Leslie Morse, DO, to Become New Head of the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine

As you can imagine, finding a successor for the inimitable Dennis Dykstra MD, PhD, has been a challenge, so we are particularly delighted to announce that Leslie Morse, DO, has accepted our offer to be our new head of the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine. She starts April 1.

Dr. Morse’ research and clinical focus is on spinal cord injury (SCI), where she is an expert in disuse osteoporosis. Recent clinical trials studied the impact of exoskeleton-assisted ambulation on bone health after spinal cord injury (research supported by the Department of Defense) and the mechanisms of rapid-onset, SCI-related osteoporosis. She also studies the neuroregenerative potential of dental pulp stem cells.

Dr. Morse comes from the University of Colorado, Denver, where she was the Medical Director of Research at Craig Hospital and Clinical Associate Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Prior to that, she completed her residency through the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School where she was Associate Director of Research, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, and Program Director, Spaulding-Harvard Spinal Cord Injury Model System.

I want to share my gratitude to Dr. Dykstra for his unwavering service to our Medical School. For nearly three decades, Dr. Dykstra has led the Department’s educational mission through dedication and thoughtful collaboration. On the clinical side, he has been a pioneer in the use of botulinum neurotoxins for management of bladder spasticity and migraine headaches. Dr. Dykstra’s rankings by his colleagues have earned him the Mpls. St. Paul Magazine’s “Top Doctor” award, consecutively since 2012. His leadership and dedication to the mission will have a lasting impact.

Please join me in thanks Dr. Dykstra and welcoming Dr. Morse and offering support to her as she gets established.