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Robert Bowser, PhD
Professor
ALS, Proteomics, Biomarkers
Robert Bowser, PhD, is the John and Betty Van Denburgh Chair of Neuromuscular Disease and professor and chair of the Department of Translational Neuroscience at Barrow Neurological Institute.
Dr. Bowser is an internationally recognized leader in ALS research, contributing pioneering efforts to discover and validate biomarkers for ALS and other neurodegenerative diseases. These biomarkers have been instrumental as diagnostic biomarkers of disease and predictors of disease progression. They are also used to evaluate the effectiveness of drug treatments in clinical trials. Additional research in the Bowser Laboratory includes exploring the mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration, developing new technologies for the delivery of drugs into the central nervous system, and defining the spatial expression of genes relative to neuropathology within human tissue samples. Dr. Bowser is the founder of two biotechnology companies and owner of multiple patents around his scientific discoveries.
As deputy chief scientific officer of Barrow Neurological Institute and St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center, Dr. Bowser oversees all research efforts and defines research directions for the institution. Dr. Bowser is also the co-director of a national biorepository of biofluid samples from ALS patients and of a national ALS post-mortem tissue bank. These biofluid and tissue samples linked to clinical information are a critical resource in our search for the cure and used in research efforts throughout the world. Dr. Bowser participates in many clinical research studies and clinical trials to translate research findings from the bench to patients. He has received numerous awards for his work, including the Sheila Essey Award, which is the highest international award for ALS research.
Dr. Bowser obtained his undergraduate degree from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh and PhD from Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. He completed fellowship training at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City and was a faculty member at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine from 1994 to 2011, rising through the ranks to full professor. He joined the faculty at Barrow in 2011.
Dr. Bowser’s research efforts are currently funded by many granting agencies, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Department of Defense, Target ALS, and the ALS Association (ALSA).
- Post-doctoral Fellowship, Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1992-1994
- PhD, Yale University, 1992
- BS, Carnegie Mellon University, 1987
- Society for Neuroscience
- American Society for Investigative Pathology
- American Association of Neuropathologists
- New York Academy of Sciences
- ALS Research Group
- International Society for Biological and Environmental Repositories
- American Association for the Advancement of Science
- World Federation of Neurology Research Group on Motor Neuron Diseases
- The Royal Society of Medicine
- Fellow, National Academy of Inventors, 2020
- IBM Big Data and Analytics Hero, 2016
- Sheila Essey Award for ALS Research, 2015
- NEALS NeuroBank Pioneer Award, 2015
- Arizona Innovation Challenge Award, 2015
- John and Betty VenDenburgh Chair of Neuromuscular Disease, 2012
- Scientific Advisory Board, Northeast Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Consortium, 2011
- Guest Editor, International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2010
- Science Council, Association Francaise contre les Myopathies, 2009 – 2011
- ALS Association “Walk to D’Feet ALS” Service Award, 2008
- University of Pittsburgh Innovator Award, 2008
- University of Pittsburgh Innovator Award, 2006
- Pittsburgh Magazine “40 under 40” Award for young people shaping the region, 2005
- ALS Association Lou Gehrig’s Challenge Award, 2004
- University of Pittsburgh Chancellor’s Distinguished Public Service Award, 2003
- ALS Association Public Service Award, 2002
TDP-43 proteinopathy alters the ribosome association of multiple mRNAs including the glypican Dally-like protein (Dlp)/GPC6
Date: 12/2021
Authors: Erik M. Lehmkuhl, Suvithanandhini Loganathan, Eric Alsop, Alexander D. Blythe, Tina Kovalik, Nicholas P. Mortimore, Dianne Barrameda, Chuol Kueth, Randall J. Eck, Bhavani B. Siddegowda, Archi Joardar, Hannah Ball, Maria E. Macias, Robert Bowser, Kendall Van Keuren-Jensen, Daniela C. Zarnescu
Radicava/Edaravone Findings in Biomarkers From Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (REFINE-ALS): Protocol and Study Design
Date: 09/2021
Authors: James Berry, Benjamin Brooks, Angela Genge, Terry Heiman-Patterson, Stanley Appel, Michael Benatar, Robert Bowser, Merit Cudkowicz, Clifton Gooch, Jeremy Shefner, Jurjen Westra, Wendy Agnese, Charlotte Merrill, Sally Nelson, Stephen Apple
Tocilizumab is safe and tolerable and reduces C-reactive protein concentrations in the plasma and cerebrospinal fluid of ALS patients
Date: 09/2021
Authors: Carol Milligan, Nazem Atassi, Suma Babu, Richard J. Barohn, James B. Caress, Merit E. Cudkowicz, Armineuza Evora, Gregory A. Hawkins, Marlena Wosiski-Kuhn, Eric A. Macklin, Jeremy M. Shefner, Zachary Simmons, Robert P. Bowser, Shafeeq S. Ladha
Blood-spinal cord barrier leakage is independent of motor neuron pathology in ALS
Date: 08/2021
Authors: Sarah Waters, Molly E. Swanson, Birger V. Dieriks, Yibin B. Zhang, Natasha L. Grimsey, Helen C. Murray, Clinton Turner, Henry J. Waldvogel, Richard L. Faull, Jiyan An, Robert Bowser, Maurice A. Curtis, Mike Dragunow, Emma Scotter
Defining the Caprin-1 Interactome in Unstressed and Stressed Conditions
Date: 06/2021
Authors: Lucas Vu, Asmita Ghosh, Chelsea Tran, Walters Aji Tebung, Hadjara Sidibé, Krystine Garcia-Mansfield, Victoria David-Dirgo, Ritin Sharma, Patrick Pirrotte, Robert Bowser, Christine Vande Velde
- English
Robert Bowser, PhD
Professor
ALS, Proteomics, Biomarkers
Robert Bowser, PhD, is the John and Betty Van Denburgh Chair of Neuromuscular Disease and professor and chair of the Department of Translational Neuroscience at Barrow Neurological Institute.
Dr. Bowser is an internationally recognized leader in ALS research, contributing pioneering efforts to discover and validate biomarkers for ALS and other neurodegenerative diseases. These biomarkers have been instrumental as diagnostic biomarkers of disease and predictors of disease progression. They are also used to evaluate the effectiveness of drug treatments in clinical trials. Additional research in the Bowser Laboratory includes exploring the mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration, developing new technologies for the delivery of drugs into the central nervous system, and defining the spatial expression of genes relative to neuropathology within human tissue samples. Dr. Bowser is the founder of two biotechnology companies and owner of multiple patents around his scientific discoveries.
As deputy chief scientific officer of Barrow Neurological Institute and St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center, Dr. Bowser oversees all research efforts and defines research directions for the institution. Dr. Bowser is also the co-director of a national biorepository of biofluid samples from ALS patients and of a national ALS post-mortem tissue bank. These biofluid and tissue samples linked to clinical information are a critical resource in our search for the cure and used in research efforts throughout the world. Dr. Bowser participates in many clinical research studies and clinical trials to translate research findings from the bench to patients. He has received numerous awards for his work, including the Sheila Essey Award, which is the highest international award for ALS research.
Dr. Bowser obtained his undergraduate degree from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh and PhD from Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. He completed fellowship training at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City and was a faculty member at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine from 1994 to 2011, rising through the ranks to full professor. He joined the faculty at Barrow in 2011.
Dr. Bowser’s research efforts are currently funded by many granting agencies, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Department of Defense, Target ALS, and the ALS Association (ALSA).
- Post-doctoral Fellowship, Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1992-1994
- PhD, Yale University, 1992
- BS, Carnegie Mellon University, 1987
- Society for Neuroscience
- American Society for Investigative Pathology
- American Association of Neuropathologists
- New York Academy of Sciences
- ALS Research Group
- International Society for Biological and Environmental Repositories
- American Association for the Advancement of Science
- World Federation of Neurology Research Group on Motor Neuron Diseases
- The Royal Society of Medicine
- Fellow, National Academy of Inventors, 2020
- IBM Big Data and Analytics Hero, 2016
- Sheila Essey Award for ALS Research, 2015
- NEALS NeuroBank Pioneer Award, 2015
- Arizona Innovation Challenge Award, 2015
- John and Betty VenDenburgh Chair of Neuromuscular Disease, 2012
- Scientific Advisory Board, Northeast Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Consortium, 2011
- Guest Editor, International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2010
- Science Council, Association Francaise contre les Myopathies, 2009 – 2011
- ALS Association “Walk to D’Feet ALS” Service Award, 2008
- University of Pittsburgh Innovator Award, 2008
- University of Pittsburgh Innovator Award, 2006
- Pittsburgh Magazine “40 under 40” Award for young people shaping the region, 2005
- ALS Association Lou Gehrig’s Challenge Award, 2004
- University of Pittsburgh Chancellor’s Distinguished Public Service Award, 2003
- ALS Association Public Service Award, 2002
TDP-43 proteinopathy alters the ribosome association of multiple mRNAs including the glypican Dally-like protein (Dlp)/GPC6
Date: 12/2021
Authors: Erik M. Lehmkuhl, Suvithanandhini Loganathan, Eric Alsop, Alexander D. Blythe, Tina Kovalik, Nicholas P. Mortimore, Dianne Barrameda, Chuol Kueth, Randall J. Eck, Bhavani B. Siddegowda, Archi Joardar, Hannah Ball, Maria E. Macias, Robert Bowser, Kendall Van Keuren-Jensen, Daniela C. Zarnescu
Radicava/Edaravone Findings in Biomarkers From Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (REFINE-ALS): Protocol and Study Design
Date: 09/2021
Authors: James Berry, Benjamin Brooks, Angela Genge, Terry Heiman-Patterson, Stanley Appel, Michael Benatar, Robert Bowser, Merit Cudkowicz, Clifton Gooch, Jeremy Shefner, Jurjen Westra, Wendy Agnese, Charlotte Merrill, Sally Nelson, Stephen Apple
Tocilizumab is safe and tolerable and reduces C-reactive protein concentrations in the plasma and cerebrospinal fluid of ALS patients
Date: 09/2021
Authors: Carol Milligan, Nazem Atassi, Suma Babu, Richard J. Barohn, James B. Caress, Merit E. Cudkowicz, Armineuza Evora, Gregory A. Hawkins, Marlena Wosiski-Kuhn, Eric A. Macklin, Jeremy M. Shefner, Zachary Simmons, Robert P. Bowser, Shafeeq S. Ladha
Blood-spinal cord barrier leakage is independent of motor neuron pathology in ALS
Date: 08/2021
Authors: Sarah Waters, Molly E. Swanson, Birger V. Dieriks, Yibin B. Zhang, Natasha L. Grimsey, Helen C. Murray, Clinton Turner, Henry J. Waldvogel, Richard L. Faull, Jiyan An, Robert Bowser, Maurice A. Curtis, Mike Dragunow, Emma Scotter
Defining the Caprin-1 Interactome in Unstressed and Stressed Conditions
Date: 06/2021
Authors: Lucas Vu, Asmita Ghosh, Chelsea Tran, Walters Aji Tebung, Hadjara Sidibé, Krystine Garcia-Mansfield, Victoria David-Dirgo, Ritin Sharma, Patrick Pirrotte, Robert Bowser, Christine Vande Velde
- English