
Harry T. Whelan, MD
Professor
Location
- Neurosciences - Children's
- 9000 West Wisconsin Avenue
- Milwaukee, WI 53226
Specialties
- Neuro-Oncology
- Pediatric Neurology
- Hyperbaric Medicine
- Neurology
Children's Central Scheduling
Hyperbaric Medicine Unit-Physician Referral Only-All Ages
Harry T. Whelan, MD, believes in a translational patient care philosophy of bringing the latest research discoveries from his laboratory bench to the patient’s bedside.
Overview
Diseases and Conditions
- Brain Tumors
- Burn Injury
- Carbon Monoxide Poisoning and Smoke Inhalation
- Developmental Disorders of the Central Nervous System
- Epilepsy
- Headaches
- Spinal Infection
- Radiation Tissue Damage
- Brain Abscess
Treatments and Services
- Light Emitting Diode Therapy
- Hyperbaric Medicine
- Neuro-Oncology
- Photodynamic Therapy for Brain Tumors
Patients Ages Seen
- Infant
- Child
- Adolescent
- Adult
- Senior
Languages
- English
Hospital Affiliations
- Children's Wisconsin - Milwaukee – Milwaukee
- Froedtert Hospital – Milwaukee
Board Certifications
- Neurology
- Neurology with Special Qualifications in Child Neurology
- Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine
Clinic Locations
Neurosciences - Children's
- 9000 West Wisconsin Avenue
- Milwaukee, WI 53226
- (414) 266-3460
- Get Directions
Hyperbaric Medicine - Froedtert Hospital
- 900 N. 92nd St.
- Milwaukee, WI 53226
- (414) 805-5060
- Get Directions

Biography
Harry T. Whelan, MD, believes in a translational patient care philosophy of bringing the latest research discoveries from his laboratory bench to the patient’s bedside. Dr. Whelan is the Bleser Family Endowed Chair in Neurology, Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, Professor of Neurology (Pediatrics), director of the Hyperbaric Medicine Unit, and recipient of the Neuro-Oncology American Cancer Society Clinical Oncology Career Development Award from Vanderbilt University. He has been inducted into the NASA Space Technology Hall of Fame for his research into the use of near-infrared light for wound healing and the treatment of brain tumors and neurofibromatosis using photodynamic therapy. In a multiyear investigation approved by the Food and Drug Administration, Dr. Whelan studied the use of Near-infrared Light to promote healing of mucositis from chemotherapy and radiation used to treat cancer in children. Dr. Whelan found that diabetic skin ulcers and other wounds in mice healed much faster when exposed to the special LEDs in the lab. Near-infrared light stimulates improved energy metabolism in the mitochondria, leading to treatment for mitochondrial diseases which affect the brain, eye, heart and muscle. Dr. Whelan also is funded by the National Institutes of Health in a study of neurodegenerative disease, traumatic brain injury and other childhood traumas. He also conducted a pilot study supported in part by the Clinical Translational Science Institute of near-infrared light therapy for diabetic macular edema, a form of diabetic eye disease. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is funding his research in neurological ischemia, traumatic brain injury (TBI), reperfusion and stroke, which affects many children with congenital heart disease. Dr. Whelan presented this translational bench-to-bedside research to the United States Congress at the NASA Spin-off Day on Capitol Hill as an example of how space research is helping patients.
Dr. Whelan holds the rank of Captain and is a Diving Medical Officer in the U.S. Navy, a consultant to the Navy Experimental Diving Unit with clinical and research experience in Hyperbaric Medicine, wound care and combat casualty care. He has over 100 publications, including cancer, laser, LED and diving/hyperbaric studies.
Education and Training
Doctor of Medicine - University of Wisconsin Medical School - Madison, WI (1979)
Internship & Residency - University of Florida College of Medicine - Gainesville, FL (1979-1984)
Fellowship in Pediatric Neurology - University of Minnesota - Minneapolis, MN (1981-1984)
Career Development Award - Vanderbilt University, Neuro-Oncology, American Cancer Society Clinical Oncology - Nashville, TN (1987-1990)
Publications
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(Quirk B, Olasz E, Kumar S, Basel D, Whelan H.) Photobiomodul Photomed Laser Surg. 2021 Jan 20 PMID: 33470897 01/21/2021
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(Quirk BJ, Whelan HT.) Photobiomodul Photomed Laser Surg. 2020 Jul 21 PMID: 32716711 PMCID: PMC7495914 07/28/2020
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(Chen WL, Wagner J, Heugel N, Sugar J, Lee YW, Conant L, Malloy M, Heffernan J, Quirk B, Zinos A, Beardsley SA, Prost R, Whelan HT.) Front Neurosci. 2020;14:724 PMID: 32742257 PMCID: PMC7364176 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85088804143 08/04/2020
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(Wei-Liang Chen, Julie Wagner, Nicholas Heugel, Jeffrey Sugar, Yu-Wen Lee, Lisa Conant, Marsha Malloy, Joseph Heffernan, Brendan Quirk, Anthony Zinos, Scott A. Beardsley, Robert Prost, Harry T. Whelan.) Frontiers in Neuroscience. Front Neurosci. 2020; 14: 724. 07/09/2020
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Treatment of Cells and Tissues with Chromate Maximizes Mitochondrial 2Fe2S EPR Signals.
(Antholine WE, Vasquez-Vivar J, Quirk BJ, Whelan HT, Wu PK, Park JI, Myers CR.) Int J Mol Sci. 2019 Mar 06;20(5) PMID: 30845710 PMCID: PMC6429069 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85062628835 03/09/2019
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(Kadamati P, Sugar JJ, Quirk BJ, Mehrvar S, Chelimsky GG, Whelan HT, Chelimsky TC, Ranji M.) J Innov Opt Health Sci. 2018 Sep;11(6) PMID: 30197684 PMCID: PMC6124683 09/11/2018
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Is Photodynamic Therapy Resistance a Special Case of Photobiomodulation?
(Quirk BJ, Girotti AW, Whelan HT.) Photomed Laser Surg. 2018 08;36(8):397-398 PMID: 30089080 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85051276856 08/09/2018
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Mortality After Pediatric Arterial Ischemic Stroke.
(Beslow LA, Dowling MM, Hassanein SMA, Lynch JK, Zafeiriou D, Sun LR, Kopyta I, Titomanlio L, Kolk A, Chan A, Biller J, Grabowski EF, Abdalla AA, Mackay MT, deVeber G, International Pediatric Stroke Study Investigators.) Pediatrics. 2018 05;141(5) PMID: 29695585 SCOPUS ID: 2-s2.0-85046426400 04/27/2018
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Photodynamic Therapy in Melanoma - Where do we Stand?
(Baldea I, Giurgiu L, Teacoe ID, Olteanu DE, Olteanu FC, Clichici S, Filip GA.) Curr Med Chem. 2018;25(40):5540-5563 PMID: 29278205 12/27/2017
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(Annis H, Keval A, Whelan HT.) Hyperbaric Medicine Practice, 4th edition.. Whelan HT, Kindwall EP, editors. North Palm Beach, FL: Best Publishing Company, 2017. Pgs. 49-66 06/19/2017
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Effects of Hyperbaric Oxygen in Infectious Diseases: Basic Mechanisms
(Willoughby Jr. RE, Falzon CC, Keval A, Whelan HT.) Hyperbaric Medicine Practice, 4th edition.. Whelan HT, Kindwall EP, editors. North Palm Beach, FL: Best Publishing Company, 2017. Pgs. 379-405 06/19/2017
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(Keval A, Whelan HT.) Hyperbaric Medicine Practice, 4th edition.. Whelan HT, Kindwall EP, editors. North Palm Beach, FL: Best Publishing Company, 2017. Pgs. 407-432 06/19/2017