Projects per year
Personal profile
Research interests
Dr. Zachary Simmons' primary research focus is on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, Lou Gehrig's disease). He has published extensively on quality of life in ALS and was the co-developer of the ALS Specific Quality of Life Instrument. Related to this, he has published on ethics of care and end-of-life issues.
Telemedicine, including both synchronous videoconferencing and asynchronous remote monitoring initiatives, are being pursued in collaboration with colleagues in engineering and in speech and communications. These include initiatives in home pulmonary function testing, monitoring of gait and falls and monitoring of speech and swallowing.
Cognitive and behavioral dysfunction in ALS are other active areas of Dr. Simmons' research, including the use of an instrument to measure apathy and the study of a mindfulness program to improve quality of life and to decrease anxiety and depression.
Dr. Simmons is also actively involved in ALS clinical trials, and has served as the site principal investigator for many studies during the past two decades.
Clinical interests
Dr. Zachary Simmons' primary clinical interests are in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, Lou Gehrig's disease) and other motor neuron disorders.
The multidisciplinary ALS clinic at Penn State Health that he founded nearly 30 years ago, and currently directs, is an ALS Association Certified Treatment Center of Excellence, where more than 200 patients with ALS and other motor neuron disorders receive regular care from a highly trained group of physicians, nurses and other health care professionals.
In the clinic, Dr. Simmons evaluates newly-referred patients for possible ALS and sees them for follow-up care. Patients with related disorders such as primary lateral sclerosis, progressive muscular atrophy, progressive bulbar palsy and hereditary spastic paraplegia are also seen regularly.
Dr. Simmons continues to provide ongoing care for patients with a variety of other neuromuscular disorders and to perform electrodiagnostic studies (nerve conduction studies and electromyography, or EMG).
Professional information
Board-certified in neurology, American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, 1989
Board-certified in electrodiagnostic medicine, American Board of Electrodiagnostic Medicine, 1989
Dr. Zachary Simmons also holds a joint appointment in the Department of Humanities, Penn State College of Medicine.
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Education/Academic qualification
EMG and Neuromuscular Diseases, Fellowship, University of Michigan Medical Center
1990 → 1992
Neurology, Residency, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics
1983 → 1986
Medicine, Residency, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics
1982 → 1983
MD, University of Florida College of Medicine
… → 1982
BA, Dartmouth College
… → 1978
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Projects
- 3 Finished
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EARLY TREATMENT OF ALS W NUTRITION &NON-INVASIVE POSITIVE PRESSURE VENTILATION
Ehmann, C. & Simmons, Z.
National Center for Research Resources
4/1/07 → 3/31/10
Project: Research project
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A MULTICENTER STUDY FOR THE VALIDATION OF ALS BIOMARKERS
National Center for Research Resources
4/1/07 → 3/31/10
Project: Research project
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COURAGE-ALS: a randomized, double-blind phase 3 study designed to improve participant experience and increase the probability of success
Shefner, J. M., Al-Chalabi, A., Andrews, J. A., Chio, A., De Carvalho, M., Cockroft, B. M., Corcia, P., Couratier, P., Cudkowicz, M. E., Genge, A., Hardiman, O., Heiman-Patterson, T., Henderson, R. D., Ingre, C., Jackson, C. E., Johnston, W., Lechtzin, N., Ludolph, A., Maragakis, N. J., Miller, T. M., & 12 others , 2023, In: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Degeneration. 24, 5-6, p. 523-534 12 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access -
Genome-wide structural variant analysis identifies risk loci for non-Alzheimer's dementias
PROSPECT Consortium, The American Genome Center, International LBD Genomics Consortium & International ALS/FTD Consortium, Jun 14 2023, In: Cell Genomics. 3, 6, 100316.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access1 Scopus citations -
Hopes and concerns regarding the implementation of expanded access protocols in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Lee, I. & Simmons, Z., Jun 2023, In: Muscle and Nerve. 67, 6, p. 433-435 3 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Editorial › peer-review
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Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: outcomes of a dedicated anesthesia and surgery protocol
Morrell, D. J., Chau, M. H., Winder, J. S., Stredny, E. S., Alli, V. V., Sinz, E. H., Hazard, S. W., Simmons, Z. & Pauli, E. M., Jun 2023, In: Surgical endoscopy. 37, 6, p. 4338-4344 7 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Primary lateral sclerosis natural history study–planning, designing, and early enrollment
The PLS Natural History Study Group., 2023, In: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Degeneration. 24, 5-6, p. 394-404 11 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Prizes
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Dean's Award for Excellence in Teaching
Aber, Robert (Recipient), Anderson, Alyssa (Recipient), Aynardi, Michael (Recipient), Browning, Kirsteen (Recipient), Chen, Michael (Recipient), Chu, David C. (Recipient), Cios, Theodore (Recipient), Cruz, Amy (Recipient), Cruz, Jeffrey (Recipient), Dalal, Priti (Recipient), Dambro, Anthony (Recipient), Disori, Kristin (Recipient), Dodge, Daleela (Recipient), Duda, Laura (Recipient), Evey, Loren (Recipient), Fotos, Joseph (Recipient), Fredrick, N. Benjamin (Recipient), Freeman, Michael (Recipient), Gordin, Vitaly (Recipient), Graziane, Julie (Recipient), Hempel, Eliana (Recipient), Hennrikus, Eileen (Recipient), Horwitz, Alexandra (Recipient), Izer, Jenelle (Recipient), Jhaveri, Punit (Recipient), Kalantari, Annahieta (Recipient), Karpa, Kelly (Recipient), Kaur, Gurwant (Recipient), Keil, Ralph (Recipient), Khalid, M. Fahad (Recipient), Kimball, Scot (Recipient), Knoedler, John (Recipient), LaClair, Michelle (Recipient), Lam, Charlene (Recipient), LaRegina, Carol (Recipient), Lighthall, Jessyka (Recipient), Mailman, Richard (Recipient), McCormick, Jennifer (Recipient), McGinn, Johnathan (Recipient), McShane, Michael (Recipient), Millard, Roberta (Recipient), Myers, Abigail (Recipient), Nasir, Munima (Recipient), Oh, John (Recipient), Pathare, Aum (Recipient), Peterson, Brandon (Recipient), Potochny, John (Recipient), Roberts, S. Michael (Recipient), Romanoski, Natasha (Recipient), Ross, Stephen (Recipient), Rudnitsky, Gail (Recipient), Schade, Meredith (Recipient), Simmons, Zachary (Recipient), Smink, Gayle (Recipient), Stella, Salvatore (Recipient), Stephens, Mark (Recipient), Surapaneni, Sowmya (Recipient), Verbeek, Thomas (Recipient), Waning, David (Recipient), Williams, Emmanuelle (Recipient), Williams, Duane (Recipient), Wilson, Mary Ellen (Recipient), Zaorsky, Nicholas (Recipient) & Lutzkanin, Andrew (Recipient), 2020
Prize