Miya R. Asato, MD Program Director - Child Neurology

Although I completed my medical education in 1995, my background in using an interdisciplinary approach to patient care dates back to my initial training as an occupational therapist working in rehabilitation settings. As a pediatric neurologist, I am primarily focused on the impact of neurological diseases on development throughout the lifespan and particularly on the effects of childhood epilepsy on cognition and behavior.   

My clinical practice at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC is in the Division of Child Neurology (http://www.chp.edu/find-a-doctor/service-providers/miya-asato-4359) and in the Child Development Unit. My current research focus includes co-management of epilepsy and other complex diseases with primary care and developing clinically accessible tools to assess children for cognitive and behavioral comorbidities, which commonly occur before and during active epilepsy. My post doctoral training and other research has focused on using neuroscience and neuroimaging methods to characterize executive function in typical development and in epilepsy, funded by NIH.  

My advocacy work is also epilepsy focused and I am a medical advisor to several regional and national organizations. I am committed to medical education and professional leadership development. I am Program Director for one of eight residency programs nationally for Neurodevelopmental Disabilities and Associate Program Director for the Child Neurology Residency Program at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC. Important values that I bring to my clinical, community, and leadership roles include a focus on interdisciplinary collaboration, building leadership capacity, and advocating for family and youth-centered care.