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Encephalitis 2024 Conference: Poster Presentations

See below the list of exciting and innovative studies that will be presented during our Conference poster presentations.

Visit this page nearer to the Conference to see the 2024 Poster Booklet!

Dr Afa Ibrahim

Comparison of Outcomes in Seropositive Autoimmune Encephalitis Presenting with Cognitive Dysfunction at Disease Onset: A Retrospective Audit at a Tertiary Neuroscience Centre

Nottingham University hospital, UK

Dr Afa Ibrahim, from the Maldives, is in her final year of internal medicine training at Nottingham University Hospital Trust, with a dedicated ambition to specialise in neurology. A graduate of the prestigious All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), India, she brings a robust academic foundation to her clinical and research pursuits. Dr Ibrahim’s interests focus on neuroinflammatory and neuromuscular disorders.

Dr Alfeo Julius R. Sy

Steroid-Responsive Hashimoto’s Encephalopathy in a 98 Year Old: A Case Report and Literature Review

Section of Neurology, Department of Internal Medicine, Cardinal Santos, Medical Centre, San Juan City, Philippines

Dr Alfeo Julius Sy is an adult neurology resident from Manila, Philippines, currently in his final year of training. Coming from a resource-limited country, Dr Sy is a highly motivated individual with a deep-seated curiosity to learn from global experts and integrate diverse perspectives into his practice. As a novice researcher, he is committed to advancing his skills, contributing to innovative research, and expanding his knowledge base. His enthusiasm for neurology is driven by a passion for continuous learning and a commitment to patient-centred care.

Dr Anlys Olivera

Case study: Neuropsychiatric symptoms of presumed autoimmune encephalitis associated with thyroid cancer

Department of Neurology, Department of Psychiatry, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York City, NY, USA

Dr Anlys Olivera is a resident in the Neurology and Psychiatry Residency Program at New York University Langone Medical Center in New York City. Most of their research work has focused on the neuropsychiatric symptoms of neuroimmune processes specially in brain injury.

Dr Babak Soleimani

Understanding the effects of NMDA receptor autoantibodies on neurodevelopment using a human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurosphere assay.

Oxford Neuroimmunology and Immunopsychiatry Laboratory, University of Oxford, UK

Dr Babak Soleimani is a neurology registrar and Brain Entry Fellow based at the University of Oxford, working with the Oxford Neuroimmunology and Immunopsychiatry, Laboratory and Oxford Autoimmune Neurology Group. He is particularly interested in improving patient outcomes through understanding pathophysiological mechanisms of encephalitis and neuroimmune disease to help identify therapeutic targets.

Beatriz F. Ribeiro

IgLON5: a negative regulator of synapse formation implicated in the autoimmune-associated tauopathy anti-IgLON5 disease

Multidisciplinary Institute of Ageing (MIA-Portugal) & Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC-UC), Centre for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB), University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.

Beatriz Ribeiro is a young researcher and PhD student, currently enrolled in the Doctoral Programme in Experimental Biology and Biomedicine (PDBEB) by the Institute of Interdisciplinary Research of the University of Coimbra, Portugal (UC). She has received an FCT PhD studentship to develop her PhD work plan under the supervision of Dr Luís Ribeiro, at the Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC-UC). During her PhD, Beatriz aims to unveil the neuronal function of the cell-adhesion molecule IgLON5 and the pathological mechanism triggered by anti-IgLON5 antibodies in the autoimmune encephalitis anti-IgLON5.

Dr Beili Shao

Reappraisal of diagnosis in seronegative autoimmune encephalitis: 6-year experience of tertiary neuroscience centre

Neurology, Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Nottingham, UK

Dr Beili Shao is a specialist registrar and NIHR clinical lecturer in neurology with extensive academic and clinical training. She obtained her PhD in Clinical Neuroscience from the University of Nottingham in 2014, following her Masters in Neurology (2010) and Bachelors degree (2008) from Shanghai Jiaotong University. Dr Shao has professional experience spanning multiple institutions. Since 2019, she has been engaged in Neurology SpR training. Prior roles include core medical training (2016-2019) and a Junior Clinical Fellowship in Care of the Elderly at Royal Gwent Hospital (2015-2016). She holds MRCP SCE Neurology (2021) and MRCP PACES (2017) qualifications and has completed various advanced courses in multiple sclerosis, intensive care transfer, and Botox injections. Her research interests include the impact of hyperglycaemia on the blood-brain barrier, stroke, dementia, and multiple sclerosis. She has authored several peer-reviewed publications and is currently involved in clinical trials on myasthenia gravis and autoimmune encephalitis. Her work has been recognized with numerous awards, including poster prizes at various medical conferences. In addition to her clinical and research roles, Dr Shao is active in teaching and has supervised Masters students and delivered lectures to undergraduates and foundation doctors. She has also held several administrative roles, including Student Representative and Member of the Postgraduate Research Degrees Committee. Dr Shao’s commitment to advancing medical science and patient care is evident in her ongoing research and clinical endeavours

Dr Claire D. Hetherington

In vitro modelling of seizure genesis during HSV-1 encephalitis

Department of Clinical Infection, Immunity and Microbiology, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK

Dr Claire Hetherington is a postdoctoral research associate in Professor Benedict Michael’s Infection Neuroscience lab. She began her scientific research career with a MBiolSci in Biochemistry & Molecular Cell Biology at the University of Sheffield, completing her masters research with Pfizer and Astrazeneca. She then undertook doctoral research in Translational Neuroscience at the University of Aberdeen, under the supervision of Dr Guy Bewick researching in vitro modelling of motor neurone disease using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). In 2023, she moved to the University of Liverpool to undertake postdoctoral research on in vitro modelling of CNS infections. Her research interests include in vitro models of neurological disease, stem cells, microfluidics and electrophysiology.

Dr Cordelia Dunai

Pulmonary SARS-CoV-2 infection leads to viral-independent para-infectious immune activation in the brain

CIMI, IVES, University of Liverpool, UK

Dr Cordelia is a postdoc research associate in Professor Benedict Michael’s Infection Neuroscience lab. She is part of the Biomarkers and Immunology Working Group of the COVID-CNS study and the Liverpool Brain Infections Group. She earned her Ph.D. in immunology in 2021 in the lab of Professor William J. Murphy at UC Davis. Her interests include: immunology, virology, cancer biology, translational research, and scientific outreach.

Dr Crystal Sing Chiek Teoh

Clinical presentations and treatment outcomes of confirmed non-paraneoplastic seronegative and cell-surface antibody positive autoimmune encephalitis: Experience from a Tertiary Neuroscience Centre

Department of Neurology, Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham University Hospitals, UK

Dr Crystal Sing Chiek Teoh is a motivated and aspired neurologist in training. Presently based in Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham University Hospital as a neurology specialist registrar. She is interested in the fields of neuroimmunology especially in autoimmune encephalitis, multiple sclerosis/NMOSD/MOGAD, autoimmune neuropathies and neuromuscular junction disorders. Also interested in epilepsy, cognitive and vascular disorders. Active involvement in manuscript writing, research activities and systematic review. She has published several papers at peers reviewed international journals and presented poster at international congress. She participated in audit data collection, analysis, quality improvement projects and implementation of change. She underwent training in teaching and have experience in teaching junior doctors and medical students.

Dr Franklyn Egbe

Protein biomarkers of neuroglial injury and inflammation in Herpes Simplex Virus Encephalitis

Infection Neuroscience Lab, Department of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, UK

Dr Franklyn Nkongho Egbe is a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Infection Neuroscience Laboratory, University of Liverpool. He is a Microbiologist with extensive experience in infectious disease research and clinical trials across Africa. His current research focuses on assessing inflammatory mediators and brain injury biomarkers in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid of patients with a wide array of infectious diseases that impact the nervous system like encephalitis, COVID-19 and epilepsy. His work is at the intersection of neuroscience and infectious diseases diagnostics, aimed at understanding how infections trigger neurological damage and how diagnostic assays can be improved for more effective patient outcomes. His research interests include infectious disease diagnostics, encephalitis, tuberculosis and COVID-19.

Mr Henrik Akre Thorup

Use of bed-side cognitive tests in assessment of cognitive dysfuntion in autoimmune encephalitis

Department of Neurology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark

Mr Henrik Akre Thorup is a medical student doing a one-year undergraduate research study with Odense Autoimmune Encephalitis Research Group supervised by prof Morten Blaabjerg

Dr Jackson Roberts

Clinical description and outcomes of cryptogenic encephalitis in the intensive care unit

Department of Neurology, Columbia University Vagelos Colelge of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA

Dr Jackson Roberts is a recent graduate of Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and incoming neurology resident at Massachusetts General Brigham in Boston, MA. He has an interest in the epidemiology, diagnosis, and acute management of neuroinfectious diseases, particularly in the global context.

Dr João Moura

Characterization of EEG patterns in a cohort of patients with autoimmune encephalitis

Department of Neurology, Hospital Santo António, Porto, Portugal

Dr João Moura concluded his master’s degree in medicine at ICBAS, University of Porto, in 2019. In 2021 he started his Neurology Residency at Hospital Santo António. His PhD project focuses on identifying novel anti-neural antibodies associated with autoimmune encephalitis from a national cohort of seronegative cases.

Dr Jeroen Kerstens

Neuronal antibodies in patients with progressive supranuclear palsy

Department of Neurology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

Dr Jeroen Kerstens is a clinical neurologist with experience in autoimmune neurology and works as associated neurologist at the neuroimmunology unit of the Antwerp University Hospital, Belgium. In addition, He is a PhD candidate at the autoimmune encephalitis research group of the Erasmus MC University Medical Center in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. In 2016, he obtained his medical degree with great distinction at the University of Antwerp. Thereafter, he was trained in neurology in Antwerp and Rotterdam and completed his five-year residency in August 2021.

Dr Jonathan Cleaver & Miss Renetta Chungath

Phenotype, immunotherapy safety and outcomes in patients with autoimmune encephalitis following herpes simplex virus encephalitis: a systematic review.

i) Oxford Autoimmune Neurology Group, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
ii) Department of Neurology, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford University Hospitals, Oxford, UK

Dr Jonathan Cleaver is currently a DPhil student working in the Oxford Autoimmune Neurology Group under Dr Adam Handel, Professor Sarosh Irani and Dr Lahiru Handunnetthi. His research area is exploring the immune mechanisms underpinning herpes simplex virus encephalitis and post-viral autoimmunity We are currently using multi-modal biological approaches to understand how tolerance is breached in a subset of these patients together with developing biomarkers for those at risk of autoimmune encephalitis.
Lincoln College, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK

Miss Renetta Chungath is a third-year medical student at Lincoln College, University of Oxford, taking part in a Final Honours Scheme project focusing on Autoimmune Encephalitis with the Oxford Autoimmune Neurology Group under Dr Adam Handel.

Dr Joseph Kuchling

7.0 Tesla MRI in NMDARE: Comparative Analysis of Supratentorial T2 Lesion Count and Hippocampal Subfield Volumes against Healthy Controls

Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Department of Neurology and Experimental Neurology, Berlin, Germany

Dr Joseph Kuchling is a post-doctoral researcher at the Cognitive Neurology Lab, Berlin (Prof. Carsten Finke) and a resident at the Department of Neurology and Experimental Neurology at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany. After studying at Medical School Charité University Medicine Berlin and completing doctoral studies on ultrahigh-¬field MRI in multiple sclerosis, Joseph has been working in the field of advanced neuroimaging including diffusion tensor imaging and 7 Tesla MRI in neuroinflammatory diseases.

Dr Kate Halsby

Need for a Categorisation System of the Clinical Manifestations of Tick-borne Encephalitis Virus Infection: A Delphi Panel

Pfizer Ltd, Surrey, UK

Dr Kate Halsby is an epidemiologist working in Pfizer’s Global Vaccines and Anti-infectives medical team, with a focus on tick-borne encephalitis and Lyme disease. Before moving into industry, she worked on zoonotic infections and Legionnaires’ disease at Public Health England.

Miss Kristine Farmen

The role of microglia in pneumococcal meningoencephalitis

Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden

Miss Kristine Farmen has a Masters degree in molecular medicine focusing on the role of peripheral immune cells in Parkinson’s disease. Currently doing a PhD in neuroscience with the focus on understanding the biological mechanism of neuronal cell damage during brain infections and developing new therapeutic targets against pneumococcal meningoencephalitis.

Mr Leonardo Di Cosmo

A systematic review of the clinical features associated with seronegative autoimmune encephalitis.

Oxford Autoimmune Neurology Group, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, UK

Mr Leonardo Di Cosmo is currently a Medical Student at Humanitas University, Milan, where he is actively involved within projects and roles involving the neuroscientific field. He is currently the Seminar Director of the Humanitas Neurological Society and leads a research group affiliated with the Mission Brain foundation. Prior to entering Medical School, Leonardo Di Cosmo founded a non-profit in the Philippines that worked alongside the Philippine General Hospital to provide prosthetics and bone marrow transplants for paediatric patients in the oncology ward. He is committed to exploring the field of research, to date having interned at multiple cancer-immunology labs at Humanitas University. Though only at the start of his medical career, he is a Visiting Researcher at the Nuffield Neurological Clinic at Oxford University, currently leading a first-of-its-kind systematic review exploring the clinical presentation of seronegative encephalitis. Furthermore, despite his relatively short time in the field of encephalitis, Leonardo is dedicated to continuing cultivating his knowledge and practice in pursuit of making meaningful contributions to the field.

Dr Lev Brylev

Results of Testing the Populations of Russia, Kazakhstan, and Armenia for Autoimmune Encephalitis Markers from 2019 to 2023

Institute of Higher Nervous Activity, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia; Moscow Research and Clinical Center for Neuropsychiatry, Moscow Healthcare Department, Moscow, Russia.; Abu Dhabi Stem Cells Center, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Dr Lev Brylev is a neurologist trained in Moscow, Russia. He has been the head of the Neurology Department in Buyanov city hospital for almost 10 years (from 2012 till 2022). During his work in this position his department became a reference centre for patients with multiple sclerosis, neuromyelitis optica and autoimmune encephalitis. Now he has moved to Abu Dhabi and works as consultant neurologist in ADSCC.

Dr Marie Benaiteau

Clinical spectrum and outcomes of cerebellar ataxia associated with glutamic acid decarboxylase antibodies

French Reference Centre on Paraneoplastic Neurological Syndromes and Autoimmune Encephalitis, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Hôpital Neurologique, Bron, France

Dr Marie Benaiteau is a neurologist working at Professor Honnorat’s French National Reference Centre for Autoimmune Encephalitis and Paraneoplastic Neurological Syndromes, in Lyon.

Dr Marie Wolfrum

Anti-Caspr2 false positives: differential diagnoses and biological rules

Constitutive Reference Center for Autoimmune Encephalitis, Toulouse University Hospital, France

Dr Marie Wolfrum is a Neurologist in the Constitutive Reference Center for Autoimmune Encephalitis in Toulouse University Hospital. The multidisciplinary team is particularly involved in the development and improvement of diagnostic and follow-up biomarkers for autoimmune encephalitis, including biological and neuropsychological markers.

Marta Mota, Msc

Serological and functional characterization of a cohort of patients with Seronegative Autoimmune encephalitis

Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Universidade de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal

Marta Mota, Msc is a second-year student at the master’s program in Cellular and Molecular Biology at the University of Coimbra. Her master’s project focuses on the pathophysiological mechanisms of Seronegative Autoimmune Encephalitis.

Dr Massimiliano Ugo Verza

Isolated neuropathic pain in CASPR2 antibodies spectrum disease: case report and systematic review

Department of Neurosciences, Psychology, Drugs Research and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), University of Florence, Florence, Italy

Dr Massimiliano is currently working as Neurology resident at AOUC Careggi, Florence, where he is interested in antibody-mediated neurological conditions, with particular focus on Myasthenia Gravis and Autoimmune Encephalitis

Miss Milene Hamdani

A retrospective observational study: characterising adult patients with autoimmune encephalitis at a tertiary neurological centre

University of Liverpool, Medicine Department

Building on her Biomedical Science degree from Kingston University in London, Miss Milene Hamdani cultivated a profound passion for scientific innovation and research. This drive led her to gain valuable experience in the biopharmaceutical industry. Subsequently, she was fortunate to secure a place at the University of Liverpool Medical School. Currently in her third year, she has developed a keen interest in neurological pathology and research. The diverse aetiology and complexity of encephalitis particularly captured my attention, prompting her to undertake a research project at the Walton Centre in Liverpool. This project focuses on characterizing adult patients with autoimmune encephalitis at this Tertiary Neurological Centre in the Northwest of England. She is optimistic that this research will provide deeper insights into the diagnostic and therapeutic implications of autoimmune encephalitis.

Dr Milena Trentinaglia

Epidemiology and clinical characteristics of autoimmune encephalitis in the province of Verona, Italy

Neurology Unit, Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine, and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy

Dr Milena Trentinaglia is a current 3rd-year Resident in Neurology at University of Verona, Italy. During her last year of medicine and my resident training she had the possibility to cultivate her interest in the field of Neuroimmunology. In particular, she was able to follow outpatients visit of neuroimmunological patients and learn the basic interpretation of laboratory diagnostic techniques and she keeps trying to deepen her knowledge in this fascinating field.

Dr Niels Vander Elst

Bacteriophage-encoded endolysins as innovative antimicrobials for the future treatment of pneumococcal meningoencephalitis.

Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.

Dr Niels Vander Elst is a postdoctoral researcher affiliated to the Karolinska Institute, Sweden. He specializes in engineering endolysin variants with applications in (veterinary) medicine and beyond. Dr Vander Elst earned a dual PhD in Biotechnology and Veterinary Medicine that was jointly awarded by Ghent University and KU Leuven, Belgium. During his doctoral research, he spent a significant amount of time working on endolysins at the Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research (IBBR) associated to the University of Maryland, Rockville, MD, USA. Dr Vander Elst has received recognition through scholarships and fellowships, also holding inventorship to one provisional and one full patent application.

Dr Pietro Businaro

Serological quantitative, qualitative and functional profiling and neurofilaments as biomarkers in autoimmune encephalitis with LGI1 and CASPR2 antibodies

i) Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
ii) Neuroimmunology Research Section, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy

Dr Pietro Businaro is a neurologist and PhD student with a focus on antibody effector function in autoimmune neurology. Currently, he is a Neuroimmunology consultant at the IRCCS Mondino Foundation. His clinical expertise is rooted in significant experience at both the IRCCS Neurological Institute Carlo Besta and the IRCCS Neurological Institute Casimiro Mondino. Complementing his clinical work, he has nearly two years of preclinical experience in Neuro-oncology in Prof. Locatelli’s lab at Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital. Over the past year, he has focused on the project “Prognostic relevance of quantitative and longitudinal CASPR2 and LGI1 antibody testing and neurofilament light chain levels in patients with autoimmune encephalitis” at the Neuroimmunology lab of the IRCCS Mondino Foundation. From July to mid-October, he expanded his research horizons as a fellow in the neuroimmunology lab of Prof. Dalmau and Prof. Graus in Barcelona under the supervision of Dr Marianna Spatola, focusing on identifying optimal diagnostic tests for paraneoplastic neurological syndromes associated with intracellular antibodies.

Dr Pietro Businaro

Comparison of commercial tissue-based assays for the detection of antibodies against intracellular neuronal antigens in paraneoplastic neurological syndromes

i) Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
ii) Neuroimmunology Research Section, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy

Dr Pietro Businaro is a neurologist and PhD student with a focus on antibody effector function in autoimmune neurology. Currently, he is a Neuroimmunology consultant at the IRCCS Mondino Foundation. His clinical expertise is rooted in significant experience at both the IRCCS Neurological Institute Carlo Besta and the IRCCS Neurological Institute Casimiro Mondino. Complementing his clinical work, he has nearly two years of preclinical experience in Neuro-oncology in Prof. Locatelli’s lab at Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital. Over the past year, he has focused on the project “Prognostic relevance of quantitative and longitudinal CASPR2 and LGI1 antibody testing and neurofilament light chain levels in patients with autoimmune encephalitis” at the Neuroimmunology lab of the IRCCS Mondino Foundation. From July to mid-October, he expanded his research horizons as a fellow in the neuroimmunology lab of Prof. Dalmau and Prof. Graus in Barcelona under the supervision of Dr Marianna Spatola, focusing on identifying optimal diagnostic tests for paraneoplastic neurological syndromes associated with intracellular antibodies.

Dr Ralph Habis

Comparative Analysis of Clinical Characteristics, Hospitalization Burden, and Costs of Autoimmune Encephalitis and HSV Meningo-Encephalitis

Johns Hopkins Encephalitis Center, Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Maryland, USA

Dr Ralph Habis earned his MD from the American University of Beirut in June 2022, and since August 2022, he has been conducting a post-doctoral research fellowship at the Johns Hopkins Encephalitis Center and Adult Epilepsy Diet Center.

Mr Robin Münzing

Intrathecal synthesis of target-specific IgG is more prominent in autoimmune encephalitides with NMDA, AMPA or GABAB receptor antibodies compared to those with CASPR2, DPPX, LGI1 and IgLON5 antibodies – a systematic review of the literature

Department of Neurology, University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany

Mr Robin Münzing was born February 2nd, 1999 in Ludwigsburg, Germany. After his high school diploma in 2017, he joined the German armed forces and studied medicine at the University of Ulm. He obtained his medical degree in 2024 and started working in the Department of Internal Medicine of the Armed Forces Hospital Ulm. In May 2023, he started research work for his doctoral thesis under supervision of Prof. Jan Lewerenz in the Department of Neurology, University Hospital Ulm.

Miss Sarah A Boardman

Investigating direct and indirect effects of viral infections on the brain and prevention via immune suppression.

University of Liverpool, Faculty of Health & Life Science, Institute of Infection Veterinary & Ecological Sciences, Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology, UK

Sarah is a PhD student at the University of Liverpool and is a member of the Infection Neuroscience Laboratory directed by Professor Benedict D. Michael. Her research focuses on using in vitro modelling, specifically microfluidic chips, to model the blood brain barrier. Using this model, she aims to look at blood brain barrier damage and the effect on the wider neurovascular by infecting the model with HSV-1 and VZV. As well as inhibiting key chemoattractant protein pathways to assess if any are suitable for future work to develop therapeutics that prevent infections causing damage to the brain.

Simona Serra, PhD student

Broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity of TKD-008A and TKD-008B: A new antimicrobial drug with neuroprotective properties

Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden

Simona Serra, PhD student received her B.Sc. with honours in Biotechnology from the University of Salento (Lecce, Italy) in 2021, followed by an M.Sc. with honours in Molecular and Cellular Biology from the University of Bologna (Bologna, Italy) in 2023. Her undergraduate studies were supported by several scholarships, including an Erasmus grant from the University of Bologna and a Stifelsen Dementia Association scholarship. Simona is now a doctoral student in F. Iovino’s laboratory at the Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet (Stockholm, Sweden), where she investigates 1) the molecular mechanisms of neuronal damage during the pathogenesis of meningoencephalitis, primarily caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus), and 2) the antimicrobial properties of specific human peptides that can be used as new neuroprotective treatments against bacterial meningoencephalitis. Her latest study, published in iScience, demonstrates how a single amino acid substitution significantly enhances the cytotoxicity of pneumolysin (the main pneumococcal toxin) towards neuronal cells (DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109583).

Dr Sobia Khan

Arboviral encephalitis in Pakistan 2017-2020 – clinical and laboratory features and neurological outcomes

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan

Dr Sobia Khan is a senior postgraduate trainee (clinical fellowship) in medical microbiology at the Aga Khan University Hospital. She has represented her institute at multiple national and international research forums and has received an intramural grant for work on arboviral surveillance, specially focusing insecticide resistance. Her fellowship dissertation is focused on acute meningoencephalitis in Pakistan

Dr Sobia Khan

Epidemiology and clinical characteristics of varicella zoster virus reactivation encephalitis among patient with acute encephalitis syndrome in Southern Pakistan

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan

Dr Sobia Khan is a senior postgraduate trainee (clinical fellowship) in medical microbiology at the Aga Khan University Hospital. She has represented her institute at multiple national and international research forums and has received an intramural grant for work on arboviral surveillance, specially focusing insecticide resistance. Her fellowship dissertation is focused on acute meningoencephalitis in Pakistan

Ms Suzanne Franken

Anti-CASPR2 IgG subclasses in a Dutch Cohort of CASPR2 AE patients.

Department of Neurology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

Ms Suzanne Franken is a PhD candidate at the autoimmune encephalitis research group of the Erasmus MC University Medical Center in Rotterdam. She obtained her Masters in Biomolecular Sciences at the Vrije Universiteit of Amsterdam in 2020. During her Masters internship, she studied the presence of anti-glycolipid antibodies in neuralgic amyotrophy. Before starting her PhD, she worked on various projects regarding IgG subclasses in CIDP and IgLON5 autoimmune encephalitis.

Miss Shruthi Mundasad

Single centre experience of paediatric Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) antibody associated encephalitis

Department of Paediatric Neurology, King’s College Hospital, NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK

Miss Shruthi Mundasad, works as Paediatric Neurology registrar at Kings college Hospital. She has completed Primary medical school and Paediatric training in India, completed MRCPCH at London

Dr Thomas Agerbo Gaist

Autoimmune Encephalitis in Denmark: Results from the DanAIMS study

Neurological research unit, University hospital Odense, Odense, Denmark

Dr Thomas Gaist is a physician and PhD research fellow studying autoimmune encephalitis under the supervision of Professor Morten Blaabjerg at the Neurological Research Unit at Odense University Hospital, Denmark. The focus of the PhD is to provide a comprehensive overview of the epidemiology and long-term outcomes of AE in Denmark. By establishing a nationwide AE database containing all AE patients identified in Denmark from 2009-2023, national epidemiological trends can be studied. Using the database data in conjunction with the Danish national registries, the long-term socio-economic outcomes can be studied in detail. A national clinical study investigates the long-term cognitive and neuroimaging outcomes of the cohort.

Dr Thomas Johnson

Single cell immune cell survey identifies a pathogenic role for T cells in anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis

Oxford Neuroimmunology and Immunopsychiatry Laboratory, University of Oxford, UK

Dr Thomas Johnson is a Foundation Year 1 Doctor undertaking an Academic Specialised Foundation Programme in Oxfordshire. Alongside his clinical training at Oxford University Hospitals, he is undertaking research at the Wellcome Centre as part of the Handunnetthi Group: Neuroimmune interactions. His research will focus on delineating the contribution of neuroimmune interactions to neuropsychiatric disorders, such as autism and schizophrenia. Specifically, he aims to use bioinformatic techniques and cellular modelling to investigate how viral infections can influence the way the brain develops and changes during gestation and in adulthood. Understanding how infectious agents and the brain interact will help to identify risk factors and targetable pathology in these patients, as well as inform healthcare policy relevant to their care.

Dr Thomas Johnson

Clinical and laboratory predictors of poor outcomes following infectious encephalitis: systematic review and meta-analysis

Oxford Neuroimmunology and Immunopsychiatry Laboratory, University of Oxford, UK

Dr Thomas Johnson is a Foundation Year 1 Doctor undertaking an Academic Specialised Foundation Programme in Oxfordshire. Alongside his clinical training at Oxford University Hospitals, he is undertaking research at the Wellcome Centre as part of the Handunnetthi Group: Neuroimmune interactions. His  research will focus on delineating the contribution of neuroimmune interactions to neuropsychiatric disorders, such as autism and schizophrenia. Specifically, he aims to use bioinformatic techniques and cellular modelling to investigate how viral infections can influence the way the brain develops and changes during gestation and in adulthood. Understanding how infectious agents and the brain interact will help to identify risk factors and targetable pathology in these patients, as well as inform healthcare policy relevant to their care.

Dr Trisha K. Usman

Multifactorial Encephalitis in the Context of Infective Endocarditis in a 40-Year-Old Male

Internal Medicine Department, Ciudad Medical Zamboanga, Zamboanga City, Philippines

Dr Trisha K. Usman is born and raised in Zamboanga City. She is a graduate of the internal medicine department training program of Ciudad Medical Zamboanga, Zamboanga City, Philippines. She is a graduate of Bachelor of Science in nursing at Ateneo de Zamboanga University. She studied and graduated from Our Lady of Fatima University College of Medicine in Valenzuela, Philippines.

Dr Vera Fominykh

Autoimmune encephalitis in first episode of psychosis: prospective non-interventional longitudinal study in tertiary psychiatric center

Institute of Higher Nervous Activity, Russian Academy of Sciences, (IHNA RAS)Moscow, Russia

From 2014 to 2022, Dr Vera Fominykh worked as a neurologist in the autoimmune department, specializing in patients with multiple sclerosis and other immune disorders at Bujanov Moscow City Clinical Hospital. Additionally, she held a researcher position at the Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology during this time. In 2019, Vera successfully defended her PhD on the subject of neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration markers in autoimmune encephalitis and other immune-mediated disorders. After that, she managed many patients with AE in the country, organizing telemedical consultations and building significant expertise in treating and diagnosing AE. Together with her colleagues she worked a lot to spread the knowledge about AE, as well as to improve access to diagnostic tests. Since 2022, Vera has been working in another country, but she continues to increase awareness of AE in East-European and Central Asian Region and has recently finalized this AE study at a psychiatric institution on a volunteer basis.

Dr Vasundharaa S Nair

Identify, Conceptualise and Provide Care – Checklist for Persons with Acute Brain Infections.

Jindal Institute of Behavioural Sciences, OP Jindal Global University, Sonipat, Haryana

Dr Vasundharaa S Nair (MPhil, PhD) has been working with Persons with various psychiatric and neurological conditions and their families for past 6 years thereby providing individual and family interventions. She holds her research interests in the field of mental health, biological disasters like ZIKA, COVID19, Multiple Sclerosis and Acute Brain Infections. She is skilled in providing care children and parenting, women and climate change, healthy aging. She is a passionate faculty, psychotherapist and researcher.

Ms Walaa Zakaria

Brain MRI Longitudinal Volumetric Characteristics Associated with Outcomes of CASPR2-Limbic Encephalitis

RHU BETPSY – Hospices Civils de Lyon – Université Claude Bernard Lyon, France

Ms Walaa Zakaria completed her bachelors degree in Medical Imaging Sciences with a minor in Public Health at the American University of Beirut. Currently, she is pursuing a Masters in Neurobiology at the University of Pavia in Italy. As part of her masters thesis, she is undertaking an Erasmus+ Traineeship at the French Reference Center for Paraneoplastic and Neurologic Disorders and Autoimmune Encephalitis. During this traineeship, she has developed a deep interest in quantitative imaging analysis, particularly using deep learning applications for medical image segmentation in relation to autoimmune encephalitis. She previously collaborated with the institute during her bachelor’s degree, along with her supervisor at the time, to perform the volumetric analysis for the paper titled “Cerebellar Ataxia With Anti-DNER Antibodies: Outcomes and Immunologic Features.” She will be graduating in October from her Masters program, and following her graduation, she is excited to continue her research journey by pursuing a PhD with the same team. This opportunity will allow her to delve deeper into the field of neuroimaging and autoimmune encephalitis, contributing to significant advancements and gaining extensive expertise in this area.

Dr Yvette S. Crijnen

Autoimmune-associated seizures disorders Modulated by IVIg – effects on Cortical Excitability: the AMICE study

Department of Neurology, Erasmus University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

Dr Yvette Crijnen works as Neurology Resident at the Neurology Department of the Erasmus University Medical Centre in the Netherlands. She combines her residency in Neurology with research in the field of autoimmune encephalitis. Her research is mainly focused on autoimmune seizures and anti-IgLON5 disease.

Dr Yun Huang

A prospective case-control study of neuroinflammation post COVID-19

Infection Neuroscience Lab, Department of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool. The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, UK

Dr Yun Huang is an Academic Clinical Fellow (NIHR) in Neurology and a Specialist Registrar in Neurology, working at The Walton Centre, Liverpool. She is interested in neuroimmunology, and specifically, antibody-mediated autoimmune neurological disorders. She studied medicine at University of Cambridge (Gonville and Caius College). During her medical degree, she completed an intercalated degree in physiology, development and neuroscience. Subsequently, she completed a PhD as part of the MB PhD programme at University of Cambridge, supervised by Professor Azim Surani. Her PhD focused on exploring the molecular mechanisms underpinning key aspects of early mammalian embryonic development, the maintenance of pluripotency and primordial germ cell specification. She optimised protocols including single-cell RNA sequencing genome-wide CRISPR screening. She completed her academic foundation programme in London and moved to Liverpool as an ACF in 2021.

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Last Modified: 14 November 2024
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