Neuromuscular Diseases

BIOGRAPHY

Daniel Drachman Academic positions: - Professor of Neurology and Neuroscience - W.W. Smith Charitable Trust Professor of Neuroimmunology - Active Staff, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD - Active Staff, The Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD Any industry positions (last five years): None declared Research interests: Dr. Drachman's interests include Neuromuscular Diseases, Immunology, and basic aspects of Nerve-Muscle interactions and development. He is widely considered to be a leading authority on myasthenia gravis, and other neuromuscular disease, especially those that involve auto-immunity. Some of the landmark research that he has carried out includes the following: - The discovery of the role of movement in the development of joints, and how failure of movement before birth can leave to the most common congenital defect in humans - i.e., clubfoot, as well as Arthrogryposis. This work on the development of joints has become the standard theory of joint development. - The 'neurotrophic' role of motor nerves and neuromuscular transmission in maintaining the structure and function of muscles. - The treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy using corticosteroids. This is the only treatment known to benefit boys with this uniformly crippling inherited muscle disease. - A large body of work on the causes, mechanisms and treatment of myasthenia gravis, including a number of novel treatments and new genetic therapies for future treatment of myasthenia gravis. - The role of cyclooxygenase-2 in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's Disease) and a trial of treatment with COX-2 inhibitors in this otherwise uniformly fatal disorder. Any other information: Dr Drachman has served on numerous national committees throughout his career. His contribution to this field was recognized in 2002 by the Lifetime Achievement Award, World Federation of Neurology & X International Congress on Neuromuscular Diseases.