Avindra Nath, MD

Chief, Section for Infections of the Nervous System; Clinical Director, Translational Neuroscience Center, NIH – National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

Avindra Nath, MD joins the Napa Pain Conference and is a physician–scientist who specializes in the field of neuro-immunology and neurovirology. His research is focused on the clinical manifestations, pathophysiology and treatment of emerging neurological infections. In recent years, he has studied the neurological complications of endogenous retroviruses, Ebola, Zika virus and SARS-CoV-2 and conducts research on patients with undiagnosed neuroinflammatory disorders. He is internationally recognized for his contributions and has served on advisory committees to the NIH, CDC, FDA and WHO. The International Society of NeuroVirology has honored Dr. Nath with the prestigious Pioneer in NeuroVirology Award for his contributions to HIV neuropathogenesis and elected him as the President of the Society. He received the Wybran award from the Society of Neuroimmune Pharmacology for contributions to Neurovirology. He also received the NIH Director’s award and the HHS Secretary’s award for his work on Ebola infection.

Dr. Nath received his MD degree from Christian Medical College in India in 1981 and completed a residency in Neurology from University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston, followed by a fellowship in Multiple Sclerosis and Neurovirology at the same institution and then a fellowship in Neuro-AIDS at NINDS. Nath held faculty positions at the University of Manitoba (1990-97) and the University of Kentucky (1997-02). In 2002, he joined Johns Hopkins University as Professor of Neurology and Director of the Division of Neuroimmunology and Neurological Infections. He joined NIH in 2011 as the Clinical Director of NINDS, the Director of the Translational Neuroscience Center and Chief of the Section of Infections of the Nervous System. His research focuses on understanding the pathophysiology of retroviral infections of the nervous system and the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for these diseases.