DR. Stephen Nelson earned his undergraduate degree in biology from California State Polytechnic University of Pomona in 1990, graduating valedictorian and summa cum laude. This was followed by a PhD in Biomedical Sciences from University of California, Riverside in 1996, and then an MD from University of California, San Diego in 2000. He then completed his Pediatrics Residency at Lackland Air Force Base 2000-2003, worked as a Pediatrician for 1 year a Los Angeles Air Force Base, and then did a Pediatric Neurology Fellowship at Stanford University 2004-2007. He then was Chief of Pediatric Neurology at Keesler Air Force Base 2007-2010, and during that time started working part-time for Tulane University School of Medicine as a Pediatric Neurologist. From 2010-2013 he served as Program Director of the Pediatric Neurology Fellowship, and Director of Child Neurology, at Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. Since the beginning of 2014, he has been full-time at Tulane University School of Medicine as the Section Head of Pediatric Neurology, and Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry.

DR. Stephen Nelson's research interests are in the genetic causes of epilepsy, treatment options for intractable seizures, the molecular basis of developmental brain disorders, prenatal causes of cerebral palsy, management of intractable headaches, and others.