Michael Shevell

Neurology

Back to staff

I love working with children and their families because it’s the best job in the world–I get to be funny, help, and make a difference where it counts.

Hospital information

Attending Staff, Division of Pediatric Neurology, Department of Pediatrics

Academic appointments

Professor, Departments of Pediatrics & Neurology/Neurosurgery McGill University

Other appointments

Executive Board/International Child Neurology Society Program lead, Cerebral Palsy demonstration project, NeuroDevNet Networks of Centres of Excellence Director, Canadian Multi-Regional Cerebral Palsy Registry,  Co-Director Canadian Cerebral Palsy Registry, Executive Board-International Child Neurology Association

Awards and distinctions

  • Recipient of the 2014 Hower Award. Given to one pediatric neurologist each year by the Child Neurology Society, the award honours an outstanding teacher and scholar whose contributions to the specialty have been recognized at national and international levels.
  • 2014 Fellowship in the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences
  • 2014 Annual Hower Award of the Child Neurology Society for research, educational and leadership contributions to the specialty of pediatric neurology recognized at a national and international level
  • 2022 Pfizer Award for Research Excellence from the Montreal Children’s Hospital Foundation
  • 2022 Martha B Denckla Award of the Child Neurology Society for career contributions to our understanding of pediatric neurodevelopmental disabilities

Education

University

B.Sc., McGill University

Medical Degree

McGill University

Residency

Pediatrics, Montreal Children’s Hospital and Neurology, Montreal General Hospital, Montreal Neurological Institute, Montreal Children’s Hospital, McGill University

Fellowship(s)

Medical & Molecular Genetics (MRC Genetics Group)

Fun fact about me

I collect snowglobes.

Neurology

Research

Research interests

Neurodevelopmental disabilities affect 5-10% of the pediatric population. My research focuses on the evaluation, causes, care and consequences for this population with a particular interest on those children with cerebral palsy or global developmental delay/intellectual disability. I am also interested in the outcomes of newborns and infants at risk for these disorders and the identification of possible predictors for adverse outcomes.

Research foci

  • Rational evaluation and yield of diagnostic evaluation of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities with particular reference to novel technologies;
  • The causal profile of neurodevelopmental disabilities;
  • Varying phenotypes of neurodevelopmental disabilities and their determinants;
  • The identification of populations at risk for later neurodevelopmental disabilities and the identification of possible determinants of these outcomes;
  • The population-based profile of cerebral palsy within Canada.

Keywords

Developmental disabilities, cerebral palsy, intellectual disability, neonatal neurology, ethics

Selected publications

Van Karnebeek C, Shevell, MI, Zschocke, J, Moeschler J, and Stockler S. The Metabolic Evaluation of the Patient with an intellectual disorder: Diagnostic algorithm for identification of treatable causes and new digital resource.  Mol Genet Metab, 111: 428-438, 2014.

Moeschler J, Shevell MI. Comprehensive evaluation of the child with intellectual disability or global developmental delays.  Pediatrics, 134:e903-918, 2014.

Garfinkle J, Wintermark P, Shevell MI, Platt, RW, Oskoui M. Cerebral Palsy Following Neonatal Encephalopathy: How Much Is Preventable? J Pediatr, 167(1): 58-63, 2015

Oskoui M, Gazzellone MJ, Thiruvahindrapuram B, Zarrei M, Andersen J, Wei J, Wang Z, Wintle RF, Marshall CR, Cohn RD, Weksberg R, Stavropolous DJ, Fehlings D, Shevell MI, Scherer S.  Clinically Relevant Copy Number Variants Detected in Cerebral Palsy.  Nature Comm. 6: 7949. 2015

Oskoui M, Messerlian C, Blair A, Gamache P, Shevell MI.  Variation in cerebral palsy profile by socio-economic status.  Dev Med Child Neurol , 58: 160-166, 2016.