Stephen L. Hauser

Stephen L. Hauser is the Robert A. Fishman Distinguished Professor of Neurology at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and Director of the UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences. He previously served as chair of the Department of Neurology at UCSF from 1992 to 2017.

Dr. Hauser's research has led to key discoveries on the genetic basis, immune mechanisms, and treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS), most notably the development of B cell therapies for MS patients, a powerful class of therapeutics that treat all forms of the disease, including the first therapy of proven efficacy for progressive MS.

His research focuses on neuroimmunology, particularly the role of B cells in multiple sclerosis pathogenesis. His work has transformed MS treatment through the development of B-cell targeted therapies including rituximab and ocrelizumab. He has also contributed to precision medicine applications in MS through the development of the MS BioScreen tool.

Dr. Hauser has received numerous awards for his work, including:

• John Dystel Prize for Multiple Sclerosis Research (2008)
• Charcot Award (2013)
• Taubman Prize for Excellence in Translational Medical Research (2017)
• Scientific Breakthrough Award (2022)
• Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences (2025)

He has served on the Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues during the Obama administration, chaired committees for the National Academy of Medicine and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and is currently an editor of Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine and past editor-in-chief of the Annals of Neurology.

Dr. Hauser is a fellow and past president of the American Neurological Association, member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, American Academy of Physicians, and the National Academy of Medicine.