Dr. Fields completed his undergraduate training at Saint Johns University, in Collegeville Minnesota. Upon completion he matriculated into the MD/PhD program at the University of Wisconsin where he completed a PhD in molecular neurobiology with a focus on defining novel signaling pathways related to neural control of breathing. His PhD work resulted in several highly regarded manuscripts, 2 nationally competetive research fellowships, and a handful of distinguished awards.
Research Interest Summary
Continuous firing of the neural network controlling breathing is essential for life. In order to protect this critical function the breathing network has encoded an innate capacity to sense neural firing failures and then compensate by modifying neural ou
Research Interests
Dr. Fields' work is split between clinical and basic science efforts. In his clinical work he is a neurosurgery resident receiving advanced training in the surgical treatment of spine disorders. His research work utilizes animal models to understand discrete elements of neural motor control related to traumatic, ischemic and degenerative neural insults. He is currently working to develop an animal model of spinal cord stimulation for neurodegenerative disease. This project addresses the critical need for effective therapies to promote motor recovery in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and spinal muscular atrophy.