Sabrina Paganoni, MD,PhD

Sabrina Paganoni, MD, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital in Boston, MA. 

Dr. Paganoni obtained her MD degree at the University of Milan in Italy and a PhD in Neuroscience at Northwestern University (Chicago, IL).  She completed her medical training in Boston (residency in PM&R at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital and 2 fellowships at Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Massachusetts General Hospital). She is Board-certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Neuromuscular Medicine, and Electrodiagnostic Medicine. 

Dr. Paganoni’s clinical and research activities relate to her subspecialty interests of neuromuscular medicine and clinical neurophysiology (EMG), with focus on Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Her research has been funded by the K12 Rehabilitation Medicine Scientist Training Program from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and by several foundations and industry sponsors.  

The goal of Dr. Paganoni’s research is to develop a treatment for ALS, a fatal Motor Neuron Disease for which there is no cure.  She is the Principal Investigator of 4 investigator-initiated ALS clinical trials and is using a variety of biomarkers to enhance the efficiency of ALS research. Specifically, she is using bio-fluid biomarkers and advanced neuroimaging techniques to measure the effect of various compounds targeting oxidative stress and microglia activation. In addition, she is co-PI and site PI of several other ALS trials and clinical research projects. Dr. Paganoni has developed a niche in Primary Lateral Sclerosis (PLS), a rare form of Motor Neuron Disease. She is conducting neuroimaging studies in this population, is leading an international PLS registry, and is site PI for the first therapeutic drug trial for PLS.

Dr. Paganoni is also passionate about promoting the role of physiatry within the Neuromuscular Medicine community. She has represented PM&R on national and international grant review panels and consensus meetings focusing on assistive technology and clinical care guidelines for people with neuromuscular disease. She is working in collaboration with several academic and industry-sponsored teams on the development of innovative assistive technology tools and care models that can improve quality of life and function in people with neuromuscular disorders. 

Dr Paganoni is an editorial board member for Muscle and Nerve and the American Journal of PM&R and serves as an ad hoc reviewer for several journals. She has published 45 peer-reviewed papers and 6 book chapters.

Dr. Paganoni holds 3 Board Certifications (Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Neuromuscular Medicine, and Electrodiagnostic Medicine)

Dr. Paganoni is a member of the Association of Academic Physiatrists (AAP), American Academy of Neurology (AAN), and American Association of Neuromuscular and Electrodiagnostic Medicine (AANEM).