Michael Wong, MD, PhD
Allen P. and Josephine B. Green Professor of Pediatric Neurology
Washington University School of Medicine
Michael Wong, MD, PhD is the Allen P. and Josephine B. Green Professor of Pediatric Neurology at Washington University School of Medicine. He received a B.A. in Biology from Princeton University and MD and PhD (Neuroscience) degrees from University of Texas Southwestern Medical School. He then moved to Washington University in St. Louis for pediatric neurology residency and epilepsy fellowship, before becoming a faculty member in the Department of Neurology. He is a board-certified pediatric epileptologist and clinical neurophysiologist. He is also director of the Washington University Tuberous Sclerosis Center, which provides multidisciplinary care for children and adults with Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC) and integrates both basic science and clinical research in TSC.
Wong’s basic science laboratory primarily investigates mechanisms of epileptogenesis and seizure-induced brain injury in genetic and acquired rodent models of epilepsy. His laboratory has been among the leaders in establishing the critical role of the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway in epileptogenesis in TSC, as well as in animal models of acquired epilepsy due to brain injury. Directly related to his basic research, he has served as site principal investigator at Washington University for a number of clinical trials, such as the EXIST-3 trial of the mTOR inhibitor everolimus for epilepsy in TSC (leading to its FDA approval for that indication) and the PREVeNT trial for preventing neurological manifestations of TSC. The latter trial is particularly impactful in attempting to develop a first preventative anti-epileptogenic drug treatment for epilepsy. He has been funded continuously by NIH and other sources for 20 years and has co-authored over 100 basic and clinical research papers and reviews. He is past recipient of the American Academy of Neurology Dreifuss-Penry Epilepsy Research Award and is currently an Associate Editor of Epilepsia Open and Senior Editor of Epilepsy Currents.