Whitaker Memorial Lecture - Dr. George Kraft

The VA MS Centers of Excellence John Whitaker Memorial Lecture Series came about to honor John Whitaker.

  Dr. John N. Whitaker, a neurologist, is well known for his lifelong study of multiple sclerosis. He pioneered the identification of myelin basic protein production in urine, pursued other immunological avenues, participated in major, and contributed to 260 publications. At the time of his death in August 2001, he was a member of 14 editorial boards and associate editor of four additional publications. He was also a professor and the chair of the Department of Neurology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and president of the University of Alabama at Birmingham's Health Services Foundation. He is considered a great leader, clinician, teacher, and investigator in the understanding and treatment of the disease multiple sclerosis.

This prestigious series brings in other MS experts to continue to honor his legacy in the MS Community. In September 2012, Dr. George H. Kraft was the Whitaker Memorial Lecturer at the Paralyzed Veterans of America Summit 2012 and Expo Conference held in Las Vegas, Nevada. The title of his presentation was Addressing MS Patients’ Needs.

For a DVD of Dr. Kraft’s presentation please call 206.764.2433 or email marsha.tarver@va.gov.

 Bio Sketch of Dr. George Kraft

Dr. Kraft received his AB from Harvard and MD and MS from The Ohio State University.  He interned at the University of California Hospital, San Francisco and did his residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation there and at the Ohio State University. For several decades through 2011 he was director of the Western MS Center, Electrodiagnostic Medicine, and co-director of the Muscular Dystrophy Clinic at the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle, where he was Alvord Professor of Multiple Sclerosis Research, professor of Rehabilitation Medicine, and adjunct professor of Neurology. Currently he is emeritus professor of Rehabilitation Medicine and Neurology.

Dr. Kraft's interests are in the areas of multiple sclerosis, neurological rehabilitation, and electrodiagnosis.  He is a well-known expert in the field of MS and serves on the Advisory Board of NCMRR at NIH, the Medical Advisory Board of the National MS Society, and the Advisory Board of the Kessler Research Institute at UMDNJ.  He has chaired study Section C of the NMSS and has served on numerous national and local committees.  In addition he continues as principal investigator of the Multiple Sclerosis Rehabilitation Research and Training Center at the University of Washington.  He has received the Krusen award from the AAPM&R, the Distinguished Researcher and Lifetime Achievement awards from the AANEM, and the Distinguished Academician award from the AAP.  In addition, he has been a keynote speaker at both the Consortium of MS Centers and the European organization, RIMS. He has frequently lectured internationally, most recently in 2012 at the International Center for Nutritional Research in India.

Professionally, Dr. Kraft has served as Chief of Staff of the University of Washington Medical Center and chair of the American Board of Electrodiagnostic Medicine.  He has served as president of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, the American Association of Electrodiagnostic Medicine, the Association of Academic Physiatrists and the American Academy of Clinical Neurophysiology.  He served as founder and consulting editor of the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America from 1990-2012. Dr. Kraft has also been the associate editor of Muscle and Nerve and has served on the editorial boards of Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology, the American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair.

Among Dr. Kraft’s research achievements are: description of the natural history and nerve conduction changes in EAN; identification of fibrillation potential amplitude as indicator of time since peripheral nerve injury; the first description of fatigue as a symptom of MS (now recognized as the most common symptom); the first stem cell transplant treatment for MS in the U.S. (1998).   In addition he has led many other research projects devoted to improving the care of patients with multiple sclerosis.

Dr. Kraft is the co-author of a book for patients, “The MS Workbook: Living Fully with Multiple Sclerosis” and the popular book for MS patients, “Living with MS: a Wellness Approach.”  He is also the co-editor of a text, “Chronic Disease and Disability,” and author or co-author of over 250 articles and chapters on multiple sclerosis, electrodiagnosis and rehabilitation.

In 2010 Dr. Kraft hosted a TV series: "MS from A to Z" which was broadcast on University of Washington Television Network. In 2011 he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National MS Society, and in 2012 he was invited to deliver the John N. Whitaker Memorial Lecture at the VA MS Centers of Excellence annual meeting. Dr Kraft has also been nominated for the John Dystel Award from the American Academy of Neurology.

Date Posted: January 2013