Richard J. Barohn, M.D., is Vice Chancellor for Research at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City.  He is also the Gertrude and Dewey Ziegler Professor of Neurology, and University Distinguished Professor, and the President of the Research Institute.

In 2001, Dr. Barohn became the Chair of the Neurology Department at the University of Kansas Medical Center. He developed a large neuromuscular program which, at any one time, is involved in approximately 100 clinical trials and has become a magnet for patients from throughout the country and indeed the world with patients coming as far as New Zealand. The neurology department grew from five to 50 faculty under his leadership. He stepped down as Chair in July 2017 after he had been made Vice Chancellor for Research for the entire medical center.  

He was the PI on three completed multicenter R01 grants: 1) mexiletine in non-dystrophic myotonia; methotrexate in MG; 3) rasagiline in ALS, and he leads two other multicenter R01 grants, memantine for ALS and arimoclomol for IBM. He was PI on a recently completed PCORI comparative effectiveness study for drugs in painful neuropathy. He has authored more than 300 articles, has mentored over 300 neurology residents and fellows, and continues to see patients in the neurology clinic. In 2012 he received the University of Kansas Chancellor’s Club Research Award, and in 2014 he became a KU University Distinguished Professor. He is a member of the Association of American Physicians (AAP).  As Director of Frontiers: University of Kansas Clinical and Translational Science Institute, he also works to accelerate clinical and translational research at the University of Kansas Medical Center, in the region, and nationally. In his role as Vice Chancellor for Research and President of the Research Institute, he is the chief administrator for all KUMC research, and controls over 140 million dollars annually of research funds.