Key Opinion Leaders
Douglas Goodin, M.D.
Professor of Neurology, UCSF
Dr. Goodin is as an internationally renowned expert in the treatment and research of multiple sclerosis, known for his countless publications on the advancement in the understanding of multiple sclerosis. He is currently the Director of the Multiple Sclerosis Center at UCSF Medical Center as well as a Professor of Neurology at UCSF. He earned a B.Sc. in genetics and biochemistry at the University of Washington in Seattle; a Master of Sciences in molecular biology at Purdue University in Indiana; and a medical degree from the University of California, Irvine. He completed a residency in neurology at UCSF where he joined the medical center staff in 1982. Dr. Goodin’s research interests include various forms of dementia in addition to multiple sclerosis.
David Hafler, M.D.
Chief of Neurology, Yale-New Haven Hospital
Chair, Yale School of Medicine
Dr. Hafler is currently the chief and chair of neurology at Yale-New Haven Hospital and Yale School of Medicine. He received his B.S. and M.Sc. in biochemistry from Emory University and his M.D. from the University of Miami School of Medicine. Dr. Hafler received training in immunology at Rockefeller University as well as at Harvard where he joined the faculty in 1984. He is currently a member of the editorial boards for the Journal of Clinical Investigation, Cellular Immunology, Clinical Immunology, and the Journal of Neuroimmunology. He is co-founder of the Federation of Clinical Immunology Societies as well as a founding member of the International MS Genetic Consortium. His clinical research is focused on understanding the mechanism of autoimmunity with a particular interest in inflammatory CNS diseases. He currently has over 300 publications in the field of autoimmunity and immunology and has been recognized by the American Academy of Neurology with the 2010 John Dystel Prize for MS Research.
Ludwig Kappos, M.D.
Professor of Neurology & Clinical Neuroimmunology, University of Basel, Switzerland
Dr. Kappos obtained his M.D. and diploma of clinical psychology from the University of Wurzburg, Germany in 1980 before going on to specialize in neurology and neuroimmunology, also at the University of Wurzburg. Since 1990, he has been head of the outpatient clinic of neurology and neurosurgery and deputy chairman of the department of neurology at Kantonsspital Basel, Switzerland. In 1994 he was elected professor of neurology/clinical neuroimmunology at the medical faculty of the University of Basel. Dr. Kappos' professional interests include clinical studies in multiple sclerosis as well as other neuroinflammitory diseases, standardization of clinical assessments and the use of magnetic resonance tomography to elucidate the pathogenesis of inflammatory CNS diseases. Dr. Kappos is currently the Medical Director at Basel University Hospital in Basel, Switzerland.
Fred Lublin, M.D.
Professor of Neurology, Mount Sinai Medical Center
Chair, Clinical Advisory Committee, National MS Society, New York City Chapter
Dr. Lublin is the Director of the Corinne Goldsmith Dickinson Center for Multiple Sclerosis as well as a Saunders Family Professor of Neurology, both at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York. Dr. Lublin received his medical degree in 1972 from Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia. As a neuroimmunologist, Dr. Lublin has a special interest in immune functions and abnormalities affecting the nervous system and has published numerous scientific articles in this area. He and his colleagues were among the first in the country to study IFNβ-1b, which was approved by the FDA in 1993 for treatment of relapsing-remitting MS. He was chairman of the National MS Society advisory committee on clinical trials of new drugs in MS as well as the National MS Society’s Research Programs Advisory Committee. In addition, using data from a survey of the international MS community, Dr. Lublin and his colleagues at the National MS Society have redefined the clinical course definitions of MS.
Sylvia Lucas, M.D.
Professor of Neurology, University of Washington Medical Center
Board of Trustees, National MS Society, Washington Chapter
Dr. Lucas became the Director of Neurology Services for the Western MS Center in 2005 and is clinical professor of neurology at UWMC. She is the founder and director of the Headache Center and is clinical faculty in the Western MS Center. She graduated from the University of Washington with a B.Sc. in Pharmacy, a Ph.D. in Neurophysiology from the Department of Physiology & Biophysics, and an M.D. from the School of Medicine. Dr. Lucas did her neurology training at The New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center, the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and was Chief Resident in Neurology at the New York Hospital. She is a member of the American Academy of Neurology, the American Headache Society, The International Headache Society as well as the Consortium of MS Centers. She currently is on the board of trustees of the Washington Chapter of the National MS Society and an ad hoc reviewer for the journals Headache and Cephalalgia.
Paul O’Connor, M.D.
Professor of Neurology, University of Toronto
Director, MS Clinic, MS Research and the Evoked Potentials Laboratory, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Canada
Dr. O’Connor is the current Director of the MS Clinic, MS Research and the Evoked Potentials Laboratory at the St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, Ontario. At the University of Toronto he serves as Professor of Medicine in Neurology and coordinator of the MS Program where he supervises fellows undergoing advanced training in MS. Dr. O’Connor is also the National Scientific and Clinical Advisor for the MS Society of Canada, Chair of the MS Society Scientific Oversight Committee and is also on the National MS Society Advisory Committee on Clinical Trials of New Drugs. His research interests include MS, clinical epidemiology, clinical studies as well as new MS therapies. He has been the primary investigator for the clinical study of several new MS drugs including monoclonal antibodies Natalizumab™, and Rituxumab™, in addition to Taxol™ and various interferons. Dr. O’Connor received his M.D. as well as his M.Sc. in clinical epidemiology from the University of Toronto.
Professor of Neurology, UCSF
Dr. Goodin is as an internationally renowned expert in the treatment and research of multiple sclerosis, known for his countless publications on the advancement in the understanding of multiple sclerosis. He is currently the Director of the Multiple Sclerosis Center at UCSF Medical Center as well as a Professor of Neurology at UCSF. He earned a B.Sc. in genetics and biochemistry at the University of Washington in Seattle; a Master of Sciences in molecular biology at Purdue University in Indiana; and a medical degree from the University of California, Irvine. He completed a residency in neurology at UCSF where he joined the medical center staff in 1982. Dr. Goodin’s research interests include various forms of dementia in addition to multiple sclerosis.
David Hafler, M.D.
Chief of Neurology, Yale-New Haven Hospital
Chair, Yale School of Medicine
Dr. Hafler is currently the chief and chair of neurology at Yale-New Haven Hospital and Yale School of Medicine. He received his B.S. and M.Sc. in biochemistry from Emory University and his M.D. from the University of Miami School of Medicine. Dr. Hafler received training in immunology at Rockefeller University as well as at Harvard where he joined the faculty in 1984. He is currently a member of the editorial boards for the Journal of Clinical Investigation, Cellular Immunology, Clinical Immunology, and the Journal of Neuroimmunology. He is co-founder of the Federation of Clinical Immunology Societies as well as a founding member of the International MS Genetic Consortium. His clinical research is focused on understanding the mechanism of autoimmunity with a particular interest in inflammatory CNS diseases. He currently has over 300 publications in the field of autoimmunity and immunology and has been recognized by the American Academy of Neurology with the 2010 John Dystel Prize for MS Research.
Ludwig Kappos, M.D.
Professor of Neurology & Clinical Neuroimmunology, University of Basel, Switzerland
Dr. Kappos obtained his M.D. and diploma of clinical psychology from the University of Wurzburg, Germany in 1980 before going on to specialize in neurology and neuroimmunology, also at the University of Wurzburg. Since 1990, he has been head of the outpatient clinic of neurology and neurosurgery and deputy chairman of the department of neurology at Kantonsspital Basel, Switzerland. In 1994 he was elected professor of neurology/clinical neuroimmunology at the medical faculty of the University of Basel. Dr. Kappos' professional interests include clinical studies in multiple sclerosis as well as other neuroinflammitory diseases, standardization of clinical assessments and the use of magnetic resonance tomography to elucidate the pathogenesis of inflammatory CNS diseases. Dr. Kappos is currently the Medical Director at Basel University Hospital in Basel, Switzerland.
Fred Lublin, M.D.
Professor of Neurology, Mount Sinai Medical Center
Chair, Clinical Advisory Committee, National MS Society, New York City Chapter
Dr. Lublin is the Director of the Corinne Goldsmith Dickinson Center for Multiple Sclerosis as well as a Saunders Family Professor of Neurology, both at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York. Dr. Lublin received his medical degree in 1972 from Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia. As a neuroimmunologist, Dr. Lublin has a special interest in immune functions and abnormalities affecting the nervous system and has published numerous scientific articles in this area. He and his colleagues were among the first in the country to study IFNβ-1b, which was approved by the FDA in 1993 for treatment of relapsing-remitting MS. He was chairman of the National MS Society advisory committee on clinical trials of new drugs in MS as well as the National MS Society’s Research Programs Advisory Committee. In addition, using data from a survey of the international MS community, Dr. Lublin and his colleagues at the National MS Society have redefined the clinical course definitions of MS.
Sylvia Lucas, M.D.
Professor of Neurology, University of Washington Medical Center
Board of Trustees, National MS Society, Washington Chapter
Dr. Lucas became the Director of Neurology Services for the Western MS Center in 2005 and is clinical professor of neurology at UWMC. She is the founder and director of the Headache Center and is clinical faculty in the Western MS Center. She graduated from the University of Washington with a B.Sc. in Pharmacy, a Ph.D. in Neurophysiology from the Department of Physiology & Biophysics, and an M.D. from the School of Medicine. Dr. Lucas did her neurology training at The New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center, the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and was Chief Resident in Neurology at the New York Hospital. She is a member of the American Academy of Neurology, the American Headache Society, The International Headache Society as well as the Consortium of MS Centers. She currently is on the board of trustees of the Washington Chapter of the National MS Society and an ad hoc reviewer for the journals Headache and Cephalalgia.
Paul O’Connor, M.D.
Professor of Neurology, University of Toronto
Director, MS Clinic, MS Research and the Evoked Potentials Laboratory, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Canada
Dr. O’Connor is the current Director of the MS Clinic, MS Research and the Evoked Potentials Laboratory at the St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, Ontario. At the University of Toronto he serves as Professor of Medicine in Neurology and coordinator of the MS Program where he supervises fellows undergoing advanced training in MS. Dr. O’Connor is also the National Scientific and Clinical Advisor for the MS Society of Canada, Chair of the MS Society Scientific Oversight Committee and is also on the National MS Society Advisory Committee on Clinical Trials of New Drugs. His research interests include MS, clinical epidemiology, clinical studies as well as new MS therapies. He has been the primary investigator for the clinical study of several new MS drugs including monoclonal antibodies Natalizumab™, and Rituxumab™, in addition to Taxol™ and various interferons. Dr. O’Connor received his M.D. as well as his M.Sc. in clinical epidemiology from the University of Toronto.
