Neurosciences Institute - Neurology - Parkinson's Disease & Movement Disorders - Physicians & Staff
Eric S. Molho, M.D.Dr. Molho was born and raised in New York. He obtained his undergraduate degree from Vassar College in 1983. He attended the Albany Medical College and received his Medical Degree in 1987. Dr. Molho received his residency training in neurology at Albany Medical Center from 1988-1991. He went on to do his fellowship training in movement disorders with Dr. Stewart Factor at Albany Medical Center fromin 1991 toand 1992. Dr. Molho is a board certified neurologist licensed in the State of New York, and Associate Professor of Neurology at Albany Medical Center and The Riley Family Chair in Parkinson's Disease at Albany Medical Center. He has also been the Director of the Second Year Course in Neurological Diseases for Albany Medical College since 1993. Dr. Molho has been with the Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Center since 1992 and has had extensive experience with the diagnosis and treatment of these disorders. In January of 2005, Dr. Molho assumed the directorship of the Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Center. He has been involved in the many research projects of the Movement Disorders Center over that time. Dr. Molhoand has published numerous articles in this field. and is an ad hoc reviewer for the Movement Disorders Journal. He is an active member of the American Academy of Neurology and the Movement Disorders Society. He has also been an active investigator with the Parkinson's Study Group, Huntington's Study Group and the Dystonia Study Group since 1996.
The Riley Family Chair in Parkinson's Disease was formally established in December 1994. The chair is the result of a generous financial gift from Victor J. Riley, Jr., Marilyn Riley and Key Bank of New York. The purpose of the endowment is theto honor and perpetuate the names of Victor J. Riley, Jr., and Marilyn Riley through the creation of the Riley Family Chair in Parkinson's Disease. This endowed The Riley Family Chair will serve as a daily reminder to patients, students and faculty members of the Riley's deep concern for patient care, medical education and research in the field of Parkinson's disease and movement disorders. It will provide the funding needed to assure that Albany will remain a regional source of Parkinson's care, research and teaching by supporting the efforts of a recognized academician as incumbent in the chair.
Donald S. Higgins, Jr. M.D.
Dr. Higgins was born and raised in New York City. After receiving his bachelor degree from Illinois Wesleyan University in 1982, he entered the State University of New York at Stony Brook obtaining his medical degree in 1987. Following internship and neurology residency at the University of Michigan Medical Center, specialty training in movement disorders was taken in the Movement and Inherited Neurological Disorders Unit at the University of Rochester School of Medicine (1992-1994) followed by a one year faculty appointment. Prior to joining the Department of Neurology at the Albany Medical College, Dr. Higgins was Assistant Professor in the Departments of Neurology and Neuroscience at the Ohio State University College of Medicine and Public Health (1995-2000). During his tenure at Ohio State, he received an Investigator Development Award from the National Institute of Aging to support research looking at the basic mechanisms of degenerative disease. He also developed a program for Huntington disease that culminated in the designation of Ohio State as a Center of Excellence by the Huntington Disease Society of America.
Dr. Higgins is a board-certified neurologist, licensed in the State of New York. He is Associate Professor in the Department of Neurology and the Center for Neuropharmacology and Neuroscience at Albany Medical Center. Dr. Higgins directs a research laboratory seeking to identify novel treatments for Huntington disease. He is on the editorial board of the journal, Hospital Physician, and has served as ad hoc reviewer for the journals, Neurology, Experimental Neurology, Free Radical Biology & Medicine, Journal of Neurochemistry and Brain Research. He is a member of the American Academy of Neurology, New York Neurological Society, Movement Disorder Society, the Society for Neuroscience, and the International Society for Neurochemistry. He is an active participant in the Huntington Study Group and the Tourette International Consortium.
Dzintra Celmins, M.D.
Dr. Celmins was born and raised in Latvia. After graduating from Riga Medical Institute in 1983, she completed an internship and clinical fellowship in Neurology at Riga City 7th Clinical Hospital. She was an attending doctor there until 1995. From September 1988 to September 1990 she was also a neurologist-consultant in rural areas of Latvia with Medical Aviation of Latvia. She came to the United States in 1995. From July 2000 to June 2001 she did an internship in Internal Medicine at Albany Medical Center. Dr. Celmins received her residency training in neurology at Albany Medical Center from 2001-2004. She is now doing her fellowship in movement disorders and dementia at Albany Medical Center. Dr. Celmins is a board eligible neurologist licensed in the State of New York. She is a member of the American Academy of Neurology and the Movement Disorders Society. Dr Celmins is fluent in English, Latvian and Russian.
Anne L. Barba, Ph.D.
Dr. Barba was born and raised in Albany, New York. She graduated from Wellesley College in 1994, and attended the State University of New York at Albany for doctoral study. While there, she completed an internship at the Washington D.C. Veterans Affairs Medical Center. She finished graduate study in 2000 with a concentration in counseling psychology and began fellowship training in neuropsychology during that same year. After two years of post-doctoral training at Albany Medical Center she joined the faculty of the department of neurology. During her time at the medical center, she has specialized in the neuropsychological evaluation of neurodegenerative disorders, and has been involved in research that examines the cognitive status of patients with Parkinson's and Alzheimer's Diseases. Dr. Barba is a psychologist licensed in the State of New York. She is a member of the American Psychological Association
Sharon M. Evans, L.P.N.
Sharon is a clinical research coordinator for the Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Center at Albany Medical Center. Sharon was born and raised in New York and she received her LPN degree from the Board of Cooperative Educational Services in 1974. She worked as an LPN on the Neurosciences Ward at Albany Medical Center from 1974-1990. Sharon then went on to work as a Registered Vascular Technologist at the Karmody Vascular Lab at Albany Medical Center Hospital from 1990-1996. Sharon has been with the Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Center since 1996. In addition to helping with clinical drug trials she was the Coordinator of the APDA (American Parkinson's Disease Association) Information Center for 7years. She is now a clinical research coordinator for several of our clinical research projects in Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, and dystonia.
Jacqueline N. Nash, R.N.
Jackie is a clinical research coordinator for the Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Center at Albany Medical Center. Jackie was born in Virginia and moved to Albany in 1957. She received her nursing degree from St. Peter's Hospital School of Nursing. Jackie has an extensive background in nursing, having spent 25 years at St Peter's hospital in both medical and surgical positions, prior to coming to Albany Medical Center. At AMCH, Jackie was Nurse Manager of the Internal Medicine Group, prior to joining the Department of Neurology as a Research Nurse Coordinator. Jackie has worked on clinical research projects involving ALS, transplant surgery, clinical pharmacology, HIV/AIDS and has been at the Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Center since 2000. She is now a clinical research coordinator for several of our clinical research projects in Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, and dystonia.
Constance H. Nickerson, L.P.N.
Connie is clinical nurse and a clinical research coordinator for the Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Center of Albany Medical Center. Connie was born and raised in Vermont and received her LPN degree from Fanny Allen Memorial School of Practical Nursing in Colchester, Vermont in 1977. Connie subsequently worked at Fletcher Allen Health Care Center in the medical intensive care unit (ICU) for 19 years. She has been with the Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorder Center since 2001. She is currently coordinating clinical drug trials and assisting with the follow up and management of patients treated with deep brain stimulation. In addition, Connie coordinates the quarterly Huntington's disease integrated clinic. Connie is also the coordinator of the American Parkinson's Disease Association (APDA) information and referral center.
Kathleen L. Regan
Katy is a clinical research coordinator and Regulatory Affairs Specialist for the Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Center at Albany Medical Center. Katy was born and raised in New York and she received her BA from SUNY Albany. She worked as a Laboratory Manager/Senior Research Technician at the Center for Immunology and Microbial Disease at Albany Medical College from June 1996 until December 2001. From December 2001 until January 2003, Katy then went to work as an IRB Specialist for the Department of Research Administration at Albany Medical College. Katy has been with the Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Center since January 2003
