University of Washington Regional Epilepsy Center at Harborview Medical Center

Medical Director

John W. Miller, M.D., Ph.D. joined the Regional Epilepsy Center at Harborview as medical director in the spring of 1999. In addition to his duties as medical director of the Regional Epilepsy Center, he also serves as Professor of Neurology at the University of Washington School of Medicine. Prior to this appointment, he was the medical director of the Epilepsy Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis for seven years. Dr. Miller completed medical studies at the University of Illinois in Chicago in 1977 and earned a Ph.D. in anatomy there in 1981. He did his Neurology residency and completed a fellowship in electroencephalography (EEG) and epilepsy at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, and another fellowship in neuropharmacology and epilepsy at Washington University in St. Louis. Miller has specialized in the treatment of epilepsy since 1985. He is board-certified in Neurology with added qualification in clinical neurophysiology and is also certified by the American Board of Clinical Neurophysiology. He is on the editorial board of Epilepsy Currents, and is a member of the Epilepsy and Employment Task Force,and the Continuing Medical Education Committee of the American Epilepsy Society, and has been elected to the American Neurological Association. Voted Best Doctors in America. Publications

Neurosurgeons

Adam Hebb, MD Adam O. Hebb, M.D. received his medical degree from Dalhousie University School of Medicine. Halifax, Nova Scotia. After completing his neurosurgery residency at the University of Minnesota, he did a fellowship in neuroncology and epilepsy neurosurgery at the University of Washington, and joined the faculty at the University of Washington as Acting Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery. He is board certified in neurosurgery by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and is Board Eligible, for the American Board of Neurological Surgery. Publications

George A. Ojemann, M.D. received his doctorate at the University of Iowa College of Medicine. After completing his neurological surgery residency at University of Washington Affiliated Hospitals, he began a distinguished career as a neurosurgeon and researcher specializing in epilepsy. He is in demand as a speaker at medical conferences around the world, and has held visiting professorships across the U.S., Canada, and Taiwan. His most recent book (co-authored with William Calvin), Conversations with Neil's Brain, has also been published in German and Dutch. Dr. Ojemann is board-certified in neurological surgery. He is board certified in Neurosurgery and is Professor of Neurosurgery at the University of Washington School of Medicine. He has been elected to the American Neurological Association and has be voted Best Doctors in America. He was the Lennox lecturer for the American Epilepsy Society in 2002. He has served as President of the American Academy of Neurological Surgery. He also has been a recipient of an NIH Javitts Award, a Distinguished Alumni citation from the University of Iowa, and an honorary Doctor of Sciences degree from the Medical College of Ohio. Publications

Jeffrey G. Ojemann, M.D. Dr. Ojemann received his medical degree from Washington University School of Medicine, and completed his neurosurgery residency at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, both in St. Louis. He completed a pediatric neurosurgery fellowship at St. Louis Children’s hospital, as well as an epilepsy surgery fellowship at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle. Dr. Ojemann is currently the Director of Epilepsy Surgery at Harborview and Children’s Hospitals and the Regional Medical Center. He is board certified in Neurosurgery and is the Ellenbogen Associate Professor of Neurosurgery. Publications

Daniel L. Silbergeld, MD

Daniel L. Silbergeld, M.D. graduated from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. He completed his surgical residency and fellowships in neurological oncology and epilepsy at the University of Washington. Dr. Silbergeld directed the adult epilepsy surgery program at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis from 1992 to1997 and started their neuro-oncology program. He is board certified in Neurosurgery and is the Arthur Ward Professor of Neurosurgery at the University of Washington School of Medicine. He is also Neurosurgery Chief at the University of Washington Medical Center. Voted Best Doctors in America. Publications

Neurologists

Andrea Cheng-Hakimian, MD Andrea Cheng-Hakimian, M.D. Dr.Cheng-Hakimian received her undergraduate degree from Harvard University and her medical degree from Washington University in Saint Louis. She completed internship and residency in Neurology at Barnes-Jewish Hospital/Washington University. She then completed two years of fellowship training in Epilepsy and Neurophysiology at Washington University in Saint Louis and the University of Washington. She is Acting Assistant Professor of Neurology at the University of Washington. As well as her general epilepsy clinic, Dr. Cheng- Hakimian attends at a specialty clinic caring for women with epilepsy during their pregnancies. Her research focuses on women's health and epilepsy, with special emphasis on pregnancy and epilepsy. Publications

Shahin Hakimian, MD Shahin Hakimian, M.D., M.A . obtained his medical and masters degrees from Washington University in St. Louis in 2000. He completed residency training in Neurology at Barnes-Jewish Hospital/Washington University in 2005. Dr. Hakimian then joined the epilepsy program as a senior fellow in epilepsy and clinical neurophysiology. Currently he is Acting Assistant Professor of Neurology at University of Washington and a member of the Regional Epilepsy Center. In addition to clinical epilepsy, he has interests in systems neurobiology, computational methods for analysis of biological signals, and quantitative methods of EEG analysis. He is board certified in Neurology with added qualification in clinical neurophysiology. Publications

Mark Holmes, MD Mark D. Holmes, M.D. completed his medical training at the Ohio State University of Medicine. He took his residency in Neurology at Letterman Army Medical Center in San Francisco and was a fellow in epilepsy at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. Dr. Holmes joined the staff of the Regional Epilepsy Center after four years in private practice in Boise, Idaho. He has directed the work of the EEG and Clinical Neurophysiology Lab at Harborview since 1992. Dr. Holmes is board-certified in Neurology with added qualification in clinical neurophysiology. He is Professor of Neurology at the University of Washington School of Medicine, and has been elected to membership in the American Neurological Association. Publications

John Oakley, MD, PhD John Oakley, M.D., Ph.D. graduated from the Medical Scientist Training Program at the University of Washington in 2001. His doctoral work focused on cellular neurophysiology. He completed a neurology residency at the University of Washington in 2005 and then joined the epilepsy program as a senior fellow in epilepsy and clinical neurophysiology. He is Acting Assistant Professor of Neurology at the University of Washington. His interests are in basic mechanisms of epilepsy, inherited epilepsies, evoked potentials and EEG, operative neuro-monitoring, and autonomic nervous system testing. Publications

Nicholas Poolos, MD, PhD Nicholas Poolos, M.D., Ph. D. received his medical degree and his PhD in Neuroscience at Stanford University in 1991.After his Neurology residency at Harvard Longwood Neurology Program, he participated in a postdoctoral fellowship in cellular neurophysiology at Baylor College of Medicine from 1996 through 1998. Before coming to Harborview in2002, he was an instructor in Neurology and Neuroscience at Baylor. Dr. Poolos is board certified in Neurology and is an Associate Professor of Neurology at the University of Washington School of Medicine. He has concentrated his research in cellular neurophysiology with an emphasis on cellular and molecular causes of epilepsy. Dr. Poolos currently is the Associate Director of the Regional Epilepsy Center, and is the chair of the Professional Advisory Board of the Epilepsy Foundation Northwest. He is on the editorial board of Epilepsy Currents. Poolos Laboratory Publications

Phillip Swanson, MD, PhD Phillip D.Swanson, M.D., Ph.D. obtained his medical degree from The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and his Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of London. He completed a residency and fellowship in neurological medicine at Johns Hopkins. Dr. Swanson co-authored a neurology textbook and has published over 100 articles on neurological subjects. Besides epilepsy, his clinical and research interests include Parkinson's disease and stroke. Dr. Swanson is Professor of Neurology at the University of Washington School of Medicine and adjunct professor of medicine in the Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine. He directs the Neurology Residency Program at the University of Washington and is a widelyrespected consultant serving on a number of professional organization committees. He has been elected to the American Neurological Association and was voted to Best Doctors in America. Publications

Alan Wilensky, MD, PhD Alan J.Wilensky, M.D., Ph.D. holds a medical degree from the University of Western Ontario and a Ph.D. in neurochemistry from the University of Toronto. After his neurology residency, he completed a fellowship in electrophysiology at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto, Canada. He has been an attending neurologist at the University of Washington Epilepsy Center since its founding in 1976, and is Professor of Neurology. Dr. Wilensky's specialized knowledge of drugs and their interactions has been a strong factor in his selection as the principal researcher on more than a dozen studies of new drugs for the treatment of epilepsy. He is also a tireless clinician who treats over 1,000 patients a year for seizure disorders. He has been elected to membership in the American Neurological Association. Publications

Neuropsychologists

Naomi Chaytor,PhD Naomi Chaytor, Ph.D. received her doctorate in clinical psychology from Washington State University. She completed a neuropsychology internship at the Baylor Comprehensive Epilepsy Center in Houston, TX and a post-doctoral fellowship in Rehabilitation and Neuropsychology at UW School of Medicine. She is board certified in Clinical Neuropsychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology. Research interests include investigating the real-world impact of cognitive change after epilepsy surgery, the relationship between neuropsychological tests and everyday functioning, and the assessment of executive functions in epilepsy. Dr. Chaytor is Acting Assistant Professor of Neurology and Director of the Regional Epilepsy Center Clinical Neuropsychology Laboratory. Publications

Vaishali S.Phatak, PhD Vaishali S.Phatak, Ph.D. is a clinical neuropsychologist who is Acting Assistant Professor of Neurology at the University of Washington. She received her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2005, and has been a fellow in clinical neuropsychology at the Mayo Clinic from 2005 to 2007. Her interests include episodic and semantic memory performance in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy, epilepsy surgery, and counseling.Publications

Dr. Carl B. Dodrill Carl B. Dodrill, Ph. D. obtained a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Purdue University in 1970. He is board certified in Clinical Neuropsychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology. His focused research on epilepsy began with his arrival at the University of Washington some 25 years ago. He is the author of more than 100 journal articles on topics related to epilepsy, cognitive impairment, memory, and the neuropsychological effects of epilepsy drugs. Dr. Dodrill developed the Neuropsychological Battery for Epilepsy used to determine cognitive impairments and strengths. In conjunction with other professionals at the Regional Epilepsy Center, he created the Washington Psychosocial Seizure Inventory (WPSI), a tool for assessing the social and emotional concerns of epilepsy patients. The WPSI has been used throughout the world and is available in 20 languages. Dr. Dodrill is Professor Emeritus of Neurology, Neurological Surgery and Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington. In recognition of his contributions to epilepsy treatment and research, Epilepsy International chose Dr. Dodrill as an Ambassador for Epilepsy from candidates around the world. Publications

Rehabilitation Psychologists

Dr. Robert T. Fraser Robert T. Fraser, Ph. D. is a licensed counseling and rehabilitation psychologist and Professor of Neurology, Neurological Surgery, and Rehabilitation Medicine at the University of Washington. Known for his pioneering work in the field of epilepsy rehabilitation counseling, Dr. Fraser has published numerous articles and book chapters. He currently serves on the Seizure Re-Classification Task Force and the Commission on the Burden of Epilepsy for the International League Against Epilepsy. Dr. Fraser has published widely on the vocational aspects of epilepsy, rehabilitation counseling, and job placement for those with neurological disorders. A dynamic speaker, he has made presentations in Copenhagen, Buenos Aires, Toronto, Berlin, and all across the United States. He is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association and serves on the Board of the Epilepsy Association of Washington and the National Epilepsy Foundation Professional Advisory Board. He is chair of the Epilepsy and Employment Task Force of the American Epilepsy Society and the Epilepsy Foundation. Publications

Other Faculty

Gail Anderson, PhD Gail Anderson, Ph. D. is Professor of Pharmacy at the University of Washington. She received a BS in Pharmacy, an MS in Pharmacy Practice and PhD in Pharmaceutics from the University of Washington. Her research interests include treatment issues in patients with neurotrauma or epilepsy, drug interactions and pharmacokinetics in women and children, and drug interactions with alternative treatments. Publications

Raimondo D’Ambrosio, Ph.D. is Associate Professor of Neurosurgery at the University of Washington. His research interests include the physiology of glial cells and their role in epilepsy, and models of post-traumatic epilepsy. He is a member of the editorial board of Epilepsy Currents, and a member of the publications committee of the American Epilepsy Society. D'Ambrosio Laboratory Publications

Nancy Temkin, Ph.D. is Professor of Neurosurgery and Biostatistics at the University of Washington. She received a Ph.D. in statistics from the State University of New York at Buffalo in 1976. She was a visiting scientist at the Imperial Cancer Research Fund in London and an instructor of biometrics at the University of Colorado Medical Center in Denver. Her interests include clinical trials, recovery models, and traumatic brain injury. She received the Service Award of the American Epilepsy Society in 2003. She has been a member of the NIH/NINDS Clinical Trials Study Section, and the CDC Working Group on Mild Traumatic Brain Injury. Publications

Raimondo D'Ambrosio, PHD Alex Thompson, M.D. is Instructor in Psychiatry at the University of Washington. He received his MD from the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, as well as an MBA from Rice University. He received his training in Psychiatry from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore. His research interests include medically unexplained symptoms in neurological practice, nonepileptic seizures, and depression in epilepsy.

Daniel Drane, Ph. D. is a neuropsychologist and is also affiliate Associate Professor of Neurology at the University of Washington School of Medicine. Dr. Drane received his degree from Fuller Graduate School of Psychology in Pasadena, California in 1994. He completed a neuropsychology internship at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and a 2-year postdoctoral fellowship in neuropsychology at the Medical College of Georgia. He is board certified in clinical neuropsychology by the American Board of Clinical Neuropsychology (ABPP-CN). Research interests include the evaluation of memory and language functions in epilepsy (particularly category-specific naming and recognition and semantic memory), the combined use of structural and functionalimaging with neuropsychological assessment in order to better understand the neural substrates of neurocognitive processes, symptom validity testing, and the cognitive and behavioral effects of antiepileptic drugs. Publications

Dr. Linda Moretti Ojemann Linda Moretti Ojemann, M.D. is retired as Associate Professor of Neurosurgery at the University of Washington School of Medicine. She received her medical degree from the University of Illinois. She completed a residency in neurology at the University of Illinois and Northwestern University Medical Centers. After completing a fellowship in EEG and epilepsy at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, she joined the faculty of the University of Washington School of Medicine in 1966 as an electroencephalographer and neurologist. Dr. Ojemann, among the founding members of the Regional Epilepsy Center at Harborview, has been a dedicated researcher and clinician. Her work has included testing new experimental antiepileptic drugs, evaluating factors related to the outcome of epilepsy surgery, and use of psychotropic medication for patients with epilepsy.

Publications

Research