David Lacomis, MD

  • Professor of Neurology and Pathology
  • Chief, Neuromuscular Division
  • Director, MDA Clinic
  • Co-Director EMG Laboratory, UPMC-Presbyterian
  • Associate Editor, Journal of Clinical Neuromuscular Disease

Dr. Lacomis’ practice is focused on the clinical, electrodiagnostic, and pathologic aspects of neuromuscular diseases. Particular areas of research as well as clinical expertise include myasthenia gravis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and muscle diseases. Teaching and administrative activities are integrated within his subspecialty.

Education & Training

  • MD, Pennsylvania State University, Medicine
  • Resident, Pennsylvania State University, Internal Medicine
  • Resident, Harvard Longwood Program, Neurology
  • Fellow, University of Massachusetts Medical Center, Neuromuscular Diseases, Electromyography, and Neuropathology 
  • Senior Fellow, University of Massachusetts Medical Center, Neuromuscular Diseases and Electromyography

Specialized Areas of Clinical, Research and/or Educational Interests 

  • Research: ALS (drug trials, biomarkers, genetic causes, epidemiology, technology); Myasthenia gravis (outcomes, drug trials); Critical illness neuromuscular diseases; Autoimmune myopathies
  • Clinical:  Myasthenia gravis; Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS); Muscle diseases; Electromyography; Neuromuscular Pathology
  • Education:  Electrodiagnostic testing; Neuromuscular diseases; Neuromuscular pathology 
  • Teaching: electrodiagnostic testing, neuromuscular diseases, neuromuscular pathology

Board Certifications

  • American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology: Neurology  
  • American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology: Added Qualifications in Clinical Neurophysiology
  • American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology: Neuromuscular Medicine
  • American Board of Electrodiagnostic Medicine

Professional Organization Membership

  • American Academy of Neurology, Fellow
  • American Association of Electrodiagnostic Medicine, Fellow
  • American Neurological Association

Honors & Awards

  • Pittsburgh Magazine, named “Top Doctors”
  • Teaching award for medical student education at Brigham & Women's Hospital
  • Excellence in Teaching Award from Neurology residents (UPMC)
  • Castle Connolly Medical, Inc., named “America’s Top Doctors”
  • Elected to American Neurological Association

Selected Publications

Ojha A, Zivkovic SA, Lacomis D. Electrodiagnostic studies in the intensive care unit: A comparison study two decades later. Muscle Nerve 2018;57:772-776. PMID:29053882 DOI:10.1002/mus.25998

Aggarwal R, Moghadam- Kia S, Lacomis D, Malik A, QI Z, Koontz D, Burlingame R, Oddis C. Anti-Hydroxy-3-Methylglutaryl-Coenzyme A reductase (Anti-HMGCR) antibody in necrotizing myopathy: Treatment outcomes, cancer risk and role of autoantibody level. Scand J Rheumatol 2019;5:1-7.

Zivkovic S, Mnatsakanova D, Lacomis D. Phenotypes of late-onset transthyretin amyloid neuropathy a diagnostic challenge. J Clin Neuromusc Dis 2019;21:1-6. PMID:31453848

Yeh FC, Zaydan IM, Suski VR, Lacomis D, Richardson RM, Maroon JC, Barris-Martinez J. Differential tractography as a track based biomarker for neuronal injury. Neuroimage.2019.116131 PMID:31472253

Lacomis D. What’s in the Neuromuscular Junction Literature? J Clin Neuromuscl Dis 2020 In press.