Schlaggar named director of the Division of Pediatric and Developmental Neurology

Bradley L. Schlaggar, MD, PhD, the A. Ernest and Jane G. Stein Professor of Neurology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, has been named director of the Division of Pediatric and Developmental Neurology.

Schlaggar

“Dr. Schlaggar is a leading scientist in his field who uses advanced neuroimaging to investigate the development of language and cognition in healthy and abnormal brains,” said David Holtzman, MD, the Andrew B. and Gretchen P. Jones Professor and head of the Department of Neurology.

Schlaggar succeeds Michael J. Noetzel, MD, who has served as the division’s director since 2007. Noetzel has been appointed vice chair of pediatric and developmental neurology and will direct clinical operations for the division.

“The division is already a national and international leader, thanks to the leadership of Dr. Noetzel and our superb faculty, residents, fellows and staff,” Schlaggar said. “With the support of the School of Medicine and St. Louis Children’s Hospital, I am very excited about this opportunity to enhance and expand this tradition of excellence in patient care, research and education.”

Schlaggar also is a professor of radiology, anatomy and neurobiology, and pediatrics. He treats patients at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. Originally from Chicago, he earned a bachelor’s degree in neural science from Brown University in 1986, and his MD and PhD from Washington University School of Medicine in 1994.

After completing his residency in pediatric neurology at St. Louis Children’s Hospital and Barnes-Jewish Hospital in 1999, Schlaggar joined the faculty at the School of Medicine. He has served as director of the Pediatric Neurology Residency Training Program since 2006, and he directs the Pediatric Movement Disorders program. He is also co-director of the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center.

Noetzel, a professor of pediatrics and of neurology at the School of Medicine, is a leading pediatric stroke researcher and also treats patients at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. He was raised in Cleveland and earned his bachelor’s degree at Yale University in 1973 and his MD at the University of Virginia in 1977. Noetzel joined the School of Medicine faculty in 1980 after completing residencies in pediatrics and neurology at St. Louis Children’s Hospital and Barnes-Jewish Hospital.

In his new position, Noetzel will oversee expansion of the division’s neurological services to facilitate anticipated growth in inpatient and outpatient treatments. He also will direct the development of additional subspecialty clinics for children with brain disorders and stroke.


Washington University School of Medicine’s 2,100 employed and volunteer faculty physicians also are the medical staff of Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Children’s hospitals. The School of Medicine is one of the leading medical research, teaching and patient care institutions in the nation, currently ranked sixth in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Through its affiliations with Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Children’s hospitals, the School of Medicine is linked to BJC HealthCare.