Neurogenetics
Our Clinicians and Staff
The Program in Neurogenetics in the UCLA department of Neurology is led by
- Daniel Geschwind, MD, PhD, Director
- Brent Fogel, MD, PhD, Associate Director
- Susan Perlman, MD, Director of Clinical Trials
Other members of the program with clinical activities include
- Ming Guo, MD PhD and Jessica Rexach, MD, PhD
Licensed genetic counselors are available in all clinics to address patient needs.
The program is nationally and internationally recognized for excellence in the clinical diagnosis and management of neurogenetic disease. Our goal is to use advances in genetics and genomics to improve diagnosis and treatment of our patients, and develop new therapeutic approaches to more effectively combat these devastating brain disorders.
Clinical Programs
The UCLA Neurogenetics Clinic, directed by Dr. Fogel, utilizes state-of-the-art technologies including clinical exome sequencing to diagnose rare neurological disorders. These include various forms of movement problems such spinocerebellar ataxia, leukodystrophy, and spastic paraparesis, as well as diseases that lead to memory loss, nerve and muscle disorders, seizures, and many other genetic conditions affecting the nervous system.
The UCLA Ataxia Center, directed by Dr. Perlman, is one of the first nationally recognized ataxia programs and the largest in the western United States. The clinic sees up to 200 new patients per year and follows a clinical population of nearly 3,000 individuals and families with all forms of ataxia both genetic and non-genetic.
The program also houses the Huntington’s Disease Society of America (HDSA) Center of Excellence at UCLA and is a referral center for California’s Genetic Handicapped Persons Program (GHPP).
The UCLA Department of Neurology is committed to ensuring that every patient receives the most accurate diagnosis and optimal treatment. Effort to achieve this include the Clinical Neurogenomics Research Center, directed by Dr. Fogel. The CNRC links patients with neurological disease to the system-wide efforts of the UCLA Institute of Precision Health, directed by Dr. Geschwind. The CNRC includes efforts to collect and store biological samples for research to bring genomic diagnostic and research advances to every patient with neurological disease. All patients seen in UCLA Neurogenetics Clinics will be offered enrollment in these programs.
Who Do We See?
We see patients with a wide variety of genetic conditions, including Friedreich Ataxia, all types of Spinocerebellar Ataxia, Huntington’s disease, Adrenoleukodystrophy, and Frontotemporal Dementia. We also see patients with various undiagnosed neurological diseases for comprehensive genetic evaluation and counseling.
Clinical and Translational Research
Clinicians and researchers at UCLA are routinely involved in both national and international research collaborations involving translational research and clinical trials involving a wide variety of neurogenetic disorders. There are typically more than a dozen such trials ongoing at any one time. Researchers in the Neurogenetics Program are also working to identify new genes which cause both rare and common neurologic diseases using cutting-edge genomic technologies including exome and genome sequencing. The work within the program is funded by multiple grants from the National Institutes of Health and several private foundations. The program is also committed to the clinical and scientific education of medical students, graduate students, residents, clinical fellows, and post-doctoral researchers.
For more details please see the program website: https://www.uclahealth.org/neurology/neurogenetics
For Clinical Appointments:
Phone: (310) 794-1195
Fax: (310) 794-7491