Michael Polydefkis

Michael James Polydefkis is an American neurologist. He is a professor of neurology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and co-director of the Cutaneous Nerve Laboratory. Polydefkis' research focuses on treating hATTR amyloidosis and diabetic and HIV-associated peripheral neuropathy.

Early life and education Polydefkis was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, to Greek immigrant Dimitri and Lee Carmichael Polydefkis. He attended Brown University for his Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry before accepting a Howard Hughes Medical Student Fellowship for three years. During his fellowship program, he worked in Robert F. Siliciano’s laboratory and studied pathways of antigen processing. After concluding his fellowship program, he enrolled at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine for his medical degree. Polydefkis's research also found that "epidermal innervation is affected early in diabetes and pre‐diabetes and that novel measures of regeneration can be used in peripheral neuropathy trials." As word arose of new approaches to treat this disease, Polydefkis and members of Johns Hopkins faculty aided in completing trials of the drug. In his lab, Polydefkis developed a protocol to test for amyloid using punch skin biopsies which yielded positive results. As a result of his research, Polydefkis received the 2019 Donlin M. Long Award, given to those who "have served the Johns Hopkins community in advancing the standards of pain care and embodied the institution’s dedication to alleviate suffering and pain associated with illness."

Personal life Polydefkis and his wife Kelly Gebo have two children together.