DUKE ALS CLINIC - Key Persons
Dr. Xiaoyan Li is a specialist in neuromuscular medicine and research, with a focus on ALS. After completing medical school at Taishan Medical College (China), Dr. Li completed her residency in neurology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her neuromuscular fellowship at Duke University. She is currently an Assistant Professor of Medicine and Neurologist at Duke. Neurology is being transformed by scientific advances and exciting new treatments are becoming available. Dr. Li uses her expertise, both in clinical medicine and basic science, to help find effective treatments for this disease. She encourages and welcomes patients to participate in clinical research that will move us forward in finding effective treatments and, ultimately, a cure. Her goal is to always make an accurate diagnosis and provide effective treatment. However, treating every person with humanity is equally important to her. She believes in listening carefully to people as they describe their symptoms and as they express concerns they may have. For Dr. Li, listening and treating people with respect is key to the doctor-patient relationship. Dr. Li lives in Chapel Hill, NC with her husband and 2 children.
Job Titles:
- Clinical Research Nurse Coordinator
Clinical research nurse coordinators are nurses who have received specialized training and certification in coordinating clinical research trials. Clinical trials can include studies of new medications, studies to collect data to assist with diagnosis and monitoring of disease progression and those to study new non-pharmacological interventions.
Dr. Richard Bedlack, grew up in a small town in central Connecticut. He went to college at William and Mary in Virginia, then back to Connecticut for an MD and PhD in Neuroscience at UConn. Finally, he came to Duke where he completed his Medicine Internship, Neurology Residency, Neuromuscular Fellowship, and Masters in Clinical Research Science. He is currently a Professor of Neurology at Duke and Director of the Duke ALS Clinic. He has won awards for teaching and patient care, including best Neurology teacher at Duke, Health Care Hero, Strength Hope and Caring Award, America's Best Doctor, the American Academy of Neurology Patient Advocate of the Year and the Rasmussen ALS Patient Advocate of the Year. He has received ALS research grants, participated in ALS clinical trials, published more than 100 ALS articles. He is leader of the international ALSUntangled program which utilizes social networking to investigate alternative and off label treatment options for patients with ALS, and leader of the ALS Reversals program which attempts to understand why some people with ALS recover from it, and to make this happen more often. He lives in Durham, North Carolina with his wife Shelly and two mischievous cats.
Job Titles:
- Clinic Coordinator & Clinical Social Worker
Job Titles:
- Director of Development, Neurosciences