscular disorders, epilepsy, cerebrovascular disease, electromyography, electroencephalography, general neurology 

Hoon Ryu, PhD 

Naren B. Sodha, MBBS 

Electrodiagnosis and neuromuscular diseases

G. Thomas Stowe, MD 

Mikhail Vydrin, MD, PhD 

General clinical neurologist; memory impairment, insomnia, geriatric neurology and psychosomatic disorders

Research Assistant Professors

Fuhai Li, MD 

Andrzej W. Przybyszewski, PhD 

Ashutosh Tiwari, PhD 

Protein misfolding and neurodegenerative diseases.

Associates

Zahra Ayub, MD 

Herbert G. Markley, MD 

William A. Tosches, MD 

Instructors 

Horacio O. de la Iglesia, PhD 

Beatrice Greco, PhD 

Premananda Indic, PhD 

Biomathematical modeling, nonlinear dynamics and time series analysis 

Hoi Pang Low, PhD 

Ellen Salurand, MD 

General clinical neurologist; dementia