Neurology - Office of Research Health Sciences - University of ...

Department Department of Neurology
University of Pittsburgh
School of of Medicine
Medicine
September 8, 2008

Departmental p Organization g
Lawrence R. Wechsler, MD
Interim Interim Chair
Chair
Department of Neurology
Patrick Conway Conwayy Leslie Dunn, MPH
Executive Administrator Academic Administrator
Lawrence Wechsler, MD
Tim Greenamyre, MD PhD
Steven Graham, MD PhD.
Paula Clemens, MD
Vice Chair Chair – Clinical Affairs Vice Chair Chair – Academic Affairs
Vice Chair Chair - Research Vice Chair Chair –VA VA Affairs
Affairs

Division Chiefs

Division Chiefs
Lawrence Wechsler, MD Interim Chairman of Neurology
Chief, Stroke Division
Director, UPMC Stroke Institute
Anto Bagic, MD, MSc Chief, Division of EEG and Epilepsy
Director, Center for Advanced Brain Magnetic Source
Imaging
Paula Clemens, MD Chief, VA Neurology
John Doyle, MD Chief, General Neurology
Director, Residency Training Program
Tim Greenamyre Greenamyre, MD PhD Chief Chief, Division Division of of Movement Movement Disorders
Disorders
Director, Pittsburgh Institute of Neurodegenerative
Diseases (PIND)
Rock Heyman, Heyman MD Chief Chief, Division Division of of Neuroimmunology Neuroimmunology & & Multiple
Multiple
Sclerosis
Robert Kaniecki, MD Chief, Headache Division
David D DDavid id Lacomis, L i MD MD Chi Chief, f Division Di i i of f Neuromuscular N l Diseases Di
Oscar Lopez, MD Chief, Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology

Faculty Fac Faculty lt Dist Distribution ib tion
Professors 10
Associate Professors 6
Assistant Professors 25
RResearch h Assist A i t Profs P f 12

Department of Neurology
Recent Faculty Additions
Gena Ghearing, MD Mayo Clinic; Epilepsy and EEG
Eric Hoffmann, PhD Pitt; Molecular genetics of degenerative disease
Samay Jain, MD Columbia; Movement Disorders and early diagnosis
techniques
Angela Lu, MD Pitt; Neuromuscular Diseases
Chith Chitharanjan j Rao, R MD MD W Wayne State; St t N Neuromuscular l Di Diseases
Asim Roy, MD Tufts University; Neurophysiology and Sleep Medicine
M. M MM. Firas Fi Sioufi, Si fi MD MD Pi Pitt; General G l Neurology N l
Valerie Suski, DO Duke; Movement Disorders and deep brain stimulation
Olga Vergun, PhD Pitt; The role of mitochondria in regulation & deregulation of
neuronal ionic homeostasis
Barbara Vogler, MD Thomas Jefferson; Headache and clinical research trials
David Wolk, MD Harvard; Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology
Syed Zaidi, MD Pitt; Vascular Neurology

Clinical and and Research Research Trainees
Trainees
Neurology Residents 15
Clinical Fellows 5
Stroke, Epilepsy, Neuromuscular
Movement Disorders
Research Associate 17
Post Doc Assoc 12
Post Doc Scholar 2
Graduate Students 11

NIH Rankings
Departments of Neurology
National Rankings g
U.S. News and World Report
Neurology and Neurosurgery
2001 26th 2002 19th 2002 unranked
2003 39th 2002 19
2003 14th 2004 17th 2003 39
2004 39th 2005 17th 2005 10th 2006 8th 2007 6th 2006 19th 2007 12th 2008 14th 2007 6th 2008 14th

Research Themes
Neurodegenerative Disorders
Diagnosis and Therapeutic Interventions in
Dementia
Mechanisms and interventions in Parkinson’s
disease
Brain Trauma in humans and animal models
Stroke and and ischemia ischemia-induced induced mechanisms of
neuronal death

Depa Department tment Details
Wet laboratory space: BST BST-S; S; BST BST-3; 3; VA
Clinical research research space space in Kaufmann
Building, UPMC Montefiore, and at the
VAMC
Led the initiative to launch Pittsburgh
Institute Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases

Annual
Fundingg
$20,000,000
$18,000,000
$16 $16,000,000 000 000
$14,000,000
$12,000,000
$10,000,000
$8 $8,000,000 000 000
$6,000,000
$4,000,000
$2,000,000
$ $-
Department of Neurology
Research Funding Sources
FY 02 FY 03 FY 04 FY 05 FY 06 FY 07 FY 08
Fiscal Year
OTHER
STATE
VA
NIH

Department Department of Neurology
Extramural Funding
Foundation, 9%
VA/Other Federal, 2%
Fellowships, 3%
Training, 1%
DoD, 3%
Center, 24%
Industry, 4%
State, 2%
R Awards, 20%
Program Projects,
27%
K Awards, 5%

National Center for
Complementary &
Alt Alternative ti Medicine M di i
(NCCAM), 27%
National Institute of Mental
Health (NIMH), 2%
Department of Neurology
Funding Funding by by NIH NIH Institutes
Institutes
National Institute of
Environmental Health
Sciences (NIEHS), 0.1%
National Institute of
Arthritis & Musculoskeletal
& Skin Diseases (NIAMS),
2%
Fogarty International
Center (FIC), 0.8%
NNational ti l IInstitute tit t of f Child
Health & Human
Development (NICHD),
0.1%
National Institute of
Neurological Disorders &
Stroke (NINDS), 30%
National Institute of Aging
(NIA), 38%

Centers Centers & & Program Program Project Project Grants
Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center
(P50; O. Lopez, PI; $10,438,440 over 5 years)
Morris K. Udall Center of Excellence:
Neuroprotection and Early Detection in PD
(P01; M. Zigmond, PI; $6,453,809 over 5 years )
GRECC (Geriatric (G i t i Research, R h Education, Ed ti and d
Clinical Center)
(S. Graham, Graham, Director)
Director)

State Tobacco G Grant ant
This s g grant a t focuses ocuses o on
computer screening techniques for cognitive
impairment p in the community y
the use of PET imaging with the amyloid ligand
PIB and computer p analysis y of MR images g to aid in
diagnosis
the examination of biological g specimens p for
biomarkers of diagnosis and disease severity using
cutting cutting-edge edge techniques to do drug discovery in
novel novel cell cell-based cell cell-based based systems systems to identify new
treatments for dementia.

Computerized
Screening for
Dementia Detection
J Saxton,
Project Leader
Pitt ADRC, SWPA-AAA,
PST, Theiss Health
Center
Commonwealth Commonwealth Tobacco Tobacco Settlement Settlement Fund Fund 5/05--5/09: 5/05 5/09:
Center Center of of Excellence Excellence on on Research Research In In Neurodegenerative Neurodegenerative Diseases Diseases
Center on Excellence in Detection, Diagnosis and
Intervention in Dementia
Clinical/Health
Services Research
PIB-PET for
Diagnosis of
Dementia
W Klunk/D Wolk,
Project Leaders
University of
Pittsburgh ADRC
MRI Diagnostic
Analysis
J Becker,
Project Leader
University of Pittsburgh
ADRC/Penn State/CMU
DDID
Administrative
Core
Tau Metabolism
L Taylor,
Project Leader
University of Pittsburgh
ADRC and Cellumen
ADRC/Penn State/CMU ADRC and Cellumen
Basic Research
High-Throughput
Drug Screening
J Lazo,
Project Leader
University of Pittsburgh
Oxidized Neurolipids
V Kagan,
Project Leader
University of Pittsburgh
ADRC
ADRC and Penn State and Univ Pgh GSPH

Clinical Trials: NIH and Pharma
Ginkgo G go Biloba oba Prevention e e t o Trial a in O Older de Individuals d dua s
(NCCAM and NIA; S. DeKosky, PI; O. Lopez, Co Co-PI) PI)
3000 normal elderly elderly y in 4 clinical sites around the USA:
Pittsburgh, Hopkins, Wake Forest, UC Davis; Data
Mgt/Statistics at Univ. Washington, Lab at U. Vermont,
Cognitive g Diagnostic g Center and Imaging g g Center at U. Pgh. g
Largest grant ever given by NCCAM
Funded the continuation of the GEM clinical trial for
$16 $16,632,639 632 639 through h h July J l 2009
2009
Other clinical trials are sponsored by NINDS, NIA and
Pharma in in Alzheimer Alzheimer’s s, Parkinson’s Parkinson s, Stroke Stroke, ALS ALS,
Huntington’s, Multiple Sclerosis

Foundation Support
pp
Picower Foundation
JT Greenamyre Greenamyre, MD MD, PhD PhD, , $750 $750,000 000 per per year year for 3 years
Pathogenic mechanisms as therapeutic targets in PD
Emmerling Fund Fund of of the the Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Foundation
Foundation
Edward Burton, MD, DPhil DPhil, , a two year grant totaling
$138,646.
Development of a biochemical model of Parkinson’s disease in
zebrafish to enable identification of pathogenic pathways and
neuroprotective p drugs. g
Emmerling Fund of the Pittsburgh Foundation
David Hinkle, , MD, , PhD 3 year y g grant totaling g $166,760 $ ,
The research project will target astrocytes for neuroprotective
therapies in stroke

Current Career Development Awards
Sarah Berman, MD, PhD: K08 Award (NINDS)
Mitochondrial dynamics in neurodegeneration
David Hinkle, MD, PhD: K08 Award (NINDS)
The Potential Role of DJ DJ-1 1 in Astrocyte-Mediated Astrocyte Mediated Neuroprotection
Samay Jain, MD: K12 Award (NIH)
Improving diagnosis and treatment of Parkinson disease with assessments of
non non-motor motor features by clinical and physiologic measures
Deric Park, MD: K02 award (NINDS)
Determination of growth growth and differentiation pathways in glioblastoma multiforme
Amanda Smith, PhD: K01 award (NINDS)
Endogenous neuroprotective agents in Parkinson’s Disease
David Wolk Wolk, MD: MD: K23 K23 award (NIA)
Recollection and Familiarity in Amnestic-Mild Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment

Training Grants
T32 MH18273 Training in the Neurobiology of
Neuropsychiatric Neuropsychiatric Disorders (M. Zigmond, PI)
PI)
U13 NS060553 Training Faculty to Teach Survival Skills
and Ethics (M. Zigmond , PI)
R25 NS39805 Survival Skills and Ethics Workshops for
Neuroscientists (M. Zigmond , PI)
Numerous Neurology faculty serve on other training
grants in several basic and clinical departments.

CConcept t of f the th PIND
Robert Y. Moore, MD, PhD and Michael Zigmond, PhD
conceptualized p an Institute for f the study y of f
Neurodegenerative Diseases, that would build on the
significant strengths in research at the university of
Pittsburgh g
Central idea was a dual focus on translational
research (to translate ideas from the lab to the
clinic)
Laboratories that were open and interactive
Clinical translational by clinician researchers AND clinicians
who both ran laboratories and did clinical research
Close proximity of laboratories and clinics

1997-2000
Drs. Moore and Zigmond, working with Joanne Beyer,
ddeveloped l d a proposal l f for th the PIND t to present t t to th the
Scaife Foundation
Bob Moore met with Jeff Romoff, Romoff CEO of UPMC and
secured a promise to match a Scaife Foundation Gift
of $10 million with $10 million from UPMC - a promise
made good
Drs Moore, Zigmond, and DeKosky met with the
Scaife Foundation Board with a proposal to support
the h PIND, PIND leveraging l i the h Parkinson’s P ki ’ Disease Di
expertise, Alzheimer’s disease research, emerging
ALS research in the Division of Neuropathology, and
other h neurodegenerative d disease d researchh

Th The targets… t t
Dual theme reflected in the unique aspects of
the neurodegenerative diseases, and also
their common features
Neuronal death in specific brain regions
Abnormal n rma pr processing c ng of f brain ra n pr proteins t n
Loss of cell-to-cell communication
Inflammation
OOxidative id i stress

Th The Scaife S if Commitment: C it t two-fold t f ld
The PIND gift was $10,800,000
$10 million for the building
$800 $800,000 000 for recruiting recruiting, equipment equipment, seminars seminars, education and
related activities in the interim before the building was
completed
Used for PIND symposiums, organizing lectures,
recruitment and equipment utilized in labs before the
move to the new laboratories
Allowed PIND to develop its “Center without Walls” presence

2000-2004
Moore took sabbatical in London to study neuroimaging in Parkinson’s
disease and then returned to start a new research program
DeKosky took Chair of Neurology in 2000; was appointed Director of
the PIND
Leslie Dunn, MPH, appointed Executive Director of PIND, overseeing
PIND act activities, v t es, grants, seminars sem nars
Recruiting for researchers from inside and outside University of
Pittsburgh began
Zigmond NIH-funded NIH funded Program Project Grant designated a Morris K.
Udall Parkinson's Disease Research Center of Excellence
One of very few to have both basic and clinical research
Ed Burton, , MD, , PhD (movement ( disorders), ), David Hinkle, , MD, , PhD
(movement disorders) recruited from Queen’s Square and University of
Pennsylvania
Groundbreaking for the building was held March 6, 2003

2004-present
Tim Greenamyre, MD, PhD, recruited from Emory
University as Professor and UPMC Chair in Movement
Disorders, Chief of the Division of Movement
Disorders, Department of Neurology, and Director of
the PIND
Additional recruitments in Parkinson’s disease,
Alzheimer’s m disease, , ALS, L , animal m models m of f
neurodegeneration
Designated as an Advanced Center for Parkinson’s
Di Disease RResearch h by b th the AAmerican i PParkinson ki Di Disease
Association

The Pittsburgh Institute for
Neurodegenerative Diseases
Mission Statement:
By virtue of both philosophy and architecture,
the PIND is acenter center where there are no walls
between individual scientists, and where there
are no barriers between basic scientific inquiry
and translation of the latest findings into new
treatments
treatments. As such, the mission of the PIND is
to transform cutting-edge
cutting edge science into novel
therapies h and d d diagnostics that h d directly l b benefit f
individuals affected by neurodegenerative
diseases diseases. diseases diseases.

The Pittsburgh Institute for
Neurodegenerative Diseases
Administ Administrative ti St Structure uctu
Director:
Tim Greenamyre, MD, PhD
Executive Committee:
Bob Bowser, PhD
Jun Chen, MD
St Steve GGraham, h MD, MD PhD
Terri Hastings, PhD
Peter Strick, PhD

Wh What t is i the th PIND?
PIND?
• The 7th floor of BST3

Wh What t is i the th PIND?
PIND?
• The 7th floor of BST3
• Th The investigators i ti t on the th 7th floor fl
of BST3

The Pittsburgh Institute for
Neurodegenerative Diseases
The People
Neurology: Sarah Berman, MD, PhD Dave Hinkle, MD, PhD
Ed Burton, MD, PhD Ruth Perez, PhD
Tim Greenamyre, MD, PhD h Michael h l Zigmond, PhD h
Terri Hastings, PhD
Pharmacology: Don Don DeFranco, DeFranco PhD Michael Michael Palladino, Palladino PhD
PhD
Geriatrics: Al Fisher, MD, PhD
Structural Ron Wetzel Wetzel, PhD
Biology:

Sarah Berman, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor
Neurology
FUSION
Mitofusin
OPA
Drp1
Fis1
FISSION

Ed Burton, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor
Neurology
Genetically tractable models
in Zebrafish

Don DeFranco, PhD
Professor
Pharmacology
Oxidative Stress

Al Fisher, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor
Geriatric Medicine

Tim Greenamyre, MD, PhD
Professor
Neurology

Terri Hastings, PhD
Associate Professor
Neurology

David Hinkle, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor
Neurology

Michael Palladino, PhD
Assistant Professor
Pharmacology

Ruth Perez, PhD
Assistant Professor
Neurology

Ron Wetzel, PhD
Professor
Structural Biology

Michael Zigmond, PhD
Professor
Neurology

Wh What t is i the th PIND?
PIND?
• The 7th floor of BST3
• Th The investigators i ti t on the th 7th floor fl
of BST3
• An inclusive center without walls -
bbasic i & clinical li i l iinvestigators ti t
throughout g
Pitt

How is PIND research funded?
Foundations/Associations
21%
NIH Program Project
or Center Awards
25%
Extramural Funding FY-'07
Individual NIH
Research
Awards
53%
$6 $6,031,129 031 129 direct
$1,476,041 indirect

K-Awards
• Sarah Berman, MD, PhD - K08
• Al Fisher, MD, PhD - K08 (Beeson Award) -
Division of Geriatrics
• Dave Hinkle, MD, PhD - K08
• P Pier Mastroberardino, M b d PhD - K99
•Samay y
Jain, MD - K12

Graduate students
• 12 Pitt PhD students (4 MD-PhD)
• CNUP CNUP, Pharmacology, Pharmacology MBSB
• Visiting students from University of Padova,
UUniversity i it of f IInsubria b i
• Formal exchange agreements with University
of Insubria & Mondino Neurological Institute

• 26 postdocs
Postdocs
• PhDs from Pitt Pitt, Michigan Michigan, Michigan State, State
Rome, Padova, Insubria, Navarra
• 2 RiMED ffellows ll - (J (Joint i t UPMC UPMC-Sicily Si il program)
)

Journal Editors
• Molecular Endocrinology, Don DeFranco, editor
(IF ( 5.4) )
• Neurobiology of Disease, Tim Greenamyre, editor
(IF 4.4)
• Progress in Neurobiology, Michael Zigmond, editor
(IF 10.5)
10 5)