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.

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.

Publications (Select)

Entire publication list can be found here.

  • Bedell HW, Hermann JK, Ravikumar M, Lin S, Rein A, Li X, Molinich E, Smith PD, Selkirk SM, Miller RH, Sidik S, Taylor DM, Capadona JR. Targeting CD14 on blood derived cells improves intracortical microelectrode performance. Biomaterials. 2018 May;163:163–173. doi: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2018.02.014 Pubmed PMID: 29471127
  • Hermann JK, Ravikumar M, Shoffstall AJ, Ereifej ES, Kovach KM, Chang J, Soffer A, Wong C, Srivastava V, Smith P, Protasiewicz G, Jiang J, Selkirk SM, Miller RH, Sidik S, Ziats NP, Taylor DM, Capadona JR. Inhibition of the cluster of differentiation 14 innate immunity pathway with. J Neural Eng. 2018 Apr;15(2):025002. doi: 10.1088/1741-2552/aaa03e Pubmed PMID: 29219114
  • Kellogg J, Bottman L, Arra EJ, Selkirk SM, Kozlowski F. Nutrition management methods effective in increasing weight, survival time and functional status in ALS patients: a systematic review. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener. 2018 Feb;19(1–2):7–11. doi: 10.1080/21678421.2017.1360355 Pubmed PMID: 28799809
  • Selkirk SM, Kobetic R, Lombardo LM, Pinault G, Triolo RJ. Feasibility of Restoring Walking in Multiple Sclerosis with Multichannel Implanted Electrical Stimulation. Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2017 Sep;96(9):e170–e172. doi: 10.1097/PHM.0000000000000692 Pubmed PMID: 28151761
  • Selkirk SM, Washington MO, McClellan F, Flynn B, Seton JM, Strozewski R. Delivering tertiary centre specialty care to ALS patients via telemedicine: a retrospective cohort analysis. Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener. 2017 Apr 21:1-9. doi: 10.1080/21678421.2017.1313867. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 28427284.
  • Selkirk SM, Kobetic R, Lombardo LM, Pinault G, Triolo RJ. Feasibility of Restoring Walking in Multiple Sclerosis with Multichannel Implanted Electrical Stimulation. Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2017 Feb 1. doi: 10.1097/PHM.0000000000000692. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 28151761.
  • Makowski NS, Kobetic R, Lombardo LM, Foglyano KM, Pinault G, Selkirk SM, Triolo RJ. Improving Walking with an Implanted Neuroprosthesis for Hip, Knee, and Ankle Control After Stroke. Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2016 Dec;95(12):880-888. PubMed PMID: 27231842; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5115927.
  • Selkirk SM, Ruff R. Low back pain, radiculopathy. Handb Clin Neurol. 2016;136:1027-33. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-444-53486-6.00053-3. Review. PubMed PMID: 27430456.
  • Ravikumar M, Sunil S, Black J, Barkauskas DS, Haung AY, Miller RH, Selkirk SM, Capadona JR. The roles of blood-derived macrophages and resident microglia in the neuroinflammatory response to implanted Intracortical microelectrodes. Biomaterials. 2014 Sep;35(28):8049-64. doi: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2014.05.084. Epub 2014 Jun 24. PubMed PMID: 24973296.
  • McClellan F, Washington M, Ruff R, Selkirk SM. Early and innovative symptomatic care to improve quality of life of ALS patients at Cleveland VA ALS Center. J Rehabil Res Dev. 2013 Jul;50(4):vii-xvi. PubMed PMID: 23934878.
  • McClellan F, Washington M, Ruff R, Selkirk SM. Developing a system of care for ALS patients at the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center, Spinal Cord Injury Division. J Rehabil Res Dev. 2013 Apr;50(2):xi-xxi. PubMed PMID: 23761009.
  • Caprariello AV, Mangla S, Miller RH, Selkirk SM. Apoptosis of oligodendrocytes in the central nervous system results in rapid focal demyelination. Ann Neurol.2012 Sep;72(3):395-405. doi: 10.1002/ana.23606. PubMed PMID: 23034912; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3464960.
  • Ravikumar M, Jain S, Miller RH, Capadona JR, Selkirk SM. An organotypic spinal cord slice culture model to quantify neurodegeneration. J Neurosci Methods. 2012 Nov 15;211(2):280-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2012.09.004. Epub 2012 Sep 10. PubMed PMID: 22975474.

Selkirk

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

Investigator
Cleveland FES Center

Staff Neurologist, Spinal Cord Injury Division, and Director, Advanced SCI Fellowship
Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center

Assistant Professor, Department of Neurology, School of Medicine
Case Western Reserve University

Director, Cleveland VA ALS Center of Excellence
Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center

CONTACT INFORMATION

Program Contact
Stephan Selkirk, M.D., Ph.D.

Contact Number
(216) 791-3800 x 66076

Contact Email
Stephen.selkirk@va.gov