ALS Expert to Direct Research at Saint Mary’s Health Care

Saint Mary’s Health Care is pleased to announce the appointment of Deborah F. Gelinas, MD, as Director of Clinical Neuroscience Research. A neurologist by training, Dr. Gelinas specializes in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. She will oversee research conducted in the newly formed ALS Center jointly established by Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital, Michigan State University, and Saint Mary’s Health Care. She is also expected to be appointed to the faculty of the Michigan State University Medical School.

Previous to her appointment at Saint Mary’s, Dr. Gelinas served as Director of the California Pacific Memory Center, and Clinical Director of the Forbes Norris MDA/ALS Center at the California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco, California. She also served as a neurologist and as Chief Neurologist in two U.S. Army medical hospitals. Dr. Gelinas received her Bachelor of Science degree at McGill University Montreal, Canada, and earned her Doctor of Medicine degree at New York Medical College in Valhalla, New York. She completed her neurology residency at Letterman Army Medical Center in San Francisco.

Dr. Gelinas is a nationally recognized expert in ALS. She has authored numerous articles on the topic, and has delivered presentations on ALS at symposia around the world. She has served as Chair of the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Association (ALSA) Centers Certification and as Board Chair of the Advisory Committee for the National Needs Assessment of the national ALSA. Dr. Gelinas has authored two books on the subject of ALS, including Living with ALS: Managing your Symptoms and Treatment, an official ALS Association manual, and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.