Dr. Andrew Eisen, MD, FRCPC

Dr. Andrew Eisen is Professor Emeritus at the University of British Columbia (Neurology). He is a graduate of the University of Leeds in England (1959). He completed his Residency in Neurology at the Montreal Neurological Institute, 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 ALS Centre and Clinic. 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 and Edited the Motor Neurone Volumes of both the Handbook of Clinical Neurophysiology (2004) and Clinical Neurology (2007). 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.” He is a former President of the American Association of Neuromuscular and Electrodiagnostic Medicine. His publication record includes 5 books, 35 book-chapters and over 270 peer-reviewed Journal Articles. He initiated the “corticomotoneuronal (dying-forward) hypothesis of ALS” 30 years ago which subsequently led to the appreciation that “ALS is neurodegenerative disease of the brain”. 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”, awarded in recognition of his work in ALS.