research program opportunities at BWH



The Department of Neurology at Brigham and Women's Hospital is a group of multidisciplinary biomedical research laboratories which has its central objective in the application of a wide range of current biological methods to the elucidation of the pathogenesis and treatment of certain chronic, unsolved neurological diseases: multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson’s Disease. In addition to clinically-related research many of the laboratories have an additional focus directed at understanding basic human and animal immunology.

As part of its mission to provide world-class clinical care and further the understanding and treatment of neurological diseases, the Department of Neurology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital sponsors one of the largest and most productive neurological research enterprises in the world, the BWH-BRI Neurosciences Research Center, a cooperative effort among our Departments of Neurology, Neurosurgery, Psychiatry, Radiology, Pathology, Anesthesiology and Medicine. The efforts and expertise of this multidisciplinary group of physicians and scientists have produced significant contributions to our understanding of neurological disease mechanisms and to the development of today’s most effective treatments for brain disorders. The Center’s collaborative nature promotes the discovery of new treatments and speeds them from the laboratory bench to the patient’s bedside.

Together, leaders of the BWH-BRI Neurosciences Research Center plan to capitalize on the historical achievements of the BWH neuroscience community to create a level of interdepartmental cooperation and leverage multidisciplinary strengths to reach a deeper understanding of the nervous system in health and disease. Their dedication to discoveries and research in these areas has made BWH investigators world-renowned leaders in the field of neuroscience.

For more information visit BWH’s Neurosciences Center of Excellence site.

Our Faculty

BWH investigators are nationally and internationally recognized for their contributions to advances in neurosciences research as recipients of prestigious awards including the current President-Elect of the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies (WFNS); the 2007 J. Kiffin Penry Excellence in Epilepsy Care Award by the American Epilepsy Society; the National MS Society/American Academy of Neurology’s 2007 John Dystel Prize for Multiple Sclerosis Research; the American Association of Neurological Surgeons’ 2007 Charles Wilson award for lifetime achievement in Neurooncology; the American Academy of Neurology’s 2007 H. Houston Merritt Award for clinically relevant research; and NIH Director’s New Innovator Awards.

All faculty members hold appointments at Harvard Medical School and are invested in training the next generation of neurologists and neuroscientists. Our faculty teach courses, supervise residents in the hospital, train graduate students, and mentor post-doctoral research fellows associated with Harvard Medical School.

These Neurology department faculty profiles contain research summaries and related information such as disease interests, publications and affiliations.

Research Investigator Profiles


Dr. Martin Samuels

Martin A. Samuels, MD

Neurologist-in-Chief and Chairman of the BWH Department of Neurology

Dr. Samuels is an internationally-recognized expert in clinical neurology and its relationship to other medical specialties. He is the 2007 recipient of the H. Houston Merritt Award given by the American Academy of Neurology for clinically relevant research. His research looks at explaining the manner in which the nervous system affects other organs in the body.  His research has examined the heart and brain connection as an example of how brain and mind processes can be harmful to the heart.  Dr. Samuels leads a full-service clinical program encompassing 11 divisions and a robust multidisciplinary research program that seeks to clarify the mechanisms of neurologic disease and develop more effective therapies.

Research Laboratories
Center for the Study of Coma Alan Ropper, MD
Division of Basic Neuroscience Research Dr. Dennis J. Selkoe, MD
& Howard L. Weiner, MD
Dennis Selkoe Laboratory Mechanisms of Alzheimer and Parkinson Diseases
Howard Weiner Laboratory Mechanisms of Autoimmune Diseases, MS & Alzheimer Disease
David Hafler Laboratory           Laboratory of Molecular Immunology
Vijay Kuchroo Laboratory Basic Mechanisms of Autoimmunity & Animal Models of Disease
Peter Lansbury Laboratory Protein Chemistry of Parkinson Disease
Samia Khoury Laboratory Mechanisms of Neuroinflammation, Degeneration and MS
Cynthia Lemere Laboratory Immunotherapy of Alzheimer Disease
Steven A. Greenberg Laboratory Inflammatory Myopathies
Jie Shen Laboratory Mouse Genetic Models of Neurodegeneration
Michael Wolfe Laboratory Protease Biochemistry of Alzheimer Disease
Anna Krichevsky Laboratory Biology and Pathobiology of Micro RNAs
Matthew LaVoie Laboratory Pathobiology of Parkinson Disease
Philip De Jager Laboratory Neurogenetics and Computational Neurology
Weiming Xia Laboratory Animal Models of Neurodegeneration
Dana Gabuzda  Laboratory Molecular Mechanisms of HIV Neurology
Kai Wucherpfennig Laboratory Molecular Mechanisms of Multiple Sclerosis
Michael Charness Laboratory Mechanisms of Alcohol Neurotoxicity
Kirk Daffner Laboratory Mechanisms of Attention
Reisa Sperling Laboratory Functional Imaging of Dementia
Scherzer Lab Clemens Scherzer, MD
Harvard Neurodiscovery Center Ross L. Stein, PhD
Partners Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Center Howard Weiner, MD
& Samia Khoury, MD
Center for Neurologic Imaging (CNI) Charles R. Guttman, MD
Center for Neurologic Imaging (CNI) Rohit Bakshi, MD
Laboratory for Experimental Alzheimer Drugs Corinne E. Augelli-Szafran, PhD
Farzeneh Sorond, MD, PhD Cerebral Autoregulation and Vascular Aging