Faculty
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Jeremy M Shefner, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor and Chair, Neurology
Professor and Chair, Neurology
815 Jacobsen Hall
Upstate Medical University
750 East Adams Street
Syracuse, NY 13210
Lab/Professional Web Site
| Education and Clinical Training
Ph.D.: 1976, University of Illinois at Chicago
M.D.: 1983, Northwestern University Medical School
Residency: 1984, Beth Israel Hospital
Residency: 1988, Harvard Medical School
Fellowship: Clinical Neurophysiology, 1990, Harvard Medical School
Clinical Specialty
Clinical Neurophysiology, Certified: 1994
Clinical Department/Section Affiliations
Neurology/Neuromuscular
Clinical Interests I direct the MDA/ALS Research and Treatment Center at University Hospital where patients with ALS are treated by a multidisciplinary clinical team. I am also interested in the electrodiagnosis and treatment of patients with a variety of neuromuscular disorders.
Research Program and Department Affiliations
Neurology
Neuroscience Program
Research Interests Animals models of the physiology and treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS); Peripheral nerve physiology.
Research Abstract
Search for Biomarkers in ALS
Clinical trials in ALS have been limited by the lack of a sensitive, rapidly changing marker of disease progression. Without such a marker, trials either assess long term survival or changes on a functional rating scale; these are valid measures but require that trials study large numbers of patients over long time periods. Currently, I am co-principal investigator of a study sponsored by the ALS Association to evaluate two potential biomarkers. Electrical Impedance Myography (EIM) is a non invasive measure of muscle impedance that declines with time in patients with ALS and may be a sensitive disease marker. Motor unit number estimation is a physiological measure that offers similar promise. These measures are being studied longitudinally at 10 sites throughout the country; results should be available in 2009.
Studies of the motor unit in patients with ALS
With Dr. Laura Simionescu, I am involved in a study of a mouse model of Spinal Muscular Atrophy, sponsored by the SMA Association. We are assessing disease progression in this model using motor unit number estimation; data obtained will be used to design therapeutic trials involving this animal model.
Therapeutic Trials in Patients with ALS.
With Dr. Merit Cudkowicz of Massachusetts General Hospital, I am co Chair of the Northeast ALS Clinical Trials Consortium (NEALS). NEALS has organized and conducted 7 large multicenter clinical trials in ALS. We are currently performing an NIH sponsored trial of ceftriaxone in ALS, as well as a study of arimoclomol in ALS. These trials are administered jointly between Upstate Medical University and Massachusetts General Hospital, and involve the participation of 62 ALS centers throughout the United States and Canada.
Publications - link to PubMed
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This profile was last updated on 09/29/2008
A short link is available for this profile:
http://www.upstate.edu/neurophys/faculty.php?ID=shefnerj
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