Lawrence J Hayward

Dr. Lawrence J. Hayward is a Professor of Neurology at UMass Chan Medical School (T.H. Chan School of Medicine), with additional affiliations in Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology, Genetic and Cellular Medicine, and the NeuroNexus Institute. As a physician-scientist, he co-directs the FSH Muscular Dystrophy Clinic and leads research on molecular mechanisms of neuromuscular diseases including ALS, FSHD, and hyperkalemic periodic paralysis.

• Education: BA and BS in Electrical Engineering from Washington University in St. Louis; MD and PhD in Neuroscience from Baylor College of Medicine (1989).

His research applies expertise in muscle biology, cellular and animal modeling, gene regulation, protein biochemistry, and ion channel physiology to study pathological responses in neuromuscular diseases. Current projects include longitudinal biomarker studies in FSHD patients (in collaboration with the Wellstone Center for FSHD), assays for drug candidates targeting ALS pathophysiology, and mechanistic studies of hyperkalemic periodic paralysis using knock-in mouse models. Collaborations span the Neurotherapeutics Institute and interdisciplinary graduate programs.

Publications focus on molecular biology, physiology, and neurology, with recurring themes of protein misfolding (SOD1 in ALS), ion channel dysfunction (NaV1.4 in periodic paralysis), and epigenetic mechanisms (DUX4 in FSHD). His work frequently employs animal models, cellular assays, and proteomic/genomic analyses to address pathogenesis and therapeutic development.

Key grants and affiliations include the ALS Association, Wellstone Center for FSHD, and Neurotherapeutics Institute. He has contributed to major journals in neurology, biochemistry, and cell biology, and his research has been highlighted by patents and collaborative platforms.

His laboratory utilizes CRISPR-Cas9, transgenic mouse models, and human patient-derived cells to investigate disease mechanisms and test potential treatments, particularly for motor neuron degeneration and vacuolar myopathy progression.