Richard J. Nowak, MD

Richard J. Nowak, MD, is an Associate Professor of Neurology at Yale University. Dr. Nowak 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, considered to be one of the largest in the US, is recognized both nationally and internationally and is widely known for clinical and research excellence. Since the formation of the CTNR program, Dr. Nowak has initiated more than a dozen studies focused on immune-mediated neuromuscular conditions. He was awarded a U01 grant in 2013 to conduct one of the first NIH-sponsored interventional clinical trials in MG and served as the national Principal Investigator for the phase 2 trial of rituximab in MG (BeatMG Study), a multicenter, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial. Dr. Nowak was integral in establishing the NIH-funded Rare Disease Network for Myasthenia Gravis (MGNet) with his collaborators in 2019, serves as a project Principal Investigator, and is on the MGNet Executive Committee.

Additionally, Dr. Nowak serves as global Principal Investigator for the Myasthenia Gravis Inebilizumab Trial (MINT), a phase 3 registrational trial. He is not only a skilled academic neurologist but also a seasoned senior investigator as demonstrated by his continuous NIH grant funding. Dr. Nowak brings the perspective of an independent investigator focused on clinical trials, clinical trial design, and the development/application of targeted therapies to facilitate future patient-tailored treatment approaches. He is elected to the Board of Directors of the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America, Inc (MGFA), and has also served 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 in Chicago, his MS degree from Northwestern University, and his MD from Drexel University College of Medicine. Dr. Nowak completed his internship (internal medicine), residency (neurology), and fellowship (neuromuscular medicine) training at Yale New Haven Hospital.