Dr. Appel is The Peggy and Gary Edwards Distinguished Endowed Chair for the Treatment and Research of ALS, Department of Neurology, Neurological Institute, The Methodist Hospital as well as a Professor of Neurology at Weill Medical College of Cornell University and a Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Physiology at Baylor College of Medicine. He was previously Chair of the Department of Neurology at Baylor College of Medicine as well as Chief of Neurology and the James B. Duke Professor of Medicine at Duke University Medical Center. Dr. Appel is a native of Massachusetts and received his Bachelor's Degree at Harvard University and his Medical Degree from Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons. He is the Director of the MDA/ALS Research and Clinical Center at the Methodist Neurological Institute, and past Director of the National Institute of Aging Alzheimer's Disease Research Center. He has received a number of awards for his accomplishments in Neurology and Biochemistry, including the Gold Medal Award in 1997 from Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons; the Sheila Essey Award in 2003 from the American Academy of Neurology, and has been elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2003, was awarded the Baylor College of MedicineAlumni Associations & Distinguished Faculty Award" in 2004, the MDA&Wings Over Wall Street Diamond Award in 2004, the Texas Neurological Society Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005, and the Forbes Norris Award for & compassion and love for humanity in research and treatment in patients with ALS& from the International Alliance of ALS/MND Associations in 2005.