Neuroimmunological disorders (NDs) are a related collection of immune-mediated, demyelinating diseases of the central nervous system. Collectively, NDs are the leading cause of acquired neurological disability in young and middle aged adults. Unfortunately, there are no cures and therapeutics primarily target immune response and symptom management, and have limited impact on reducing disability accumulation. The most prevalent ND is multiple sclerosis (MS) – affecting upwards of 700,000 - 900,000 Americans, with more than 12,000 new diagnoses per year in the United States. Other NDs are much less common and rare, and include neuromyelitis optica (NMO), transverse myelitis (TM), and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) – precise estimates of prevalence and incidence for these rare NDs do not exist.
The lab aims to characterize NDs across various populations, and elucidate genetic and environmental/lifestyle determinants of onset, clinical presentation, comorbidity burden, and disability accrual. Thus, we are developing a diverse research portfolio to tackle critical micro, individual and macro-level questions to advance epidemiologic and clinical knowledge of NDs with the hope of advancing clinical cares and the lives of those living with NDs.
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The Team
Principal Investigator
Farren Briggs, PhD, ScM
Assistant Professor
farren.briggs@case.edu
Post Doctoral Fellow
Elina Misicka
PhD - 2022
Dissertation: Understanding Genetic Drivers of Age at Onset and Risk conferred by Obesity in Multiple Sclerosis
Former Post-Doctoral Trainee
Yanina Natanzon, PhD MS
NDGE Post-Doctoral Fellow (2016)
Currently a Senior Clinical Epidemiologist at Syapse
Formerly a NCI R25 Fellow at the Mayo Clinic
Project: Developing a multi-omic framework for predicting MS status
Former Graduate Student Trainees
Claire Sonneborn, MS, Biostatistics
Project: Investigating childhood exposures and risk for MS, NMO, and TM
Alena Sorensen, MPH
Projects: Characterizing MS patients burden with comorbidities. Profiling IMPACT scores in youth over time
Emily Tyszka, MPH
Project: Determining the impact of mental health on physical activity in persons with MS
Eddie Hill, MD
Current position: Resident Physician, UC San Diego School of Medicine
Project: Characterizing the burden of hypertension and asthma in MS
Blaine Martyn-Dow
Non-Degree Graduate Research Assistant (2018-present)
Project: Comparing persons with MS with respect to polyautoimmunity
Jordan Bley, MPH
Non-Degree Graduate Research Assistant (2019)
GWU MPH Practicuum Trainee (2018)
Currently a Epidemiology Doctoral Student at Vanderbilt University
Project: Investigating the role of MS risk factors on multiple aspects of MS disability
Frances Wang, MS
PQHS MS Biostatistics Research Assistant (2018-2019)
Currently an Epidemiology Doctoral Student at John Hopkins SPH
Project: Utilizing genetic and clinical factors to predict depression risk after MS onset
Justin Yu, MS
PQHS MS Biostatistics Research Assistant (2017-2018)
Currently an Epidemiology Doctoral Student at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Project: Investigating the contribution of susceptibility factors on early clinical expression of MS
Jinghong Jiangyang, MS
PQHS MS Biostatistics Research Assistant (2017-2018)
Currently a Data and Policy Analyst at Acumen, LLC
Project: Predicting diagnostic delays in persons with MS
Paola Saroufim, PharmD MPH
PQHS MPH Research Assistant (2015-2017)
Currently a Research Scientist at CWRU/Cleveland Institute for Computational Biology
Project: Profiling cardiovascular conditions in MS, NMO, and TM
Former Undergraduate Student Trainees
Sophia Zweig
Major: Biology
Research Intern (2016-2017)
Currently an MPH student at John Hopkins SPH
Project: Describing cardiovascular, autoimmune, and allergic conditions in MS, NMO, and TM
Shannon Fu
Major: Statistics
SAGES Senior Capstone Student
Currently a Modeling Analyst at KeyBank
Project: Comparative analysis of health-outcomes by healthcare-seeking behaviors in persons with MS
Corriene (Corri) Sept
Major: Statistics; Minor: Bioethics & Medical Humanities
Currently a PhD candidate in Biostatistics with the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health