Colin Franz MD, PhD
Board Certifications: Neuromuscular Medicine, Electrodiagnostic Medicine, and Physiatry
Telephone Number
312-238-1000My Lab
Regenerative Neurorehabilitation Laboratory
This lab uses a combination of molecular, biochemical, and electrophysiological assays to study axon regeneration and motor neuron disease with a priority on human preclinical models such as iPSC-neurons.
view labAbout Me
About Me
Dr. Colin Franz is a physician-scientist with fellowship training and board certifications in neuromuscular medicine, electrodiagnostic medicine, and physical medicine and rehabilitation. He serves as the director of the electrodiagnostic laboratory at the Shirley Ryan 吃瓜天堂91 hospital, as well as a staff physician in the Lois Insolia ALS clinic at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Dr. Franz has a strong interest in complex peripheral nerve injuries, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, diaphragm muscle dysfunction, neuromuscular ultrasound, and activity-based treatments for neural restoration. His laboratory team takes a highly technology-oriented approach to personalize rehabilitation medicine, drawing inspiration from the patients under their care. The current studies in Dr. Franz's research encompass a wide range of topics, including transient (resorbable) implanted devices for delivering therapeutics directly to regenerating axons, as well as the generation of human neurons from patient-derived pluripotent stem cells to isolate and understand how individual genetic differences impact neurotrauma outcomes and regenerative capacity. Dr. Franz's research receives support from esteemed organizations such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH), American Neuromuscular Foundation, National Science Foundation (NSF), and the Belle Carnell Regenerative Neurorehabilitation fund.
Location
Shirley Ryan 吃瓜天堂91
355 East Erie
Chicago, IL 60611
Education & Training
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Education
1998 – 2002
Dalhousie University, BS (Honours) in Kinesiology
2002 – 2007
Dalhousie University, PhD in Anatomy and Neuroscience
2009 – 2012
University of Calgary, MD
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Residency
2012 – 2017
Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago and McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University
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Fellowship
2017 – 2018
Neuromuscular Medicine, The Ken & Ruth Davee Department of Neurology and McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University
Honors & Awards
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Foundation for PM&R - Richard S. Materson ERF New Investigator Research Award"Neurotrauma in a Dish" - An induced pluripotent stem cell-based assay to determine patient specific factors affecting rehabilitation outcomes, 2018
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Helen Cooper Resident, Rehabilitation Institute of ChicagoRecognition of the physical medicine and rehabilitation resident who made the greatest contribution to teaching., 2016
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Lydia Sikora Memorial Award, University of CalgaryRecognition of the medical student who made the most outstanding contribution to research., 2011
Affiliations
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Society for NeuroscienceMember, 2003
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Peripheral Nerve SocietyMember, 2011
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American Academy of Physical Medicine and RehabilitationMember, 2012
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American Association of Neuromuscular & Electrodiagnostic MedicineMember and Research Committee, 2017