Fellows by Decade
Gautam Adusumilli, MD
2015 – 2018
“Intensity ratio to improve black hole assessment in multiple sclerosis.”
Present position: Radiology resident, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston.
Enrique Alvarez, MD, PhD
2010 – 2013
“Imaging of ectopic lymphoid follicles in CNS”
Present postion: Associate professor of Neurology, University of Colorado, Denver
Jagannadha Avasarala, MD, PhD
2000 – 2003
FG-1386-A-1: “Identification of Relevant T cells in MS using Novel Methods”
Present position: Professor of Neurology, Head of the Multiple sclerosis (MS) and Neuroimmunology group, Kentucky Neuroscience Institute, Univ. of Kentucky
Matthew Brier, MD, PhD
2019 - 2022
NIH R25. “Developing clinically relevant and biologically meaningful imaging biomarkers of MS disability.”
Present position: Assistant Professor of Neurology (co-mentored with Tammie Benzinger MD, PhD)
Claudia Cantoni, PhD
2019 – 2024
Career Transition Fellowship. “MiR-223: a new potential therapeutic target to modulate myeloid cells in multiple sclerosis” (co-mentor with Laura Piccio, MD, PhD)
Present position: Assistant Professor, Neurology, Barrow Neuroscience Inst, Phoenix AZ
John Ciotti, MD
2019 – 2021
Sylvia Lawry Physician Fellowship (2020-2021). Human Therapy Trials/Management of MS.
Present position: Assistant professor of neurology at University of South Florida, Tampa.
Emily Evans, MD
2017 – 2019
Sylvia Lawry Physician Fellowship of the NMSS
Present position: Neurology Medical Director, EMD Serono.
Cristina Gaudioso, MD
2020 - 2022
Sylvia Lawry physician Fellowship awardee (term 7/1/2021-6/30/2022).
Present position: On extended maternity leave
Laura Ghezzi, MD
2020 – 2023
Post-doctoral fellow of the NMSS: “Characterization and quantification of Mucosal Associated Invariant T cells in patients with Multiple Sclerosis at time of diagnosis and in response to different disease modifying therapies” (co-mentor with Laura Piccio MD PhD).
Present position: Assistant professor of Neurology, University of Milan, Milan Italy
James A. Hewett, PhD
1996 – 1997
“Cell-specific iNOS inhibition using anti-sense constructs and the generation of dominant genetic mutants.”
Present position: Associate Professor of Biology, Syracuse University, Syracuse NY
Eric Klawiter, MD
2008 – 2010
American Academy of Neurology Foundation Clinical Research Training Fellowship
Present position: Assistant Professor Neurology, Harvard Medical School; Assistant Neurologist – Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston.
Victoria Levasseur, MD
2018 - 2023
Sylvia Lawry Physician Fellowship (2021-2023) former NIH R25. "Quantitative gradient echo imaging of MS CNS"
Present position: in private practice in Minnesota
Tsen-Hsuan (Abby) Lin, PhD
2016 – 2019
“Imaging optic nerve function and pathologies in MS.” National MS Society post-doctoral fellowship FG 1507-05315.
Present position: In Vivo Principle Scientist, GSK Philadelphia. (Co-mentored with Sheng-Kwei Song, PhD).
Erin Longbrake, MD, PhD
2013 – 2016
Sylvia Lawry Physician Fellowship
Present position: Associate Prof. of Neurology, Yale University, New Haven CT.
Jie Luo, PhD
2009 – 2012
“Gradient echo plural contrast imaging- signal model and derived contrasts: T2, T1, Phase, SWI, T1f, FST2 and T2*-SWI”
Awarded PhD from Washington University in Radiological Sciences in July 2012. (D. Yablonskiy PhD primary mentor)
Present position: Assistant professor, Harvard Medical School, Boston
Jeri-Anne Lyons, PhD
1997 – 2000
FG-1259-A-1: “B cells in the CNS during the course of EAE and MS”
Present position: Associate Vice President for Research and Dean of the Graduate School at the University of Northern Colorado
Masoud Majed, MD
2022 - 2023
Present position: Assistant Professor of Neurology at Univ Southern California, Los Angeles (co-mentored with David Clifford MD)
Robert T. Naismith, MD
2003 – 2004
Serono-Pfizer NMSS Clinical Fellow
Present position: Professor of Neurology, Washington Univ. School of Medicine
Laura Piccio, MD, PhD
2005 – 2008
FG-1665-A-1 NMSS Post-doctoral Fellow: “Pathogenic and potential therapeutic role of TREM2 in CNS autoimmune inflammatory diseases”
Present position: Professor, Dept. of Neurology, Washington University Sch of Med. And Dept of Neurology, University of Sydney, Australia. Former Harry Weaver Neuroscience Scholar of the NMSS
David Pitt, MD
2005 – 2008
FG 1666-A-1 NMSS Post-doctoral Fellow: “Restoring Glutamate Homeostasis in EAE”
Present position: Associate Professor of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven
Peiqing Qian, MD
2010 – 2012
“Pain in Neuromyelitis optica”
Present position: neurologist, Swedish Medical Center Multiple Sclerosis Ctr, Seattle Washington. (R. Naismith primary mentor)
John Rinker II, MD
2005 – 2007
CF-0022N-1: “Immunophenotyping of peripheral blood cells and Cerebrospinal Fluid cells”
Present position: Associate Professor of Neurology, University of Alabama, Birmingham.
Amjad Samara, MD
2022 - 2023
“Examining surface-in gradient using R2t* imaging.”
Present position: current PGY3 neurology resident
Rohini Samudralwar, MD
2017 – 2018
“Fingolimod and Infectious Disease.”
Present position: Assistant Professor at University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia (Primary mentor: David B. Clifford)
Pascal Sati, PhD
2008 – 2009
“Evaluation of multiple sclerosis lesions using gradient echo plural contrast imaging.”
Present position: Associate Professor and Director of Neuroimaging Program at Cedars-Sinai Los Angeles (Dmitriy Yablonskiy PhD primary mentor)
Afsaneh Shirani, MD
2017 – 2019
“Diffusion Basis Spectrum Imaging in MS patients” funded jointly by NMSS-ABF Clinician Scientist Development Award and American Academy of Neurology
Present position: Assistant Professor of Neurology, Univ Nebraska, Omaha
Jennifer Stark, PhD
2005 – 2007
Kirschstein-NRSA Individual Fellowship Application: “Reg proteins as treatment for CNS inflammatory demyelination”
Present position: Retired. Former position: Director of Research Training Programs, National Multiple Sclerosis Society USA, New York. (deceased Feb 27, 2023)
Miguel Tolentino, PhD
"CSF prognostic factors in MS"
Jie Wen, PhD
2013 – 2015
“Gradient echo plural contrast imaging in multiple sclerosis.”
Present position: Senior Research Scientist at The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China. (co-mentor Dmitriy Yablonskiy PhD)
Lindsey Wooliscroft, MD
2015 – 2023
“Use of Diffusion Imaging to predict evolution of Black Holes as predict from contrast enhancing MS lesions”
Present position: Assistant Professor of Neurology, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland.
Biao Xiang, PhD
2018 – 2022
Post-doctoral fellow of the NMSS (2020-2022). “Using a Novel MRI technique – Simultaneous Multi-Angular Relaxometry of Tissue – to Measure Evolution of tissue damage in Progressive Multiple Sclerosis”
Present position: Post-doctoral fellow at USC, Los Angeles. (co-mentor was Dmitriy Yablonskiy)
Junqian (Gordon) Xu, PhD
2007 – 2010
FG 1782-A-1: “Quantification of spinal cord inury via diffusion MRI.”
Present position: Assistant Professor Radiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital, New York
Meredith Yeager, PhD
1997 – 1999
Co-mentor with Dr. John Trotter: “Lipid modulation of immunity in MS and EAE.”
Present position: Head of Bioinformatics, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD and Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick