Neuroimmunology Disease Fellowship | Johns Hopkins Neurology

The Johns Hopkins Fellowship in Neuroimmunology and Neurological Infectious Disease aims to develop exceptional independent investigators equipped with the knowledge to address critical questions related to the epidemiology, natural history, pathogenesis, and therapy of neuroimmunological diseases and neurological infectious diseases. The program offers training in a broad spectrum of neuroimmunological diseases, along with intensive hands-on research experience, close relationship with mentors, and a unique training environment. A more focused fellowship of neurological infections is not offered every year, so please reach out to the program coordinator prior to submitting a full fellowship application.

Fellowship at a Glance:

Duration: 2-3 years (we also occasionally offer one-year clinical fellowships)
Important dates:
- Program start date: July 1
- Application period: September 1 to November 15 each calendar year.
- Interviews: December - February
- Each fellowship application/interview cycle is done approximately two years in advance of the anticipated fellowship start date (e.g., September 2022 applications are for July 2024 start date)
Fellowship tracks: basic science research, clinical research (e.g., clinical trials), clinical
Focus: approximately 20% clinical/patient care duties and 80% research, although it varies based on the fellowship track
Eligibility: board-eligible or board-certified neurologists
Applications: please submit application materials to the program coordinator.

Program Coordinator

Mason Kruse-Hoyer, MD, MA
(443) 478-3375
mkruseh1@jhmi.edu

Program Director

Associate Program Directors

Program Features

- Fellows will become experts in evaluating and comprehensively managing patients with neuroimmunological diseases.
- Fellows will participate in specialty clinics, including multiple sclerosis (MS), neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD), myelopathies (e.g., transverse myelitis), stiff person syndrome spectrum disorders (SPSD), neurosarcoidosis, and neuro HIV clinics, with an opportunity for additional clinical exposure to encephalitis, neuro-vestibular, neuro-ophthalmology, neuroradiology, neuropathology, neurology infusion center, neurourology, neuro-rehabilitation (including neuropsychology, botulinum toxin injections, etc.), and other available clinics.
- Fellows participate in the inpatient Neuroimmunology and Neurological Infections (NINI) consult service, which provides a service to inpatient hospital patients who need specialized expertise in the workup and/or management of NINI diseases. The NINI consult service is most often contacted for suspected or definite conditions that primarily affect the central nervous system and are immune- or –infectious in origin. Examples of such conditions include newly diagnosed MS, NMOSD, myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody disorders (MOGAD), optic neuritis, transverse myelitis, encephalitis, SPSD, neurosarcoidosis, etc.
- Fellows get exposure to current scientific issues and research approaches used in studying immune disorders and neurological infectious diseases. This is accomplished through a collaborative faculty network, formal research seminars, and informal presentations of work-in-progress, journal reviews, and didactic lectures. These intellectually stimulating experiences encourage the use of expertise across disciplines and facilitate collaborative thinking, leading to the development of productive scientific careers in either clinical and/or basic science research.
- Fellows will also have the opportunity to participate in active clinical research nationally as well as international research programs in neuroinfectious diseases in Africa, if available.
- Many fellows choose to take didactic courses in biostatistics, bioethics, epidemiology, clinical trial design, grant writing workshops, neuroimmunology and neurovirology. Those courses are offered through the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
- NINI Fellows Summer Crash Course | Tuesdays (weekly during summer)
- NINI Fellows Lecture Series | Tuesdays (every other week, after summer course)
- Neuroimmunology Seminar Series | Tuesdays (alternating weeks with NINI lecture series)
- Joint NIMH Center Seminar Series (neuroHIV/comorbidities research; nationwide conference) | Wednesdays (virtual)
- Neuroimmunology Case Conference | Thursdays (weekly)
- Neurology Grand Rounds | Thursdays (weekly outside of summer)
- MRI in MS seminar | Fridays (monthly)
- National MS Society Case Conference Proceedings | Tuesdays (monthly)
- NINI Fellows Journal Club | Monthly
Fellows attend a minimum of one national/international conference each year (e.g., American Academy of Neurology, the American Neurological Association, the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers, the Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis, the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis). Fellows have the opportunity to put together and present abstracts (posters and/or platform presentations, if accepted) at these conferences.

Application Process

Eligibility Criteria

The minimum qualifications to apply to this fellowship program are:

Satisfactory completion of a Residency in Neurology
M.D. license (or equivalent) is required for this fellowship program

U.S. and international applicants (ECFMG sponsored J-1 visa) can apply. All applicants are encouraged to obtain funding in the form of MS Society grants, AAN (American Brain Foundation) fellowship grants, institutional resources, and other funding opportunities. Program directors and primary mentors help with the process of obtaining fellowship funding.

Documents to Submit

Please submit the following application materials (including the letters of recommendation) via email to mkruseh1@jhmi.edu. Incomplete applications will not be considered for an interview.

Current Curriculum Vitae (CV)
Three (3) letters of recommendation (one from the residency program director)
Personal statement: One page describing your interest in pursuing a clinical research fellowship and a statement of your scientific interests and goals for fellowship. The applications should briefly define the type of fellowship desired (clinical, clinical research and clinical trials, or basic science research [still includes clinical]), the specific research area of interest (if desired), the mentoring laboratory or clinical resources to be utilized (if known), and the specific educational goals sought by the applicant.
Optional but encouraged: USMLE (Steps 1-3, or all available); LMCC score reports (Canadian applicants)

Letters of recommendation (LORs) may be addressed as follows:

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Department of Neurology
Division of Neuroimmunology and Neurological Infections
RE: Fellowship Letter of Recommendation

Attention:
Mason Kruse-Hoyer, MD, MA

Applicant Selection

When all applications have been received, the program directors and executive committee will review each application and distribute to pertinent reviewers based on the training program track. Once all applications have been reviewed, a meeting will be held to discuss the applicants. The strongest applicants will be identified, and final selections will be made for interviews during December-February. The applicants will be ranked and chosen by the program directors and executive committee by February. Selected applicants will begin training by July 1 the following year.

Institutional Resources

Fellowship Faculty

Clinical Faculty

Research Faculty

Affiliated Faculty

Current Fellows

First-Year Fellows

Sachin Gadani, MD, PhD

Medical School: University of Virginia (2018)
Internal Medicine: Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center (2018-19)
Neurology: Johns Hopkins Hospital (2019-22)
Samantha Roman, MD

Medical School: Johns Hopkins University (2018)
Internal Medicine: Union Memorial Hospital, Baltimore (2018-19)
Neurology: Johns Hopkins Hospital (2019-22)

Second-Year Fellows

Paula Barreras Cortes, MD

Medical School: Universidad de Los Andes (2014)
Internal Medicine: MedStar Union Memorial Hospital, Baltimore (2017-18)
Neurology: The Johns Hopkins Hospital (2018-21)
Alexander Gill, MD, PhD

Medical School: University of Pennsylvania (2017)
Internal Medicine: University of Pennsylvania Neuroscience (2017-18)
Neurology: University of Pennsylvania Medical School (2018-21)
Kimystian Harrison, MD

Medical School: University of Mississippi Medical Center (2017)
Internal Medicine: Washington University/Barnes Jewish Hospital (2017-18)
Neurology: Washington University/Barnes Jewish Hospital (2018-21)
Shuvro Roy, MD

Medical School: Ohio State University (2017)
Internal Medicine: Ohio State University (2017-18)
Neurology: University of California, Los Angeles (2018-21)
Emily Schorr, MD

Medical School: Mount Sinai School of Medicine (2017)
Internal Medicine: Mount Sinai School of Medicine (2017-18)
Neurology: Mount Sinai School of Medicine (2018-21)
Alexandra Simpson, MD

Medical School: University of Maryland (2017)
Internal Medicine: Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center (2017-18)
Neurology: Johns Hopkins Hospital (2018-21)

Neurology and Neurosurgery

Neuroimmunology and Neurological Infectious Disease Fellowship

Fellowship at a Glance:

Program Coordinator

Program Director

Associate Program Directors

Program Features