Dr. Andrew Eisen, MD, FRCPC

Dr. Andrew Eisen is the last of 6 original Founders of ALS BC, registered in 1981.

He graduated from the University of Leeds in England (1959). Completed a Residency in Neurology at the Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI), McGill University and was appointed to the Staff of the Montreal Neurological Institute and The University of McGill from 1968 – 1980. He moved to Vancouver, British Columbia in 1980 where, he developed the Neuromuscular Diseases Program and Provincial Multidisciplinary ALS Centre and Clinic (1981), the 2nd such clinic in North America. At UBC he was Associate Dean of Research (1984 – 1987), Head of Medicine (1987-1991), and Head of Neurology (1996 – 2000).

Dr. Eisen has written extensively on ALS with colleagues World-wide, and Edited the Motor Neurone Volumes of both the Handbook of Clinical Neurophysiology (2004) and Clinical Neurology (2007). He developed the “corticomotoneuronal (dying-forward) hypothesis of ALS” which subsequently led to appreciation that “ALS is neurodegenerative disease of the brain”.

In 1999, he received the prestigious Forbes Norris Award “For compassion and love of humanity in the study, management and support of ALS and Motor Neuron Disease.” In 2012 Dr. Eisen received a “British Columbia Community Achievement Award” for his work in the ALS-Community and is also a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth “Diamond Jubilee Medal”, and King Charles III “Coronation Medal”, both awarded in recognition of his work in ALS.

He is a former President of the American Association of Neuromuscular and Electrodiagnostic Medicine and served as Treasurer of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology (IFCN) 2001-2010.