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The Maryland Center for Multiple Sclerosis

Physicians and Staff

Kenneth P. Johnson, M.D.

Kenneth P. Johnson, M.D.

Dr. Johnson is a Professor of Neurology and Director of the Maryland Center for Multiple Sclerosis. He specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of multiple sclerosis. He was Chairman of the Neurology department at the University of Maryland, School of Medicine from 1981-2001. During this time, Dr. Johnson founded the Maryland Center for MS in 1981. As director of the MS Center, he has been the principal investigator and sub-investigator on many clinical trials. Many of these trials were pivotal in the development of the injectable therapies for MS.

Dr. Johnson has recently completed his term as president of the Consortium of MS Centers and holds the position of immediate past president. He has won many awards throughout his career including the John J. Dystel Prize for Multiple Sclerosis Research, presented by National Multiple Sclerosis Society and American Academy of Neurology, 2000. He is also the founding Chairman of ACTRIMS (American Committee for Treatment and Research in MS) which meets yearly.

Dr. Johnson sees consult patients only at the Neurology Ambulatory Center on Monday afternoons. Appointments may be made to see him by calling the appointment desk at 410-328-5858.

Administrative Office Address: Patient Appointment Address:
Maryland Center for MS
11 South Paca St., 4th floor
Baltimore, MD 21201
Phone 410-328-5605
Fax 410-328-5425 		Neurology Ambulatory Center
16 South Eutaw Street, 3rd floor
Baltimore, MD 21201
Phone 410-328-5858
Fax 410-328-1149

Education and Training:
B.A. Upsala College, East Orange, East Orange, New Jersey
M.D. Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1959-1960

 Internship, Buffalo General Hospital
Buffalo, New York
1960-1961

Assistant Resident in Neurology, Buffalo General Hospital,
Buffalo, New York
1963-1965


 Post-doctoral Fellow in Neurology, Case Western Reserve, University School of Medicine, and Resident in Neurology,
University Hospitals of Cleveland, Ohio (Six months at Highland View Rehabilitation Hospital)
1965-1968
 Fellow in Neurology (Neurovirology), Case Western Reserve, University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio
 
Previous Appointments
1974-1981 Professor of Neurology and Pathology
University of California, San Francisco
 
Certifications
1968 Diplomate, American Board of Neurology and Psychiatry
 
Current Appointments
1981-present Professor, Department of Neurology, University of Maryland
1981-present

 Staff, Neurology Service, Veterans Administration
Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland (Chief 1981-83)
1987-present Medical Staff, Kernan Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland

Research Activities

Principal Investigator

  1. Campath versus Rebif in early MS, Ilex Pharmaceuticals
  2. Copaxone 20 mg vs. 40 mg, Teva Neuroscience
  3. Copaxone in Clinically Isolated Syndrome, Teva Neuroscience
  4. Long Term Safety of Copaxone in MS, Teva Neuroscience.
  5. Avonex in combination with Copaxone in MS, NIH funded, (Steering Committee)
  6. Betaseron or Rebif switching to Copaxone or continuing cerrent treatment, Teva Neuroscience
  7. Oral Chemokine Antagonist in MS, Merck
  8. Anti IL-12 in early MS, Centocor

Sub-Investigator

  1. Natalizumab (Antegren) in combination with Avonex, Biogen-Idec
  2. Natalizumab (Antegren) in combination with Copaxone, Biogen-Idec
  3. ABOVE, Berlex
  4. 4-AP as symptomatic management in MS, Acorda
  5. Rebif vs. Copaxone, Serono
  6. Long term safety of Avonex, Biogen
  7. Rituximab in MS, Genentech

Selected Publications (out of 162 publications)

  1. Johnson KP. Extended use of glatiramer acetate (Copaxone) for MS (Reply to Letter to Editor). Neurology 52:897-898, 1999.


  2. Jiang H, Bielekova B, Okazaki H, Biziere K, Johnson KP, Bergey G, Martin R, and Dhib-Jalbut S. The effect of vesnarinone on TNFΑ production in stimulated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells and microglia: A preclinical study for the treatment of multiple sclerosis. J Neuroimm 97:134-145, 1999.


  3. Zhao GJ, Koopmans RA, Li DKB, Bedell L, Paty DW, and the UBC MS/MRI Analysis Group and the MS Study Group. Effect of interferon Β-1b in MS: Assessment of annual accumulation of PD/T2 activity on MRI. Neurology; 54:200-206, 2000.


  4. Johnson KP. Therapy of Relapsing Forms. Burks JS, Johnson KP (eds), Demos Medical Publishing, Inc., New York. In Multiple Sclerosis: Diagnosis, Medical Management, and Rehabilitation, pp. 167-175, 2000.


  5. Johnson KP, Brooks, BR, Ford, CC, et al. Sustained clinical benefits of glatiramer acetate in relapsing multiple sclerosis patients observed for 6 years. Multiple Sclerosis: Clinical and Laboratory Research, 6:255-266, 2000.


  6. Johnson KP, Calabresi PA. Interferon-Β1b: Prophylactic Therapy in MS. Cook SD (ed), Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, pp. 503-518, 2001.


  7. Wolinsky JS, Narayana PA, Johnson KP et al. United States Open-Label Glatiramer Acetate Extension Trial for Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis: MRI and Clinical Correlates. Multiple Sclerosis: Clinical and Laboratory Research, 7:33-41, 2001


  8. Chen M, Gran B, Costello K, Johnson KP, Martin R, Dhib-Jalbut S. Glatiramer acetate induces a Th2-biased response and crossreactivity with myelin basic protein in patients with MS. Multiple Sclerosis: Clinical and Laboratory Research, 7:209-219, 2001.


  9. Chen M, Conway K, Johnson K, MartinR, Dhib-Jalbut S. Sustained immunological effects of glatiramer acetate in patients with multiple sclerosis treated fro over 6 years. J Neurol Sci 201(1-2):71, 2002.

This page was last updated on: August 28, 2007.

For more information about the Maryland Center for Multiple Sclerosis,
please call 410-328-5605.