Michael W Lawlor, MD, PhD

Anatomic Pathology, Neuropathology
Children’s Wisconsin since 2011
  • Professor, Medical College of Wisconsin

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Dr. Lawlor received his medical degree and doctorate from Loyola University School of Medicine in Maywood, Illinois (2004). Since completing his postdoctoral research training at Boston Children's Hospital in Massachusetts in 2008, Dr. Lawlor has established clinical and research neuromuscular pathology laboratories at the Medical College of Wisconsin with a focus on the diagnosis and treatment of pediatric muscle disease. His research interests include pathological analyses for preclinical trials in animal models of X-linked myotubular myopathy, nemaline myopathy, Duchenne muscular dystrophy,  and a variety of other skeletal muscle and cardiac disorders. Dr. Lawlor is currently working with multiple industry partners in support of their gene therapy programs for genetic disorders involving skeletal muscle, heart, liver, lung, and other organ systems.  He is a board-certified anatomic pathologist and neuropathologist, and has directed two clinical laboratories that perform diagnostic services for skeletal muscle and nerve biopsies.  Dr. Lawlor has authored 6 book chapters and over 100 publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals.  In the summer of 2022, Dr. Lawlor spun out his academic research laboratory to establish a new commercial research laboratory outside of MCW that is called Diverge Translational Science Laboratory, which is focused on continuing their work in supporting the translation of promising therapies from the preclinical through the clinical trial stages.

Certifications

  • Anatomic Pathology, Neuropathology

Areas of Interest

  • Pathology
  • Congenital muscle disease
  • Neuromuscular disease
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Education and Awards

Education

  • 2004, Loyola Univ of Chicago-Stritch School of Med, MHS

Residencies

  • 2008, Massachusetts General Hospital - Anatomic/Clinical pathology

Fellowships

  • 2008, Massachusetts General Hospital - Neuropathology

Awards

  • 1996: Phi Beta Kappa
  • 2001-2002: Schmitt Dissertation Fellowship, Loyola University Chicago
  • 2008: Awarded a travel award for the 2008 meeting of the World Muscle Society. This award was declined because the meeting was on the same day as the neuropathology Board Exam.
  • July 2010-2015: Awarded a K08 Mentored Clinical Scientist Development Award from the NIAMS for a project entitled “Mechanisms and efficacy of myostatin inhibition in myotubular myopathy.” Mentor: Alan H. Beggs, Ph.D.
  • 2011: Awarded a travel award for the 2011 meeting of the American Association of Neuropathologists
  • 2012: Awarded the Weil Award for the Best Paper in Experimental Neuropathology at the 2012 American Association of Neuropathologists meeting for the presentation entitled “Ultrastructural pathology and functional deficits can be reversed following enzyme-replacement in myotubularin-deficient mice”
  • 2012: Awarded the Best Basic Science Junior Faculty Poster at the Medical College of Wisconsin Research Day for the poster entitled “Ultrastructural pathology and functional deficits can be reversed following enzyme-replacement in myotubularin-deficient mice”
  • 2012: Placed on M Magazine’s 2013 Top-Rated Doctors list, which lists the top 10% rated doctors in the metropolitan Milwaukee area

Research and publications

Publications