Department Overview

Multiple Sclerosis Section

Faculty:

Dusan Stefoski, M.D. Section Head

George Katsamakis, M.D.

James Stewart, Ph.D.

The Rush Multiple Sclerosis Center is multidisciplinary, focusing on patient care and research in the field of demyelinating diseases and related disorders. About 4,000 patients are registered with the center. There are 250 to 300 annual admissions to the inpatient neurology unit. The staff consists of two neurologists, a neurology fellow, a clinical psychologist, a neurophysiologist and two nurses including a nurse practitioner. The center offers physical medicine and rehabilitation in consultation with the hospital's physical therapy department and active outpatient and inpatient programs.

Research activities consist of pilot clinical trials, large multicenter phase II and phase III drug trials, and basic research focusing on molecular biology of neuronal ion channel kinetics and their genetic control.

Patient treatment programs include the standard modalities for multiple sclerosis as well as advanced immunosuppressive and immune-modulatory medications. The center also has patient support groups and an active outpatient rehabilitation program.