Richard J. Nowak, MD

Dr. Richard J. Nowak is Associate Professor of Neurology at Yale University.  He is the founding Director of both the Program for Clinical & Translational Neuromuscular Research (CTNR) and the Yale Myasthenia Gravis (MG) Clinic. In this leadership capacity, he has successfully established and built a translational neuromuscular immunology program.  The MG Clinic is recognized both nationally and internationally. It is considered to be one of the largest in the United States, and widely known for clinical and research excellence. Since formation of the CTNR program, he has initiated over a dozen studies focused on immune-mediated neuromuscular conditions. Dr. Nowak was awarded a U01 grant in 2013 to conduct one of the first NIH-sponsored interventional clinical trial in MG and served as the national principal investigator for the Phase 2 Trial of Rituximab in Myasthenia Gravis (BeatMG Study), a multicenter, placebo-controlled, double blind trial. He has been integral in establishing the NIH-funded Rare Disease Network for Myasthenia Gravis (MGNet) with his collaborators in 2019 and serves as a project principal investigator and on the MGNet Executive Committee.  Additionally, he serves as global principal investigator for the Myasthenia Gravis Inebilizumab Trial (MINT), a phase 3 registrational trial.   Dr. Nowak is not only a skilled academic neurologist but also a seasoned, senior investigator as demonstrated by continuous NIH grant funding. He brings the perspective of an independent investigator focused on clinical trials, clinical trial design and development/application of targeted therapies in order to facilitate future patient-tailored treatment approaches.  Additionally, Dr. Nowak is elected to the Board of Directors for the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America, Inc (MGFA) and also serves as Chief Medical Advisor to the MGFA since 2022.  Dr. Nowak remains committed to advancing MG science and patient care.  He earned his BS degree from Loyola University Chicago, MS degree from Northwestern University, and MD degree from Drexel University College of Medicine.  He completed his internship (internal medicine), residency (neurology), and fellowship (neuromuscular medicine) training at Yale New Haven Hospital.