Restless Legs Syndrome Foundation Blog

August 9, 2019

Welcome Denise Sharon, MD, PhD, FAASM and J. Andrew Berkowitz, MD to the Scientific and Medical Advisory Board.

Denise Sharon, MD, PhD, FAASM

Dr. Sharon graduated in 1981 from the Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University in Israel. After completing her Residency in Psychiatry, she continued her studies in Clinical Psychology at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1991, Dr. Sharon gave her dissertation on the “Use of ECT in depressed elderly,” and received Certification in Psychology by the American Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards in 1992.

Following her extensive education in Psychiatric Medicine and Clinical Psychology, Dr. Sharon began her training in Sleep Medicine through the Department of Psychiatry and Health Behavior MCG/VAMC in Augusta, GA from 1993-1995. She trained with the Sleep Medicine Associates of Texas in Dallas, Texas; worked as an Independent Contractor for Sleep Consultants, Inc. in Fort Worth, Texas; and worked as a Sleep Specialist for Sleep Medicine Associates of Texas in Dallas, Texas after becoming certified on Sleep Disorders by the American Board of Sleep Medicine in 1997 and receiving her credentials as a Fellow of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

Next, Dr. Sharon took her expertise to Louisiana where she worked as a Sleep Specialist for Tulane Hospital and Clinics (1999-2005) and Premier Sleep Medicine Center (2003-2006), while being appointed as a Sleep Medicine Fellowship Program Co-Director for Tulane School of Medicine in New Orleans, Louisiana in 2002. Meanwhile, she held a role as the Clinical Director of the Advanced Sleep Center in Metairie, Louisiana from 2005-2018.

Throughout her education, training and work, Dr. Sharon has amassed research experience including, but not limited to, work as a Research Associate/Quantitative Electroencephalographer in the Laboratory of Psychoelectrophysiology, Department of Psychiatry and Health Behavior through MCG. Her research has been published in numerous journals, as well as industry supported pieces on Restless Legs Syndrome for Pfizer, Xenoport, Luitpold, and more.

Dr. Sharon’s contributions to Sleep Medicine do not stop there. She has been involved in multiple committees for the American Association of Sleep Medicine (AASM), such as the Center Accreditation, Fellowship Accreditation, Nosology Committees and Movement Disorders Section (vice-chair). She is a member of the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study group. and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine Task Force on the update of the treatment of RLS and PLMD; just another way in which she is helping those with RLS.

Today, Dr. Sharon works as an independent consultant out of the Sleep Disorders Adult and Children Center of the Pomona Valley Medical Center in Claremont, CA. Needless to say, with her impressive background and endless efforts to further the understanding of RLS in the field of Sleep Medicine, we are excited to welcome Dr. Sharon to the Scientific and Medical Advisory Board.

J. Andrew (Andy) Berkowitz, MD

Dr. Berkowski is an Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan and an expert in RLS. He cares for patients in the Sleep Disorders Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan; addressing a wide range of sleep disorders in adults.

Before receiving Board Certification in Sleep Medicine and Neurology, Dr. Berkowski earned his bachelor’s degree in religious studies at Stanford University. Next, he returned to his home state of Michigan to study medicine—graduating from Wayne State University School of Medicine in 2010. By 2014, he completed a transitional year internship at Henry Ford Hospital and neurology residency training at the Detroit Medical Center/Wayne State University. And in 2015, Dr. Berkowski completed his fellowship training in sleep medicine at the Stanford University Medical Center.

With a diverse background and clinical and research interests in RLS, we are thrilled to add Dr. Berkowski as a member of the Scientific and Medical Advisory Board.