Meet the provider: Robert Lisak, M.D.

Robert Lisak, M.D., Department of Neurology, joined Wayne Health back when his non-profit practice combined with other practices to join WSUPG, now known as Wayne Health. His special interests are in neuroimmunology, which includes multiple sclerosis, myelitis, myasthenia gravis, immune/inflammatory neuropathies, myositis, autoimmune encephalitis and neurologic manifestations of systemic immune mediated/inflammatory disease like SLE, Sjogren’s syndrome, RA, sarcoidosis and the various vasculitic diseases.

Dr. Lisak completed his undergraduate degree at University College of Arts and Sciences, New York University. He completed his medical school training at the College of Physicians & Surgeons of Columbia University. Both institutions have a long history of pursuit of excellence and encouraging critical thinking, which helped shape him as a provider. Dr. Lisak completed numerous fellowships, one being in London. He chose Wayne Health because it is the clinical practice affiliated with WSU/SOM and thus important part of the service, education and clinical/translational research missions. Dr. Lisak believes it is important to serve the communities immediately around you as well as a broader geographic community given that, at Wayne Health, we are not simply a local general neurologic practice and this broader community is critical for our educational and research missions as well as service.

Dr. Lisak tries to personalize evaluations and management based on the disease in his patients. He tries to provide the most effective and cutting-edge treatments, when appropriate, and balance personalized management with what the science tells them. His patients have taught him that care goes beyond only recognizing the issue, it also affects a patient’s personal life and their family’s lives.

Dr. Lisak has won numerous awards throughout his career. So far, the thing he is most proud of is having been able to balance clinical care, administrative duties, national and international leadership in scholarly and professional organizations, teaching and basic, translational and clinical research including clinical trials and helping to develop therapies for devastating neurologic diseases that did not exist when he entered medical school or even when he became a house officer or junior faculty member. There might not be cures now, but there are effective treatments for multiple sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, Guilain-Barre Syndrome and other neuroimmunologic diseases. Dr. Lisak feels fortunate to have contributed to many of these therapeutic advances.

When Dr. Lisak was younger he enjoyed playing tennis and traveling. Now he enjoys cooking (and wine), music, photography and, of course, spending time with his grandchildren.

To request an appointment with Dr. Lisak, visit our appointments page.