Barrow Appoints New Neurology Chair: Brad A. Racette, MD, FAAN
After a year-long search interviewing many of the top neurologists around the nation, I am excited to announce the appointment of Brad A. Racette, MD, FAAN, as the next Chairman of Neurology at Barrow Neurological Institute and the Kemper and Ethel Marley Professor of Neurology.
Dr. Racette comes from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, where he served as the Robert Allan Finke Professor of Neurology. In his two decades on the faculty, he held the roles of vice chair and executive vice chair of neurology, gaining vast practical experience running a large academic department.
Dr. Racette is a graduate of Princeton University and Northwestern University School of Medicine. He completed his neurology residency and a fellowship in movement disorders at Washington University School of Medicine.
As a clinical movement disorders specialist, Dr. Racette manages all types of movement disorders in adults and children and has a special interest in botulinum toxin therapies. He has received numerous awards for clinical excellence, including US News & World Report Top Doctor, Castle Connolly Top Doctor, and Best Doctors list for 14 consecutive years.
Dr. Racette’s research focuses on manganese neurotoxicity, environmental risk factors for Parkinson’s disease, and administrative data studies of Parkinson’s disease and other neurologic diseases. He is supported by the National Institutes of Health, Michael J. Fox Foundation, Department of Defense, Cure Alzheimer’s Fund, Northeast ALS Consortium, and American Parkinson Disease Association.
Dr. Racette has served as an advisor for numerous international regulatory agencies, has received numerous awards, and has authored over 160 peer-reviewed publications. Additionally, he is an honorary professor of public health at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa. He has been involved extensively in the education and training of students, residents, and fellows. He has been a research mentor supported by a K24 mentoring grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences for 10 years.
Please join me in welcoming Dr. Racette when he begins his new role at Barrow on April 4. He will continue the work of Dr. Jeremy Shefner to build our robust, multidisciplinary neurology department into one of the nation’s leaders in clinical care, neurosciences research, and education.
As I have gotten to know Dr. Racette through the search process, I see an extensive administrative tool set, endless energy, and a bedrock commitment to growing the department in size, reputation, and reach. I can’t wait to watch what Dr. Racette does with the Neurology Department.
