Paul E Barkhaus

Dr. Paul E. Barkhaus is a Professor of Neurology at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW), where he serves as Director of the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Program (an ALS Association Certified Center of Excellence), Director of the Clinical Neurophysiology Program, and Section Chief of Neuromuscular Diseases. He maintains clinical appointments at Froedtert Hospital, Zablocki VA Medical Center, Children's Wisconsin, and Froedtert Menomonee Falls Hospital, providing comprehensive care for patients with neuromuscular disorders.

Dr. Barkhaus earned his MD from Wayne State University School of Medicine in 1975, followed by a Neurology residency at the same institution (1975-1978). His specialized training includes fellowships in Electromyography at the University of Minnesota (1978-1979), Neuromuscular Diseases at the University of Arizona (1979-1980), and additional research fellowships in Single Fiber Electromyography at Uppsala University, Sweden and Electromyography at Duke University Medical Center. He has held progressive academic positions from Assistant Professor at the University of Cincinnati (1980-1985) to his current Professorship at MCW (2002-present).

His research primarily focuses on Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), with particular emphasis on drug trials for ALS patients, Motor Unit Number Indexing (MUNIX), and Compound Muscle Action Potentials. Dr. Barkhaus has developed significant expertise in quantitative electromyography and has contributed extensively to the understanding of electrophysiological markers in neuromuscular disorders. His recent work increasingly integrates machine learning and augmented intelligence approaches to analyze electromyographic data, demonstrating a clear evolution from fundamental electrophysiological principles to sophisticated computational analysis in clinical applications.

Dr. Barkhaus has authored over 125 publications, with recent work spanning ALS treatment alternatives, advanced electromyography techniques, and neuromuscular disease diagnostics. His research demonstrates consistent methodological rigor and clinical relevance, with publications appearing in leading journals including Muscle & Nerve, Clinical Neurophysiology, and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Degeneration.

• Distinguished Service Award, Wayne State University School of Medicine (1975)
• Trainee Award, Federation of Western Societies of Neurological Sciences (1980)
• Clinical Neurophysiology Teacher of The Year, MCW Department of Neurology (2001, 2010)
• Selected for inclusion in "Best Doctors®" (2005-present)
• Special Commendation by Paralyzed Veterans of America for ALS advocacy (2010)

As an educator, Dr. Barkhaus has directed multiple training programs including the Clinical Neurophysiology Training Program at MCW since 2000. He has mentored numerous trainees in electromyography and neuromuscular diseases, contributing significantly to the development of the next generation of neuromuscular specialists. His laboratory work has been instrumental in developing quantitative approaches to electromyography that are now widely used in clinical practice worldwide.