Laura Joan Balcer, M.D., M.S.C.E.
Adjunct Professor of Neurology
Department: Neurology
Contact information
NYU Langone Medical Center
240 E. 38th Street, 20th Floor ACC
New York, NY 10016
240 E. 38th Street, 20th Floor ACC
New York, NY 10016
Office: 646-501-7681
Fax: 212-263-7721
Fax: 212-263-7721
Email:
laura.balcer@nyumc.org
laura.balcer@nyumc.org
Education
Diploma
Dulaney High School, 1983.
B.S. (Biology)
College of William and Mary, 1987.
M.D. (Medicine)
The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 1991.
M.S.C.E. (Clinical Epidemiology)
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, 2000.
Diploma
Dulaney High School, 1983.
B.S. (Biology)
College of William and Mary, 1987.
M.D. (Medicine)
The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 1991.
M.S.C.E. (Clinical Epidemiology)
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, 2000.
Post-Graduate Training
Intern in Medicine, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, 1991-1992.
Resident in Neurology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, 1992-1995.
Fellowship, Neuro-Ophthalmology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Scheie Eye Institute, Philadelphia, 1995-1996.
Intern in Medicine, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, 1991-1992.
Resident in Neurology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, 1992-1995.
Fellowship, Neuro-Ophthalmology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Scheie Eye Institute, Philadelphia, 1995-1996.
Certifications
American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology Certificate #42767, 2006.
Permanent linkAmerican Board of Psychiatry and Neurology Certificate #42767, 2006.
Description of Research Expertise
Dr. Balcer’s primary research focus is on the identification and development of clinical visual outcome measures for multiple sclerosis (MS) trials. Dr. Balcer’s group, funded jointly by the National Eye Institute and the National MS Society, focuses on determining which clinical tests best identify visual dysfunction in patients with MS. These studies have also examined the relation of visual function to neurologic impairment, magnetic resonance imaging abnormalities, and health-related quality of life. Data from these and other investigations at U. Penn have led to the inclusion of low-contrast letter acuity as a secondary outcome measure in 2 international MS treatment trials. A new ocular imaging technique, optical coherence tomography (OCT), has been used to examine retinal nerve fiber layer and macular thickness as biologic markers of neuronal and axonal loss in patients with MS.Description of Clinical Expertise
Neuro-Ophthalmology; Neuro-Ophthalmologic features of multiple sclerosis (MS)Selected Publications
Ventura RE, Galetta SL, Balcer LJ: The neuro-ophthalmology of head trauma. Lancet Neurol 13: 1006-1013, 2014.Balcer LJ, Galetta SL: OCT and NMO: are there methods to our madness? J Neuro-Ophthalmol 33: 209-12, 2013.
Ontaneda D, LaRocca N, Coetzee T, Rudick R: NMSS MSFC Task Force. Revisiting the multiple sclerosis functional composite: proceedings from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society(NMSS) Task Force on Clinical Disability Measures. Mult Scler 18: 1074-80, 2012.
Seigo M.A., Sotirchos E.S., Newsome S., Babiarz A., Eckstein C., Ford E., Oakley J.D., Syc S.B., Frohman T.C., Ratchford J.N., Balcer L.J., Frohman E.M., Calabresi P.A., Saidha S.: In vivo assessment of retinal neuronal layers in multiple sclerosis with manual and automated optical coherence tomography segmentation techniques. Journal of Neurology 2012.
Levin M.H., Ney J.J., Venneti S., Moster M.L., Balcer L.J., Volpe N.J., Gausas R.E., Liu G.T., Vagefi M.R., Galetta S.L.: Optic nerve biopsy in the management of progressive optic neuropathy. Journal of Neuro-Ophthalmology 2012.
Keltner J.L., Cello K.E., Balcer L.J., Calabresi P.A., Markowitz C.E., Werner J.S.: Stratus OCT quality control in two multi-centre multiple sclerosis clinical trials. Neuro-Ophthalmology 2012.