The HD View with Dr. Claudia Testa

TUESDAY, JUNE 17, 2014 Our incredible special guest is Claudia Testa, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Neurology, and Associate Director of Clinical Research and medical director of the new VCU Parkinson's and Movement Disorders Center. The Center aims to integrate research, clinical care, and education and outreach missions in an interdisciplinary collaborative approach to making a difference in movement disorders. Dr. Testa moved to VCU in 2011, where she is excited to lead a new Huntington disease program. We will be discuss her career of care and research. Read more... After completing her MD and PhD degrees, Dr. Testa returned to Boston for internship at Beth Israel Hospital, then neurology residency in the Partners program at Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital, where she was a chief resident her final year. She moved to Emory University for a movement disorders fellowship and basic research with Dr. Timothy Greenamyre. The HDSA Center of Excellence for Huntington Disease at Emory University was an important part of her growth as a clinician and scientist. Over eleven years at Emory she transitioned from fellow to faculty to medical director of the HDSA Center of Excellence, with involvement in several HSG studies. More recently, to enhance her skills in human disease based research she completed a Masters in Clinical and Translational Research (2012) while a faculty member at Emory University. Between Emory and VCU, she has over 13 years’ experience as an HD clinical study investigator, working with symptomatic, pre symptomatic, and HD at risk research participants. Her current research interests are in genetic causes and risks for essential tremor, Huntington disease pre-motor physiology changes, and Huntington disease observational and treatment trials.