Selkirk, Stephen, M.D., Ph.D.

Research Statement

I am a Neurologist on the Spinal Cord Injury Division at the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center.  My clinical interest is Multiple Sclerosis.
My research interests included understanding the mechanism of demyelination in the Central Nervous System (CNS) and developing therapies that enhance repair and remyelination.  I am also involved in research to enhance and/or development novel viral vectors to transfer gene expression to the CNS.

Professional Affiliations

• Investigator, Cleveland FES Center
• Staff Neurologist, Spinal Cord Injury Division, and Director, Advanced SCI Fellowship, Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, Cleveland, OH
• Assistant Professor, Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH

 Publications

• Caprariello AV, Miller RH, Selkirk SM. Foamy virus as a gene transfer vector to the central nervous system. Gene Ther. 2009 Mar;16(3):448-52. Epub 2008 Dec 4.PubMed PMID: 19052632; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2886980.
• Selkirk SM, Morrow J, Barone TA, Hoffer A, Lock J, DeChant A, Mangla S,Plunkett RJ, Miller RH. Elevation of osteopontin levels in brain tumor cells reduces burden and promotes survival through the inhibition of cell dispersal. J Neurooncol. 2008 Feb;86(3):285-96. Epub 2007 Oct 11. PubMed PMID: 17928956.
• Selkirk SM, Shi J. Relapsing-remitting tumefactive multiple sclerosis. MultScler. 2005 Dec;11(6):731-4. PubMed PMID: 16320737.

Research Programs

• Development of animal model of oligodendrocyte apoptosis mediated demyelination.
• Studying mechanisms that promote myelin repair and neuronal protection in animal models of Multiple Sclerosis.
• Modulating the immune response in the central nervous system to promote axon integrity.
• Fundamental mechanisms of gene therapy and retroviral vectors
• Enhancing gait in patients with multiple sclerosis through implanted FES systems.

 Contact Information