Drasko Simovic, M.D. is a graduate of the University of Belgrade Medical School in Belgrade, Yugoslavia. He completed his internship at the Cabrini Medical Center, New York Medical College in New York, NY. He graduated from the Boston University Affiliated Residency Program in Neurology in Boston, MA, and completed two fellowships at St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center, Tufts University in Boston, MA. He is Board Certified in Neurology (ABPN), Electrodiagnostic Medicine (ABEM), Clinical Neurophysiology (ABPN-CN) and Disability Analysis (ABDA). He holds the academic appointment of Assistant Professor of Neurology at Tufts University, School of Medicine. His clinical and research interest includes ischemic and demyelinating polyneuropathies, electrodiagnostic evaluation of mononeuropathies, and gene therapy for neurological disorders.
     
EDUCATION:   University of Belgrade, School of Medicine, Belgrade, Yugoslavia, M.D., Dec.88.
     
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:    
July 97 – present   EMG Laboratory-Drasko Simovic, M.D., private practice,
EMG, Neurology and Pain Management Consulting Service.
July 97 – present   St. Elizabeth's Medical Center, Department of Neurology, Tufts University, Boston, MA,
Clinical Research Associate.
July 96 - June 97   St. Elizabeth's Medical Center, Tufts University, Boston, MA,
Senior Clinical and Research Fellow in Electrodiagnostic Medicine
July 95 - June 96   St. Elizabeth's Medical Center, Tufts University, Boston, MA,
Clinical and Research Fellow in Clinical Neurophysiology.
July 94 - June 95   Boston University Affiliated Hospitals Residency Program in Neurology, Boston, MA,
Chief Resident.
July 92 - June 94   Boston University Affiliated Hospitals Residency Program in Neurology, Boston University Medical Center and Boston VA Medical Center, Boston, MA,
Junior and Senior Resident.
July 91 - June 92   Cabrini Medical Center, New York Medical College, New York, NY,
Intern in Medicine.
Jan. 90 - June 91   University of Belgrade, School of Medicine, Belgrade, Yugoslavia,
Post - Doctoral Fellow.
Jan. 89 - Dec. 89   General Hospital "Dr. Dragisa Misovic", University of Belgrade, School of Medicine, Belgrade, Yugoslavia,
Resident in Medicine.
     
ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS:    
Jan 00 - present   Tufts University, School of Medicine, Boston, MA
Assistant Professor of Neurology.
Jan. 98 - Dec 99   Tufts University, School of Medicine, Boston, MA
Instructor in Neurology.
July 92 - June 95   Boston University, School of Medicine, Boston, MA,
Teaching Fellow in Neurology.
     
BOARD CERTIFICATION:  
Neurology
- American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology
Electrodiagnostic Medicine - American Board of Electrodiagnostic Medicine
Clinical Neurophysiology - American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.
Disability Evaluation – American Board of Disability Analysts
     
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS:  
American Academy of Neurology
American Medical Association
Massachusetts Neurologic Association
Society for Pain Practice Management
American Association of
Electrodiagnostic Medicine
The Neuropathy Association
     
MEDIA:   Scientific achievements featured in: Boston Globe, Boston Herald, Popular Science, Reuters Health, Eagle Tribune, Cape Cod Times
     
APPOINTMENTS:   Editorial Advisory Board, Therapy Journal, London , UK
    Ad Hoc Reviewer, Annals of Neurology Journal, USA
 
 
BIBLIOGRAPHY AND RESEARCH:
 

1) Weinberg DH, Simovic D : The terminal latency index in the carpal tunnel syndrome. Muscle and Nerve, 1996; 19: 1199; Presented at the 43rd Annual Meeting, American Association of Electrodiagnostic Medicine, Minneapolis, MN; October 1996

 
2) Gorson CK, Allam G, Simovic D, Ropper AH: Improvement following Interferon alpha 2A in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy; Neurology, 1997; 48(3): 777-780 Click for abstract

 

3) Simovic D, Gorson CK, Ropper AH: Polyneuropathy associated with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS): comparison of IgM-MGUS and IgG-MGUS; Neurology, 1997; 48(3): A 52; Presented at the 49th Annual Meeting, American Academy of Neurology, Boston, MA; April 1997
 
4) Gorson CK, Ropper AH, Simovic D, Allam G: Treatment of CIDP with Interferon alpha: A prospective open trial; Neurology, 1997; 48(3): A 87; Presented at the 49th Annual Meeting, American Academy of Neurology, Boston, MA; April 1997
 
5) Acar D, Simovic D, Weinberg DH, Ropper AH: Mononeuritis multiplex mimicking acute demyelinating polyneuropathy; Presented at the Annual Stanley Cobb Assembly - Boston Society of Neurology and Psychiatry Meeting, Boston; April 1997
 
6) Simovic D, Weinberg DH: Terminal latency index in the carpal tunnel syndrome; Muscle and Nerve, 1997; 20: 1178-1180 Click for abstract
 
7) Gorson CK, Ropper AH, Clark BD, Dew RB, Simovic D, Allam G: Treatment of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy with Interferon Alpha 2a; Neurology, 1998; 50: 84-87 Click for abstract
 
8) Simovic D, Gorson CK, Ropper AH: Comparison of IgM-MGUS and IgG-MGUS polyneuropathy; Acta Neurologica Scandinavica,1998; 97: 194-200 Click for abstract
 
9) Simovic D, Weinberg DH, Allam G, Hayes MT: A quantitative clinical scale for the carpal tunnel syndrome; Neurology, 1998; 50 (4): A302; Presented at the 50th Annual Meeting, American Academy of Neurology, Minneapolis, MN; April 1998
 
10) Weinberg DH, Simovic D, Isner JM: Chronic ischemic monomelic neuropathy; Neurology, 1998;  50 (4): A207-208; Presented at the 50th Annual Meeting, American Academy of Neurology, Minneapolis, MN; April 1998
 
11) Weinberg DH, Simovic D: Prospective study of the median nerve terminal latency index in carpal tunnel syndrome; Muscle and Nerve, 1998; 21 (11):1582; Presented at  the 45th Annual Meeting, American Association of Electrodiagnostic Medicine, Orlando, FL; September 1998
 
12) Schratzberg P, Simovic D, Weinberg DH: Chronic ischemic neuropathy in peripheral arterial occlusive disease; Circulation, 1998; 98 (17) Supplement: I 268; Presented at the 71st Scientific Session, American Heart Association, Dallas, TX; November 1998
 
13) Simovic D, Weinberg DH: The median nerve terminal latency index in diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome: a clinically based case selection study; Muscle and Nerve, 1999; 22:573-577 Click for abstract
 
14) Simovic D, Ropper AH, Weinberg DH: Improvement in ischemic limb neuropathy after vascular endothelial growth factor gene therapy; Annals of Neurology, 1999; 46 (3): 463; Presented at the 124th Annual Meeting, American Neurological Association; Seattle, WA; October 1999
 
15) Simovic D, Ropper AH, Isner JM, Weinberg DH: Improvement in ischemic limb neuropathy after VEGF gene transfer; Circulation, 1999; Supplement I, 100 (18): I-770; Presented at the 72nd Scientific Session, American Heart Association; Atlanta, GA; November 1999
 
16) Simovic D, Weinberg DH: Carpal tunnel syndrome; Archives of Neurology, 2000; 57:754-755 Click for abstract
 
17) Simovic D, Isner JM, Ropper AH, Pieczek A, Weinberg DH: Improvement in chronic ischemic neuropathy following intramuscular phVEGF165 gene transfer in patients with critical limb ischemia; Archives of Neurology, 2001; 58 (5):761-768 Click for abstract
 
18) Weinberg DH, Simovic D, Isner JM, Ropper AH: Chronic ischemic monomelic neuropathy from critical limb ischemia; Neurology, 2001; 57(6): 1008-1012 Click for abstract
 
19) Simovic D: Autoimmune neuropathies and treatment with intravenous immunoglobulins; Therapy, 2005, 2 (5),797-805 Click for abstract
 
20) Ropper AH, Gorson CK, Gooch CL, Weinberg DH, Pieczek A, Ware JH, Kershen J, Simovic D, Schratzberger P, Kirchmair R, Losordo D: VEGF Gene Transfer for Diabetic Polyneuropathy: A Randomized Double Blinded Trial; Ann Neurol. 2009 Apr;65(4):386-93
Click for abstract
 
RESEARCH PROJECTS:
  • A prospective neurological and electrodiagnostic study of patients undergoing gene therapy for critical peripheral vascular disease
  • Clinical and neurophysiological evaluation of patients undergoing revascularization of the lower extremities: A prospective study
  • Repetitive stimulation test of the phrenic nerve using a diaphragmatic wire recording electrode: A new diagnostic technique
  • Development of an animal model for the ischemic monomelic polyneuropathy and evaluation of the effect of VEGF (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor) on peripheral nerve regeneration in laboratory animals
  • A prospective clinical and neurophysiological evaluation of patients with ischemic polyneuropathy