The Ohio State University - Department of Neurology

Kottil W. Rammohan, MD

Dr. Kottil W. Rammohan is a Professor of Neurology and the Director of the division of Clinical and Experimental Neuroimmunology. He also serves as the Director of the Multiple Sclerosis Center at The Ohio State University. A graduate of Madras Medical College in Chennai, India, he came to the US in1970. After a year of internship at the Cook County Hospital in Chicago, he trained as a resident in Internal Medicine and Neurology at the Ohio State University between 1972 and 1976. He is Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Neurology, and Neurorehabilitation. Between 1976 and 1982 he was a Fellow and Senior Clinical Associate at the National Institutes of Health where he trained in the fields of Neurovirology and Neuroimmunology under the tutelage of Dr. Henry McFarland, and the late Dr. Dale McFarlin. He has been a faculty at the Department of Neurology at The Ohio State University since 1982.

Biographical Sketch

Dr. Rammohan was born and brought up in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. He graduated in 1969 from Madras Medical College as the valedictorian, and was the best outgoing medical student of the year from the University of Madras (encompassing 7 medical colleges from the state of Madras). After coming to the USA, he completed training in internal medicine, and neurology in Chicago and Columbus, Ohio. His post-doctoral research training was at the Neuroimmunology Branch at the National Institutes of Health.

Research

Dr. Rammohan’s main interest is in understanding the pathogenesis and treatment of multiple sclerosis. This was a natural consequence of his interests in Neuroimmunology and virology. He is the director of one of the largest MS Centers in this country with over 4,000 patients with MS. He is actively involved with a number of industry and investigator initiated clinical trials. In particular, he has been involved with understanding mechanisms of fatigue, and designing treatments for this disabling symptom. Magnetic resonance imaging, in particular, imaging MS brain abnormalities at Ultra high field strength (8 tesla) is an area of continuing interest. His contributions include developing novel and simple techniques for examination of abnormalities in the cerebrospinal fluid in multiple sclerosis. At a basic level, his interests include exploring autoimmunity to ion channels in multiple sclerosis and evaluation of this disorder using state of the art techniques of proteomics and gene array technology.

Clinical Interests

neurorehabilitation; multiple sclerosis; neuroimmunology; vasculitis; autoimmune CNS disorders

National Offices Held and Service to Professional Organizations

American Academy of Neurology Multiple Sclerosis Section	Councillor
American Academy of Neurology Multiple Sclerosis Section	Chair
National MS Society, New York, NY	Member, Medical Advisory Board
National MS Society New York, NY	Chair, Clinical Care Committee
National MS Society New York, NY	Member , Clinical Advisory Committee

Honors

College of Medicine

Faculty Inductee and Annual Key note Speaker: 1999
Alpha Omega Alpha
Ohio State University, Class of 1999

Department of Neurology

Professor of the Year : 2001
Department of Neurology
Ohio State University

Outstanding Teacher of the Year : 2002
Department of Neurology
Ohio State University

National

The Hope Award : 1989

For outstanding and long-term services to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

The Spirit Award : 2002

For Loyal Support of the MS cause. Awarded by the National MS Society, Ohio Buckeye Chapter

Outstanding Physician Recognition Award : 2002

For out-standing care of MS patients in the community. Recognized by the National MS Society, Ohio Buckeye Chapter

MS Society Volunteer Hall of Fame : 2003

Best Doctors in America : 2003

Publications (Selected)

Van Pottelsberghe, C., Rammohan, K. W., McFarland, H. F., & Dubois-Dalcq, M. (1979). Selective neuronal, dendritic, and postsynaptic localization of viral antigen in measles-infected mice. LABORATORY INVESTIGATION 40, 99-108.

Rammohan, K. W., McFarlin, D. E., & McFarland, H. F. (1980). Chronic measles encephalitis in mice. JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES 142, 608-613.

Rammohan, K. W., McFarland, H. F., & McFarlin, D. E. (1981). Induction of subacute murine measles encephalitis by monoclonal antibody to virus haemagglutinin. NATURE 290, 588-589.

Kissel, J. T., Mendell, J. R., & Rammohan, K. W. (1986). Microvascular deposition of complement membrane attack complex in dermatomyositis. NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE 314 , 329-334.

Bellini, W., Englund, G., Rammohan, K., & McFarlin, D. E. (1986). Evaluation of the structural proteins of the hamster neurotropic strain of measles virus with monoclonal antibodies. JOURNAL OF NEUROIMMUNOLOGY 11, 149-163.

Huber, S. J., Paulson, G. W., Shuttleworth, E. C., Chakeres, D., Clapp, L. E., Pakalnis, A., Weiss, K., & Rammohan, K. (1987). Magnetic resonance imaging correlates of dementia in multiple sclerosis. ARCHIVES OF NEUROLOGY 44, 732-736.

Huber, S. J., Paulson, G. W., Chakeres, D., Pakalnis, A., Brogan, M., Phillips, B. L., Myers, M. A., & Rammohan, K. W. (1988). Magnetic resonance imaging and clinical correlations in multiple sclerosis. JOURNAL OF THE NEUROLOGICAL SCIENCES 86, 1-12.

Kao, L., Krstenansky, J., Mendell, J., Rammohan, K. W., & Gruenstein, E. (1988). Immunological identification of a high molecular weight protein as a candidate for the product of the Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene. PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES 85, 4491-4495.

Jacobs LD, Beck RW, Simon JH et al and the CHAMPS study group (2000). Intramuscular interferon beta 1a therapy initiated during a first demyelinating event in multiple sclerosis. THE NEW ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE. 343:898-904.

Rammohan KW, Rosenberg JH, Lynn DJ, Blumenfeld A, Pollak CP, Nagaraja HN. Efficacy and Safety of Modafinil (Provigil) for the Treatment of Fatigue in multiple sclerosis - a two centre phase 2 study. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2002;72:179-183.

Contact

461 Means Hall
1654 Upham Drive
Columbus, Ohio 43210

Phone: 614-293-4964
Fax: 614-293-6111

e-mail: rammohan.2@osu.edu