Steven Vernino, M.D., Ph.D.

Joined UT Southwestern: 2004

Steven Vernino, M.D., Ph.D., is a Distinguished Teaching Professor and Vice Chair for Education and Faculty Affairs in the Department of Neurology at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

Clinical Interests: Dr. Vernino specializes in evaluating, diagnosing, and treating autoimmune neurological disorders, autonomic disorders, and neuromuscular disorders.  He is board certified in neurology, neuromuscular medicine, and autonomic disorders.  He is the founding Director of the multidisciplinary Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) Clinic, (which is designated as a Clinical Center of Excellence by the MSA Coaltion), and the Autonomic Disorders Clinic and Laboratory.  He has specific clinical interests in multiple system atrophy, pure autonomic failure, autoimmune autonomic disorders, postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS), myasthenia gravis, paraneoplastic neurological disorders and autoimmune encephalitis. 

Research:  Dr. Vernino has helped define the relationship between autoimmune disorders and disorders of the autonomic nervous system and identified the antibodies to ganglionic acetylcholine receptors as the cause of autoimmune autonomic ganglionopathy, a rare autonomic nervous system disorder. He has also characterized several neurological antibodies related to paraneoplastic disorders.  He has published more than 120 peer-reviewed articles and dozens of book chapters and reviews.

Trainee Education:  Dr. Vernino is active in teaching medical students, residents and fellows.  He served as neurology residency program director at UT Southwestern for 11 years.  He is director of the Autonomic Disorders Fellowship Program which is accredited by the UCNS.

Affiliations & Awards:
Among his many professional activities, Dr. Vernino serves on the Board of Directors of the American Autonomic Society and served as the president of AAS from 2020-2022.  He also serves on the medical advisory boards of the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America, Multiple System Atrophy Coalition, and Dysautonomia International. Dr. Vernino has been named as a Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology, the American Neurological Association and the American Autonomic Society.  

He has received numerous awards for his work as a clinician, researcher, and teacher, including the 1998 American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Founders Award, the 2013 AAN Program Director Recognition Award, and the 2018 University of Texas Regents Outstanding Teacher Award. He was inducted into the Southwestern Academy of Teachers in 2015.