pALS Advisory Committee

I graduated from the University of Miami Law School in 1982 and practiced civil litigation. My journey with ALS began in the spring of 2020 with weakness in my legs, and I was formally diagnosed in February 2021. 

Since then, I have been immersed in following the promising therapeutic interventions led by brilliant and dedicated researchers and remain optimistic that better days are ahead. I promise to bring my attention for details and analytical skills to the new Everything ALS “pALS Advisory Committee” for the benefit of our community. 

Dr. Robinson is originally from Canada and studied Medicine at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Dr Robinson went on the specialize in Adult as well was Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. After doing a fellowship in Psychosomatic Medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University, Michael returned to Kingston, Ontario where he started clinical and research practice as an Associate Professor at Queen’s University. In 2004, Dr. Robinson moved to the US to join the Pharmaceutical Industry at Eli Lilly and Company as a Clinical Research Physician. Dr Robinson transitioned into leadership roles and led the Clinical Drug Development teams in Psychiatry and Pain at Lilly. Dr Robinson moved to Abbive in 2013, where he held roles of Vice President for Global Therapeutic Areas, and later VP, Head of US and Puerto Rico Medical Affairs leading a team of roughly 400 people. During his career in the pharmaceutical industry he has developed and launched many drugs across a range of therapeutic areas. He has published 28 papers, 2 books chapters and has given numerous presentations around the world.

Dr Robinson was diagnosed with ALS in December 2015, and later retired from work in April 2016. Since diagnosis, Michael has engaged in ALS advocacy with several ALS organizations and sits on several clinical trial patient advisory committees. Most recently, Dr Robinson is a new panel member for the Department of Defense Congressionally Directed Medical Research for ALS. He has a keen interest in advocacy in clinical trial design, ALS outcomes, and the brain communication interface.

My name is John Harrison. I I was born in Miami, Florida, in 1950.  Since this is an ALS-centric forum, I’ll start there: I was given my “sporadic“ (non-genetic.) ALS diagnosis in August, 2018, by Dr. Khema R. Sharma at University of Miami.  This followed nearly 2 years of “eliminate everything else“;  -  every conceivable  form of stab, stick, prick, infuse, scan, MRI,  more shocks and indignities than one can imagine, almost.  Others on our journey can attest.

 

Anyway,  during my continuing slow decline in the year following my diagnosis, I met Everything ALS.  I was impressed with their energy, technical focus, and positive attitude.  I welcome this opportunity to work with Dina, Michael, Indu, Meera and others.  Together, we hope to bring various ALS PATIENTS’ perspectives into the amazing “Care Provider/Solution Finder” mix which Everything ALS has become.   My thanks to all of you for all you do.  None of us is as smart as all of us.

Dr. Hira Ahluwalia is married to the love of his life; Maggie,  and they have two sons Arjan and Kieran. Hira lives in New Jersey, USA but is very international. Born in Malawi Africa, spent his informative years in the United Kingdom, and professional career as a materials and corrosion engineer in the USA.

Hira is living with ALS. The first symptoms of ALS were in March 2014. He has a tracheostomy and therefore has to use an eye gaze computer for all his communication. Hira is the author of the book, Keep on Ticking, One Man's Approach to Chronic Progressive Disease. Hira wrote the manuscript by typing using his eyes.