Robert Bowser, PhD

Dr. Robert Bowser is an Associate Professor of Pathology and Director of the Center for ALS Research. His research focuses upon the cellular and molecular mechanisms of motor neuron degeneration during ALS and he has recently discovered protein biomarker diagnostics for ALS and useful surrogate markers of ALS disease progression using mass spectrometry based proteomics.  his work has been performed in collaboration with Dr. David Lacomis who provided samples and clinical information from ALS patient and control subjects. Dr. Bowser was the first to uncover a panel of protein biomarkers that can distinguish early state ALS patients (near time of symptom onset) from various control groups. He has lectured on this discovery at various international conferences and was honored as a Proteomic Pioneer by ProteoMonitor Newsweekly. He was also honored in 2005 by Pittsburgh magazine as one of Pittsburgh's 40 under 40 for influential young people shaping the region. Dr. Bowser has been the recipient of numerous research grants from the National ALS Association and also a recipient of the ALS Association's Lou Gehrig Challenge Award, the most prestigious research grant provided by the ALS Association.  Dr. Bowser is also a recipient of numerous NIH grants for ALS research and collaborates with many ALS investigators throughout the country and around the world. Dr. Bowser is a board member of the Western PA Chapter of the ALS Association and volunteers his time to benefit ALS patients and families. He provides lectures to ALS patient support group meetings located throughout the country. Dr. Bowser has also been an invited guest speaker at multiple international MND/ALS symposiums and the ALS Association national meetings. Dr. Bowser is also collaborating in a clinical trial of R+pramipexole to investigate the potential use of this drug in ALS. The multi-center clinical trial is being performed with Dr. David Lacomis as principal investigator. Dr. Bowser is also the Director of the University of Pittsburgh ALS Tissue Bank, a nationally recognized tissue bank that receives funding support from the ALS Association and the Mario Lemieux Foundation.

David Lacomis, MD

Dr. Lacomis is a Professor of Neurology and Pathology Chief, Division of Neuromuscular Diseases.  Dr. Lacomis was named among the "Top Doctors" by Pittsburgh magazine and in Best Doctors nationally. He directs the neuromuscular division and electromyography and autonomics testing laboratories as well as the neuromuscular pathology service. His major clinical interests are ALS, myasthenia gravis and muscle diseases. He directs the clinical component of the ALS program that includes an MDA-ALS Center. Dr. Lacomis is the site Principal Investigator in a Phase II futility study of R+pramipexole for ALS, and has secured site participation for upcoming clinical trials of ceftriaxone and arimoclomol as a member of the Northeast ALS Consortium. He is a participant in a national DNA banking study. With Dr. Robert Bowser, he is studying the biomarkers in the cerebrospinal fluid and serum, using proteomics techniques in ALS patients compared to controls, trying to find a diagnostic panel and to identify disease-related changes. With Dr. Bowser, he is also participating in a four site project collecting DNA from ALS patients for active study by Translational Genomics. He is also a co-investigator in an NIH-funded multi-center trial of rituximab in the treatment of refractory adult and juvenile dermatomyositis and adult plymyositis. He evaluates muscle pathology from all sites and serves on a number of key steering committees for the project. He also serves as the Director of the Clinical Neurophysiology fellowship, teaching and mentoring three fellows and teaching medical students and house staff from Neurology and Pathology. He was named to the newly formed Examination Committee for Clinical Neuromuscular Pathology for the United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties and remains on the Clinical Neurophysiology Examination Commitee for the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in addition to the Non-Tenured Faculty Promotions and Appointments at the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Lacomis is a member of two editorial boards and two scientific advisory committees.