The Face Laughs While the Brain Cries: The Education of a Doctor

A doctor’s powerful and deeply human memoir about the mysteries of the brain and his 40-year quest to find a treatment for multiple sclerosis.

Stephen L. Hauser is an acclaimed physician and neuroimmunologist who has spent his career performing cutting-edge research on multiple sclerosis (MS), a devastating brain disease that affects millions of people worldwide. His work has revolutionized our understanding of the genetics, immunology and treatment of MS, and led to the development of B cell therapies--the most effective therapy for all forms of MS and the only therapy currently in place for progressive MS patients.

The Face Laughs While The Brain Cries is a riveting memoir that follows Dr. Hauser from his unorthodox upbringing among the colorful cast of characters responsible for his development into a tenacious and innovative researcher, to the life-changing medical breakthroughs he has made against extremely long odds. Along the way, readers will learn the incredible stories of many of his patients, whose bravery, strength, and optimism in the face of a debilitating illness were instrumental to the progress that has been made in the fight against MS. This heartwarming book, written in accessible prose and related with equal measures of humor, empathy, and excitement, is sure to inspire.

Dr. Stephen L. Hauser is a Distinguished Professor of Neurology at UC San Francisco, and Director of the Weill Institute for Neurosciences. A neuroimmunologist, his research has advanced our understanding of the genetic basis, immune mechanisms, and treatment of multiple sclerosis. His work has received numerous honors, such as the Jacob Javits Neuroscience Investigator Award, the John Dystel Prize, the Charcot Award, and the Taubman Prize for Excellence in Translational Medical Research.