Ataxia Center Doctors

Christopher Gomez, MD, PhD, Director of the Ataxia Center
Department of Neurology.
Dr. Gomez, Chairman of the Department of Neurology is an expert in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with ataxias--a family of rare neurodegenerative diseases. Before moving to Chicago he established and directed the University of Minnesota Ataxia Clinic, a nationally recognized specialty clinic for patients with these rare degenerative diseases.  He is a founding member of the Cooperative Ataxia Group, a national consortium of ataxia specialists that has just launched the first rating scale and natural history studies for Friedreich's Ataxia.  He sees patients with all forms of spinocerebellar ataxias, child and adult onset ataxias, Friedreich’s ataxia, ataxia telangiectasia, ataxia with oculomotor apraxia, olivopontocerebellar ataxia, multiple system atrophy, spastic paraparesis, hereditary Parkinson’s syndromes, and gait and balance disorders.  Dr. Gomez helped characterized spinicerebellar ataxia type 6 (SCA6) and discovered SCA26. In the laboratory Dr. Gomez studies the disease process caused by the SCA6 and SCA26 mutations.

Un-Jung Kang, MD, Director, Movement Disorders Center
Department of Neurology
Dr. Kang's main interest is in neurodegenerative disorders that manifest abnormal control of movements such as Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, dystonia, tics, tremor, and myoclonus.  As Ataxia is a closely related neurological disorder, these two centers collaborate at many clinical and research levels.  Patients with ataxia develop associated movement disorders, or Parkinsons disease.  Conversely some are misdiagnoses as Parkinsons disease.  All the physicians cross cover each other for optimum continuity of care.  There is continuous exchange between the physicians and ancillary staff to interpret clinical and laboratory data and idealize management decisions.  The missions of the Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Center include the state-of-the-art clinical care of patients, teaching residents, fellows, and other medical professionals, and research in the cause and treatment of movement disorders.  The center participates in a national genetic study of PD and therapeutic trials of new medications for PD and Huntington's disease.  The center integrates multidisciplinary approach to patient care and includes psychiatrists, neuropsychologists, speech pathologies, otolaryngology surgeons, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and nutritionists.

Arif Dalvi, MD, Department of Neurology
Dr. Dalvi graduated from Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, New York in 1997 with a fellowship in Parkinson's disease and movement disorders. Since then he has cared for patients with Parkinson's disease, tremor disorders, dystonia, Huntington's disease and other movement disorders. Dr. Dalvi’s expertise is ideal because patients with ataxia develop associated movement disorders, or frank Parkinsons disease.  Conversely some are misdiagnosed as Parkinsons disease.  His clinical and research focus is the surgical treatment of Parkinson's disease. He has followed over 100 patients with deep brain stimulators for Parkinson's disease and essential tremor. He is actively involved with patient selection, intraoperative monitoring, postoperative programming, and medical management of these patients. His clinical practice includes the use of botulinum toxin for blepharospasm, torticollis, dystonia and spasticity. As a member of the Parkinson's Study Group, an international collaboration of researchers in Parkinson's disease, he is active with clinical trials of new treatments for this disease.

William Dobyns, MD, Pediatric Neurology, Department of Human Genetics
Dr.  Dobyns focuses on the field of developmental neurogenetics, especially the molecular characterization of human brain malformations. Many such patients experience ataxia or imbalance, incoordination slurred speech and ataxia.  Dr. Dobyns assists Dr. Gomez in the evaluation of children with ataxia.  Dr. Dobyns obtains appropriate brain imaging studies and other clinical data, obtains DNA and other samples for our laboratory, identifies and delineates new malformation syndromes, and attempts to map and clone the genes responsible for human malformation syndromes, and study the role of these genes in normal brain development and function.

Nurse/Ancillary Staff

Joumana Fawaz-Baroody, RN, BSN, Ataxia Center Coordinator
Joumana Fawaz-Baroody graduated from The American University of Beirut Nursing school with a bachelors degree in 1987.  After graduation she worked in the Cardiac Intensive Care unit at Good Samaritan Hospital in Suffern, New York for 6 years before moving to Chicago.  Joumana joined the Neurology Department at The University of Chicago in 2002 to serve as clinical coordinator of the neuromuscular and ALS clinics, a position she holds presently.  In 2006, she assumed the additional role of clinic coordinator for the new University of Chicago Ataxia Center and works closely with Dr. Gomez to provide comprehensive care for patients suffering from these disorders.  Her job includes triaging new patients into the clinic and making sure that all tests and procedures that are required to facilitate their diagnosis and proper treatment are performed in a timely and efficient manner.  She is also available to answer questions, coordinate care, help with insurance and disability paperwork requirements, refill medications, help arrange clinic visits, and be accessible in clinic for physicians and patients.  She can be reached at 773-702-5545 or by email at jfawaz@neurology.bsd.uchicago.edu

Roger Fong, PT.
Roger Fong, is a physical therapist for the University of Chicago Hospitals. He received his bachelor degree from Boston University and his Masters in Physical Therapy from Midwestern University. As a physical therapist in the Ataxia Center Roger provides on-site evaluation and education to patients appropriate for physical therapy. Roger's approach in therapy is to work with the patient within a multidisciplinary format in order to optimize the patient's functional outcome and needs.  He also performs screening for other rehab needs such as on going outpatient physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, orthotics, wheelchair and seated mobility, and home care.

Lisa Dellefave, MS, Genetics Counselor, Section of Cardiology, Department of Medicine
Lisa Dellefave, is a certified genetic counselor at the University of
Chicago. She received her Bachelor of Science degree from Illinois
Wesleyan University with a major in biology in 1995. After working for
four years in the pharmaceutical industry, she went on to receive her
Master of Science degree in Genetic Counseling from the University of
Minnesota in 2001. where she first worked with Dr. Gomez.  Lisa worked at Northwestern University as a genetic counselor for four years in Neurology, specializing in neuromuscular disorders as well as coordinating the ongoing patient research in its
neurogenetic laboratory. She had also worked at Evanston Northwestern
Hospital, specializing in the hereditary cancer syndromes, and continuing to see patients with neuromuscular disease prior to coming to the University of Chicago.  In August 2006, Lisa joined the U of C Section of Cardiology, specializing in cardiovascular genetics research and seeing patients with inherited cardiovascular disease and continues to see patients here in Neurology for genetic counseling of
neuromuscular disorders and movement disorders.

Elizabeth Shaviers, CCRP, Ataxia Research Coordinator
Elizabeth Shaviers graduated from St. Augustine College with an Associate of Applied Science degree in Respiratory Therapy. She worked at Children’s Memorial Hospital for two years, working with children diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis an inherited chronic disease that affects children and adults worldwide. In June 2001, she worked at Northwestern University as a Regulatory Coordinator for the Institutional Review Board, a committee that protects the rights and welfare of human subjects in research. Liz has recently received her certification as a Certified Clinical Research Professional and is currently pursuing a Bachelor Degree in Sociology at St. Xavier University. Liz joined the Neurology Department at the University of Chicago in 2003 as a Study Coordinator where she has participated in various ALS, Neuropathy and Parkinson’s clinical trials. In 2006 she has assumed the role of Ataxia Research Coordinator and works alongside Dr. Gomez, maintaining our Ataxia Registry and Database and in enrolling patients in our ataxia research trials.

Other specialists

David Frim, MD
Section of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery
Dr. Frim specializes in surgical procedures to treat hydrocephalus, congenital anomalies of the nervous system such as Chiari malformation, epilepsy, myelodysplasia, brain and spine tumors, and trauma. His current research investigations include studies of the neuroprotective effects of surfactant poloxamer molecules, investigations of the intracranial pressure dynamics of hydrocephalus patients, and development of treatment strategies for congenital anomalies of the nervous system.

Christopher Sullivan, MD
Section of Orthopedics Department of Surgery.
Dr. Sullivan is Director of Pediatric Orthopaedics and Scoliosis.  He provides evaluation and treatment alternatives for patients in the Ataxia Center suffering from neuromuscular causes of scoliosis (spine deformity).  Scoliosis is serious complication of some forms of ataxia, such as Friedreich’s ataxia.  

Elizabeth McNally, MD, PhD
Section of Cardiology, Department of Medicine
Dr. McNally cares for patients with genetic forms of cardiomyopathy and cardiac complications of muscle disease and neurological disease.  Cardiomypathy is the most serious complucation of Friedreichs ataxia.  In her research she studies the genetics of heart and muscle disease. Her laboratory examines mechanisms by which genetic mutations lead to cardiomyopathy, arrhythmias and vascular spasm. Her laboratory studies the dystrophin glycoprotein complex, including the sarcoglycans, which help stabilize the plasma membrane of cardiac and skeletal muscle. The laboratory is also interested in proteins that play a role in membrane repair in skeletal and cardiac muscle and in proteins at the nuclear membrane and their role in cardiac and skeletal muscle function.

Gregory Bales, M.D.
Section of Urology, Department of Surgery
Dr. Bales provides support for the Ataxia Center in diagnosis and management of neurological disorders of bladder and erectile dysfunction.  Patients with several forms of ataxia develop incontinence or urinary retention as a result of the effect of the disease on the neurological control of the bladder.  Also, rarely, other patients may develop problems with erectile or ejaculatory function. Dr. Bales specializes in Incontinence
Urethral strictures, Urethral sphincters, neurogenic bladder, reconstructive surgery, penile prosthesis, bladder prolapse and cystocele.  

Susan Ksiazek, M.D.
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science
Susan is a board certified in ophthalmology as well as neurology with fellowship training in neuro-ophthalmology.  She coordinates referrals in her department for the many ophthalmological issues affecting these patients.  She examines eyes and their movements and determines how findings relate to processes occurring in the brain.