My interest in the nervous system was fostered during my undergraduate years at Duke University where I completed a certificate program in Neuroscience, while majoring in Psychology. It was in medical school at Vanderbilt that I met the woman who led me to Houston, my wife, Dr. Jill Christensen Hutton. We considered coming to Houston for residency training to be near family, but I was sold on the training after visiting Baylor College of Medicine for my interview. I truly cherish the rigorous training that I received (internship in Internal Medicine, Neurology residency, and Multiple Sclerosis fellowship). I joined faculty as instructor during my fellowship, and I have moved up the ranks to Tenured Professor since 2018. I am also the recipient of the Linda and John Griffin Endowed Chair in Multiple Sclerosis (formerly Professorship). I serve as a clinician, educator and researcher and have leadership and community service roles as well. I helped with the founding of the Maxine Mesinger Multiple Sclerosis Comprehensive Care Center in 2003 and have been medical director since 2011. This multidisciplinary center is one of the largest such centers in the region and serves several thousand patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and related diseases. I have been instrumental in expanding the Neuroimmunology section, having recruited four additional faculty members over the past four years. I have been director of the MS fellowship program since 2011. We have graduates in academic programs and private practices across the country. I also serve on our departmental education committee since 2000 and remain active in resident education. I have been medical director for Neurology and for the Infusion Center since 2011. I am also vice chair for Clinical Affairs since 2018. I have been involved in about 50 clinical trials for MS or neuromyelitis optica, including National Institutes of Health projects involving hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for MS. I have had collaborations with investigators from the University of Houston, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, The University of Texas at Austin and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. I have published over 75 articles in peer-reviewed journals. I have also been heavily involved with patient support organizations over the years, especially the National MS Society. I have held several leadership roles with the NMSS over the years and was inducted into the Volunteer Hall of Fame in 2011. I have been a major fundraiser through bike MS events over the past 20+ years and was inducted into the Fundraising Hall of Fame when my cumulative fundraising exceeded $100,000.
