Our Scientific Advisory Panel

An expert Scientific Advisory Panel provides The Society with expert professional resources.

Members of the panel include highly regarded experts from neurological, neuropsychological, neuropsychiatric, neuro-immunological, paediatric, therapeutic and other relevant fields.

The panel meets annually to exchange information and progress research initiatives. Members also assist with enquiries of a clinical nature.

Join us at the Encephalitis Conference, the go-to conference for researchers, healthcare and medical professionals with an interest in encephalitis.

Associate Professor Arun Venkatesan

Associate Professor, John Hopkins University School of Medicine; Director, Johns Hopkins Encephalitis Centre, USA Read more

Associate Professor Sarosh R Irani

Associate Professor and Honorary Consultant Neurologist; Co-director, Autoimmune Neurology Diagnostic Laboratory; Head, Oxford Autoimmune Neurology Group, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford Read more

Dr Arleta Starza-Smith

Consultant Paediatric Neuropsychologist, Director of Clinical Psychology and Neuropsychology, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust Read more

Dr Ava Easton

Chief Executive, Encephalitis Society; Honorary Fellow, University of Liverpool Read more

Dr Benedict Michael - Vice Chair of the Scientific Advisory Panel

Senior Clinician Scientist Fellow, NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Emerging and Zoonotic Infections; Honorary Consultant Neurologist, Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust; Honorary Medical Lecturer, Harvard Medical School Read more

Dr Bonnie-Kate Dewar

Clinical Neuropsychologist, Neuropsychology Services Limited Read more

Dr Jessica Fish

Clinical Neuropsychologist and Lecturer Institute of Health and Wellbeing, University of Glasgow Wolfson Neuro Rehabilitation Centre, St George’s Hospital Read more

Dr Lance Turtle

Wellcome clinical career development fellow Senior clinical lecturer/honorary consultant in infectious diseases Institute of Infection and Global Health University of Liverpool Read more

Dr Michel Toledano

Neurology Specialist at Department of Neurology, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Read more

Dr Nicholas Davies - Chair of the Scientific Advisory Panel

Consultant Neurologist, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital Read more

Dr Nick Makwana

Consultant Paediatrician, Accredited Paediatric Allergist, Department of Child Health, Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust Read more

Dr Omar Siddiqi

Omar K. Siddiqi MD MPH, Director - Global Neurology Program, Division of Neuro-Immunology, Center for Virology and Vaccine Research, Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Assistant Professor of Neurology, Harvard Medical School Visiting Lecturer, University of Zambia School of Medicine Read more

Dr Rachel Kneen

Consultant Paediatric Neurologist, Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust; Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer and Associate member of the Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool Read more

Dr Steven White

Consultant Neurophysiologist, Cromwell Hospital, London Read more

Dr Thomas Pollak

NIHR Clinical Lecturer at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London Read more

Professor Angela Vincent

Emeritus Professor of Neuroimmunology, University of Oxford; Emeritus Fellow of Somerville College Read more

Professor Barbara Wilson

Founder of the The Oliver Zangwill Centre, Honorary Professor at the Universities of East Anglia, Hong Kong and Sydney Read more

Professor Peter Kennedy

Senior Research Fellow, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow. Read more

Professor Tom Solomon - President

Professor of Neurological Science; Honorary Consultant Neurologist; Head of the Brain Infectious Group; Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust and Royal Liverpool University Hospital; Read more

Latest

Royal award for Professor Peter Kennedy

Professor Peter Kennedy honoured with RSE Royal Medal, awarded on the authority of Her Majesty The Queen

Childhood psychological adjustment following parental brain injury: the role of loss, trauma and parental grief

Seed funding Columbia University, USA

Awarded in 2020, this study will elucidate possible routes of CNS infection by the virus and identify brain regions and cell types most vulnerable to either direct infection or the effects of systemic cytokines.

SEED FUNDING Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, USA

Awarded in 2020, this pilot study aims to dissect the mechanisms through which subsets of neurons, specifically dopamine neurons, are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection

NMDAR antibody encephalitis

NMDAR antibody encephalitis is an autoimmune disease that causes psychiatric features, confusion, memory loss and seizures followed by a movement disorder, loss of consciousness and changes in blood pressure, heart rate and temperature.

Herpes Simplex virus encephalitis

Herpes simplex encephalitis is a type of infectious encephalitis which happens when herpes simplex virus (HSV) enters the brain. Usually, it begins with ‘flu-like’ symptoms followed by neurological deterioration, which may include personality and behavioural changes, seizures, weakness and difficulties in communication.

What is encephalitis?

Encephalitis is an inflammation of the brain caused by an infection or through the immune system attacking the brain in error.

West Nile encephalitis

West Nile encephalitis is a type of infectious encephalitis caused by West Nile virus. People usually become infected after being bitten by a mosquito, which has fed on an infected bird.

Guidelines for recovery

No two people with encephalitis have the same outcomes. People recover at different paces. Recovery can be helped by having lots of rest, good nutrition, helpful social network and support from professionals.

Limbic encephalitis

The term ‘limbic encephalitis’ (LE) describes the condition when limbic areas of the brain are inflamed (swollen) and consequently not functioning properly. Most forms of LE fall into two main categories: infectious encephalitis and autoimmune encephalitis.

Japanese encephalitis

Japanese encephalitis is an infectious encephalitis caused by Japanese encephalitis virus transmitted by mosquitoes, called ‘Culex’ mosquitoes.

Hashimoto's encephalopathy

Hashimoto's encephalopathy is a rare condition, which is probably of autoimmune origin. The concept of HE is becoming fragmented into a number of other types of autoimmune encephalitis which appear to have their own autoantibodies, prognosis and associated features.

Death from encephalitis

Encephalitis is a serious neurological condition and unfortunately, despite improvements in specific and more supportive treatments such as excellent intensive care management, encephalitis still has a high mortality (death) rate.

Measles infection and encephalitis

Measles causes encephalitis in children with measles infection. Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine is a very effective way to prevent against these diseases.