Thomas L. Davis, MD

Thomas
L.
Davis
MD
Vice Chair
Research
Division Chief
Movement Disorders
Judith Payne Turner Chair, Professor
Parkinson’s Research

Dr. Davis specializes in the treatment of movement disorders and has been a member of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology since 1990. In addition to maintaining his clinical research activities and teaching responsibilities, he is currently director of the Division of Movement Disorders, Medical Director of the Vanderbilt Parkinson’s Foundation Center of Excellence, an attending physician at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and a staff neurologist at the Nashville Veterans Administration Hospital.

He has been the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including Phi Beta Kappa, the Sandoz award, and the Vanderbilt Neurology Resident Teaching Award in 2004 and 2011. He is a frequently invited speaker and has served on numerous review boards and NIH study sections.

Dr. Davis earned a B.A. in Chemistry in 1981 from the College of Wooster. He attended the University of Mississippi School of Medicine in Jackson, Mississippi where he earned a M.D. in 1985. He completed an internship at University of Mississippi followed by residency at Vanderbilt University where he served as chief resident in Neurology in 1981. He then completed a two-year post-doctoral fellowship in Neuropharmacology at the National Institute of Neurological Disease and Stroke in Bethesda, Maryland before returning to Vanderbilt to join the faculty in the Department of Neurology in 1991.

Dr. Davis’ research is patient-oriented and primarily involves various aspects of Parkinson's disease including outcomes research, markers of disease progression, and experimental therapeutics. The Division of Movement Disorders is actively involved with clinical trials in Parkinson's disease, Huntington’s disease, Wilson’s disease, Tourette syndrome, essential tremor, spasticity and dystonia.

Ryan Darby, MD

Richard
Ryan
Darby
MD
Assistant Professor
Neurology

Ryan Darby is an assistant professor of neurology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. He currently sees patients as the director of the Frontotemporal Dementia Clinic in the Department of Neurology at VUMC.

He received his undergraduate degree from Princeton University in psychology and neuroscience, and his medical degree from Vanderbilt University. He trained in neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital as part of the Partners Neurology/Harvard Medical School program. He then received the Sidney R. Baer, Jr. Research Fellowship in Clinical Neurosciences at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. He simultaneously completed a clinical fellowship in behavioral neurology and neuropsychiatry at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, and McLean Psychiatric Hospital in Boston. 

Dr. Darby is interested in patients with symptoms at the border zone between neurology and psychiatry. Both neurological and psychiatric patients can share similar symptoms, including delusions, hallucinations, and antisocial and criminal behavior. This suggests that these symptoms may share a common pathway across different diseases. However, these different diseases often have neuroimaging abnormalities in different locations, making it difficult to understand how the same symptom could develop.

To address this problem, Dr. Darby helped to develop a new neuroimaging approach to localize complex behaviors to brain networks, rather than specific brain locations. He first studied this in patients with focal brain lesions, showing that brain lesions in different locations causing the same syndrome were all functionally connected to the same brain network. Dr. Darby’s current work is focused on applying this method to neurodegenerative disorders in order to understand why brain atrophy in different locations can cause the same clinical syndrome. He is using this method in combination with behavioral testing to study criminal behavior in frontotemporal dementia patients and delusions/hallucinations in patients with Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, and Lewy Body Dementia. Dr. Darby has received numerous awards for his research, including the Stanley Cobb Award from the Boston Society for Neurology and Psychiatry, the Young Investigator Award from the American Neuropsychiatric Association, the S. Weir Mitchell Award for Outstanding Early Career Investigator from the American Academy of Neurology, and the Norman Geschwind Prize in Behavioral Neurology. His work is generously funded by the Sidney R. Baer, Jr Foundation, the Alzheimer's Association, the BrightFocus Foundation, and the Department of Defense.

For more information on Dr. Darby’s research, please visit his lab website.

Angela N. Crudele, MD

Angela
N.
Crudele
MD
Assistant Professor
Neurology
Associate Program Director
Epilepsy Fellowship

Dr. Crudele joined the faculty of Vanderbilt University Medical Center in 2019 as Assistant Professor of Neurology, specializing in epilepsy. In addition to her inpatient and outpatient care of patients with epilepsy, Dr. Crudele is active in the area of fellow education and participates in frequent teaching conferences and bedside teaching with trainees. She is the Associate Program Director for the Epilepsy Fellowship. She has multiple teaching roles throughout the Vanderbilt Medical School.

Dr. Crudele earned a BA in History in 2008 from Williams College in Williamstown, MA. She attended Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals in Philadelphia, PA where she earned MD in 2013. She remained in Philadelphia where she completed an internship followed by Neurology residency at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. She served as chief resident in her final year of residency. She then completed two years of dedicated epilepsy fellowship training at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Cleveland, OH. Her second year of training was focused on the surgical care of medically intractable epilepsy during which time she also served as chief fellow. 

Michael K. Cooper, MD

Michael
K.
Cooper
MD
Associate Professor
Neurology
Chief
VA Neurology

Dr. Cooper is the Chief of Neurology at the Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center. He is an Associate Professor of Neurology in the Neuro-Oncology Division. Dr. Cooper earned his medical degree from the University of Alabama School of Medicine. During medical training, he received a Howard Hughes Medical Student Research Training Fellowship to study molecular genetics in the laboratory of Dr. Jeffrey C. Hall at Brandeis University. Dr. Cooper completed residency and fellowship training at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. Dr. Cooper received a Howard Hughes Postdoctoral Research Fellowship for Physicians to study Hedgehog signaling in the laboratory of Dr. Philip A. Beachy in the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

The Cooper laboratory studies brain tumor cellular heterogeneity with respect to molecular pathways that drive glioma cell growth and adaptive responses to therapeutic modalities. Towards these goals, the laboratory utilizes a patient tissue repository to identify the specific glioma subtypes in which the Hedgehog signaling pathway is operational and activated. Dr. Cooper’s research team has established a preclinical model for growing human malignant gliomas in mice to demonstrate that Hedgehog signaling regulates glioma growth and that pathway inhibition enhances survival. The Hh pathway appears to be activated in a subset of glioma cells (CD133+ cells), and determining how Hh signaling impacts this cellular compartment in gliomas is a primary focus of research. Longer term goals of these preclinical studies are to design clinical trials of Hedgehog inhibitors based upon selecting patients with malignant glioma who might best respond to Hedgehog inhibitors, defining the mechanism of action of Hedgehog pathway inhibition on glioma cancer stem cells and avoiding potential mechanisms of drug resistance.

There is a tremendous need to model glioma cellular compartments and their dynamic responses to therapeutic interventions. To address this need, Dr. Cooper’s laboratory is involved in several collaborative efforts. One of these is to generate monoclonal antibodies against heterogeneous malignant glioma cell types. A central goal of these studies is to determine if these antibodies can be used to define subclasses of glioma tumor initiating cells and their lineages.

Ciaran Michael Considine, PhD, ABPP-CN

Ciaran
Michael
Considine
PhD, ABPP-CN
Associate Professor
Clinical Neurology

Dr. Ciaran Michael Considine, PhD, ABPP-CN is an Assistant Professor of Neurology at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and a board certified clinical neuropsychologist within the associated Vanderbilt University Medical Center. He earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Michigan and graduate degree from the University of Windsor. Subsequently, he completed internship residency at the Detroit VA Medical Center, and then concurrently finished his training as a postdoctoral resident fellow at the Milwaukee VA Medical center and postdoctoral visiting fellow at the Medical College of Wisconsin.

Dr. Considine’s present research interests focus on the intersection between sleep pathology and neurological disease. His primary focus at present is as a coordinating member of the Glymphatics & Cognition Lab. Specifically, his research interests focus on the role of sleep-wake functioning on the brain’s glymphatic system, an important system that is thought to clear brain waste products associated with neurodegenerative dementias. His specific overarching goal is to investigate whether sleep offers a mechanism to optimized glymphatic functioning, potentially reducing or slowing the aggregation of pathology related to dementias.

He also is pursuing other projects related to sleep and cognition, focused on 1) determining whether changes to sleep represent a biomarker (warning) of underlying neuropathology not yet obvious to clinical examination, and 2) whether treating comorbid sleep dysfunction in neurological patients improves their overall neurobehavioral status.

Please call 615-875-1257 for more information about ongoing studies and opportunities to participate.

Dr. Considine is primarily interested in neurodiagnostic consultation within adult neurological populations. His clinical practice neurodegenerative conditions, cerebrovascular disease, acquired brain injury, neuro-oncological disease, sleep disorders, and other medical/neuropsychiatric referrals. He is Director of the Aeromedical Neuropsychology Clinic, where he offers FAA-compliant evaluations for airpersons with possible aeromedically disqualifying neurological or psychiatric conditions. Additionally, he offers neuropsychological fitness-for-duty evaluations for Vanderbilt’s Faculty & Physician Wellness Program. He is Co-director of VUMC’s Brain Health Clinic service model, with services in Neurology and Concierge Medicine, which offers neuropsychological screening for patients seeking to identify medical and lifestyle factors potentially contributing to their cognitive symptoms. As a consulting member of the Vanderbilt Undiagnosed Diseases Program, he contributes to comprehensive workup for patients with difficult to diagnose and rare diseases.

Patricia A. Commiskey, DrPH

Patricia
A.
Commiskey
DrPH
Research Associate Professor
Neurology

Dr. Patricia Commiskey is a faculty member in the Department of Neurology at Vanderbilt University. Prior to coming to Vanderbilt in 2016, she served as adjunct faculty at Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. She attended Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in New Orleans, Louisiana and earned a DrPH in Community Health Sciences in 2011. She earned a MA in Legal and Ethical Studies from the University of Baltimore in Baltimore, Maryland in 1996, and a BA in Communications from the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Alabama in 1991.

With a background in public health, Dr. Commiskey has focused her research on improving stroke care across the continuum through innovative, technology-based, integrated systems of care, particularly during post-discharge recovery for patients, caregivers, and their families. She also focuses on identifying and reducing social determinants of health for stroke and neurological care, as well as patient, caregiver and family engagement. She served as Program Manager and Research Scientist for a CMS Health Care Innovation Award (HCIA #1C1CMS330143; PI: KGaines; 2012-2015). Dr. Commiskey is currently Co-Investigator and Chief Research Scientist for C3FIT (Coordinated, Collaborative, Comprehensive, Family-based, Integrated, and Technology-enabled Care; #PCS-2017C3-9081; PI: KGaines; 2019-2024), a $16.2 million, PCORI-funded, pragmatic randomized stroke trial comparing two models of stroke care at 18 national sites. She is also Principal Investigator (PI) for a USDA Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant to explore the feasibility of implementing an ambulance-based telemedicine network between EMS and advanced stroke-trained personnel in the field, as well as an internally funded health communication grant to explore attitudes and perceived impact of telemedicine.

Charles D. Clarke, MD

Charles
D.
Clarke
MD
Assistant Professor
Clinical Neurology

Dr. Charles Clarke is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Neurology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, a position he has held since 2013. As a general neurologist, he evaluates and treats a wide array of neurological conditions primarily in the outpatient clinical setting in Franklin, TN. Dr. Clarke has presented a number of lectures at local and national conferences, primarily focused on concussions and headaches. He is a member of the American Academy of Neurology, Tennessee Medical Association, Nashville Academy of Medicine, and the Tennessee Academy of Neurology, the latter of which he served as president from 2012-2018.

Dr. Clarke completed his Neurology residency and subsequent Neuromuscular Medicine Fellowship at Vanderbilt. He earned his MD from The Ohio State University College of Medicine and Public Health, and his BS (summa cum laude) from West Virginia University. 

Daniel Claassen, MD, MS

Daniel
Claassen
MD, MS
Division Chief
Behavioral and Cognitive Neurology
Professor
Neurology

Dr. Daniel Claassen is a Professor of Neurology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, with subspecialty training in movement and cognitive neuroscience. He specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of neurodegenerative disorders characterized by disruptions to cognition, behavior, and movement. He is the chief of the Behavioral and Cognitive Neurology Division.

The theme of my work is to understand the biologic basis of how humans regulate of behavior, and the cognitive processes intrinsic to this nature. My research efforts are focused in patients that suffer from neurodegenerative conditions, and my current studies assess therapeutic outcomes in various neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson, Huntington, and atypical Parkinsonian disorders (PSP and MSA). I also lead a basic research lab which investigates the neurobiological basis neurodegeneration through innovative cognitive neuroscience, neuroimaging tools, and biomarker discovery using patient biofluids. 

For more on Dr. Claassen’s current research, visit the Cognition and Movement Lab page.

Dane M. Chetkovich, MD, PhD

Dane
M.
Chetkovich
MD, PhD
Chair
Department of Neurology
Margaret and John Warner Chair
Neurological Education

Dr. Dane Chetkovich joined the Vanderbilt faculty as the Margaret and John Warner Professor and Chair of the Department of Neurology in 2017. Dr. Chetkovich is a frequently invited speaker at universities and meetings around the country and around the world. He has served on numerous review boards and committees, has participated in a number of study sections and is a member of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology committee responsible for writing the certification exam that is required for neurologists to become board-certified in the United States. Dr. Chetkovich is a general neurologist who is licensed to practice medicine in Tennessee, and he has been board-certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology since 2000.

Dr. Chetkovich has been the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including the Derek Denny-Brown Young Neurological Scholar Award by the American Neurological Association in 2010. He has also received several teaching awards including the John A. Kessler Teaching Award in 2016 and Neurology Resident Teaching Award in 2015.

Dr. Chetkovich earned a BA in Biochemistry and BS in Zoology in 1988 from the University of Texas at Austin. He attended Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, where he earned a PhD in Neuroscience in 1992 and MD in 1994. He completed an internship at Baylor followed by residency at University of California, San Francisco where he served as chief resident in Neurology and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in 2002. He served at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago for fifteen years where he was professor of Neurology and Physiology and director of the Medical Scientist Training Program.

Dr. Chetkovich’s research laboratory is focused on the molecular mechanisms that underlie the targeting of ion channels to synapses and other specialized areas of neurons. In particular, Dr. Chetkovich’s laboratory a multi-faceted approach, including electrophysiological, biochemical, molecular biology tools and gene therapy regulation of voltage-gated ion channels and how regulation of these channels may play a role in neuropsychiatric diseases such as epilepsy, autism and major depressive disorder.

David Charles, MD, Professor and Vice-Chair

David
Charles
MD
Vice Chair
Business Development & Strategy
Professor
Neurology
Medical Director
Vanderbilt Telehealth

Dr. Charles is Professor and Vice-Chair of Neurology and Medical Director, Vanderbilt Telehealth. His research interests include the treatment of spasticity and cervical dystonia and he is currently leading the only clinical trial approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration to test deep brain stimulation in people with early stage Parkinson's disease. 

Dr. Charles is a member of the American Neurological Association, Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology, and Chair of the Alliance for Patient Access. He is a member of Alpha Omega Alpha honor medical society and in 2007 received the CANDLE Award. Recipients are chosen based upon their positive impact on the lives of physicians-in-training and are recognized by their students as examples of excellence in medical education. From 1997-98, Dr. Charles served as a Health Policy Fellow in the United States Senate on the staff of the Labor Subcommittee for Public Health and Safety. In 1998 he studied deep brain stimulation for the treatment of movement disorders as a Fulbright Senior Scholar at the Universitaire de Grenoble in Grenoble, France. In 2000 Dr. Charles was a nominee for the United States House of Representatives from Tennessee’s Sixth Congressional District.

Dr. Charles graduated from Vanderbilt University School of Engineering in 1986 with a B.S. cum laude in Computer Science and Mathematics and earned his medical degree from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in 1990. He did his internship in the department of Medicine and his residency in the department of Neurology at Vanderbilt. From 1993-94 he was Chief Resident in Neurology, and from 1994-95 he was a Fellow in Movement Disorders and Clinical Neurophysiology at Vanderbilt. In 1996, he completed a Health Care Management course at Vanderbilt’s Owen Graduate School of Management, and in 1997 he completed the Harvard Macy Institute Program for Physician Educators at Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Charles’ clinical research group’s focus is on improving the treatment of movement disorders, with specific interests in early stage Parkinson’s disease, Spasticity, and Cervical Dystonia. It undertakes patient-oriented research in a variety of care settings including outpatient clinics, residential care homes, and long-term care facilities. 

Deep Brain Stimulation in Early Stage Parkinson’s Disease: More than one million Americans are living with Parkinson’s disease, a progressive neurodegenerative movement disorder characterized by loss of dopaminergic neurons. Deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus (STN-DBS) is an approved adjunctive therapy for mid- and advanced stage Parkinson’s disease that improves motor symptoms, quality of life, and activities of daily living while also reducing medication burden and associated complications. Vanderbilt University Medical Center completed the only prospective, randomized clinical trial testing DBS in very early stage Parkinson’s disease. Our ongoing line of research aims to investigate DBS in early stage Parkinson's disease to better understand if this treatment may slow the progression of the disease.

Spasticity in Adults: Spasticity is a form of muscle overactivity, which is often experienced by people with central nervous system illness or injuries. Spasticity can lead to many negative symptoms, such as increased incidence of urinary tract infection, pain and discomfort, and reduced quality of life. Additionally, spasticity may impair activities of daily living, making it difficult to perform care activities for patients who require support. Our current line of research aims to validate the use of newly developed tools to assist with the identification of spasticity, to understand the interaction of spasticity and urinary incontinence, and to improve healthcare policy affecting people living in long-term care facilities.  

TeleHealth: Our current line of TeleHealth research addresses treatment of people with cervical dystonia, spasticity, and headache. We also lead our continuous quality improvement of teleneurology services provided in community based hospitals by measuring physician and patient satisfaction and comparing results to in person care. 

Clinical Research Opportunities: We are accepting applications for undergraduate research roles within our team. Please send your résumé with an accompanying statement of interest to david.charles@vanderbilt.edu

Vanderbilt University has received or currently receives income from grants or contracts with Allergan, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Pharma 2 B, Revance, USWorldMeds, Voyager, DuPont, Elan, Hoffman-LaRoche, Ipsen, Kyowa, Medtronic, Merz, Novartis, and Smith-Kline to support Dr. Charles research efforts. Dr. Charles has received or currently receives income from Allergan, Alliance for Patient Access, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Ipsen, Medtronic, Merz, Mylan-Bertek, Novartis, Ovation, Pfizer, Prestwick, Revance, Schwarz, UCB, USWorldMeds, and Vernalis for consulting services.

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