Description of Research Expertise

Dr. Gonzalez-Alegre is a highly committed clinician-scientist who directs a laboratory devoted to the investigation of the neurobiological bases and therapeutics of dystonia. For his research efforts, funded through federal and private sources, he has been recognized with 2003 S Weir Mitchell Award of the American Academy of Neurology, the 2004 Junior Award for Excellence in Basic Science Research from the Movement Disorders Society, the 2012 Jon Stolk Award in Movement Disorders from the American Academy of Neurology, and the 2012 Stanley Fahn Award from the Dystonia Medical Research Foundation. He is also Co-Director for Clinical Programs of the Raymond G. Perelman Center for Cellular & Molecular Therapy at the Children Hospital of Philadelphia, involved in translational efforts to advance novel molecular therapies for various neurological diseases to early phase clinical trials.

Selected Publications

Dratch L, Paul R, Baldwin A, Brzozowski M, Gonzalez-Alegre P, Tropea TF, Raper A, Bardakjian T: Transitioning to Telemedicine in the COVID-19 Era: Patient Satisfaction with Genetic Counseling via Telephone or Videoconferencing in Adult Neurology J Genet Couns : 2021.

Guo MH, Bardakjian TM, Brzozowski MR, Scherer SS, Quinn C, Elman L, Orthmann-Murphy J, Tropea TF, Ellis CA, Gonzalez-Alegre P.: Temporal trends and yield of clinical diagnostic genetic testing in adult neurology Am J Med Genet A. : 2021.

Guo MH, Bardakjian TM, Brzozowski MR, Scherer SS, Quinn C, Elman L, Orthmann-Murphy J, Tropea TF, Ellis CA and Gonzalez-Alegre P.: Temporal trends and yield of clinical diagnostic genetic testing in adult neurology Am J Med Genet A : 2021.

Isonaka R, Goldstein DS, Zhu W, Yoon E, Ehrlich D, Schindler AB, Kokkinis AD, Sabir MS, Scholz SW, Bandres-Ciga S, Blauwendraat C, Gonzalez-Alegre P, Lopez G, Sidransky E, Narendra DP.: α-Synuclein deposition in sympathetic nerve fibers in genetic forms of Parkinson’s Disease Mov Disord : 2021.

Tropea TF, Amari N, Han N, Rick J, Suh E, Akhtar RS, Dahodwala N, Deik A, Gonzalez-Alegre P, Hurtig H, Siderowf A, Spindler M, Stern M, Thenganatt MA, Weintraub D, Willis AW, Van Deerlin V, Chen-Plotkin A.: Whole Clinic Research Enrollment in Parkinson's Disease: The Molecular Integration in Neurological Diagnosis (MIND) Study J Parkinsons Dis 11 (2): 757-765,2021.

Melis C, Beauvais G, Muntean BS, Cirnaru MD, Otrimski G; Creus-Muncunill J, Martemyanov KA, Gonzalez-Alegre P, Ehrlich ME.: Striatal dopamine induced ERK phosphorylation is altered in mouse models of monogenic dystonia Mov Disord 36 (5): 1147-1157,2021.

Klapper J, Bardakjian T, Sigal I, Muralidharan K, Gonzalez-Alegre P.: Healthcare Delivery via Telehealth during the COVID-19 Pandemic: the Experience of a Huntington’s Disease Center Clin Parkinsonism Relat Disord 4 : 100093,2021.

Ogilvie AC, Gonzalez-Alegre P, Schultz JL: Diabetes Mellitus Is Associated With an Earlier Age of Onset of Huntington's Disease Mov Disord 36 (4): 1033-1034,2021.

Walker IM, Riboldi GM, Drummond P, Saade-Lemus S, Martin-Saavedra JS, Frucht S, Bardakjian TM, Gonzalez-Alegre P, Deik A.: PPP2R5D Genetic Mutations and Early-Onset Parkinsonism. Ann Neurol 89 (1): 194-195,2021.

Cirnaru MD, Creus-Muncunill J, Nelson S, Lewis T, Watson J, Ellerby LM, Gonzalez-Alegre P*, Ehrlich ME*.: Striatal Dysfunction after Neonatal Decrease in X-linked Dystonia Parkinsonism Related TAF1 Isoforms Mov Disord : 2021.

Academic Contact Information

University of Pennsylvania
Department of Neurology
800 Spruce Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Patient appointments: 800-789-7366