Join The Community Room

Memberships for patients and families

Become a member to access exclusive recordings and live events

Upcoming Live Events

These live events are open to members only.

Join us for a live, face to face, hour long Q&A for members with Dr. Jennifer Frankovich from the Stanford PANS Clinic hosted by Neuroimmune Foundation director, Anna Conkey.

This live event (no recording) will be Tuesday June 4th at 4:00 pm PT, 5:00 MT, 6:00 CT, 7:00 ET.

  • Members may submit their questions via email. In order to have your question submitted ahead of time, please email no later than 12:00 PM CT on Monday, June 3rd. You may join us on camera if you wish. Please note when you submit your question if you’d like to ask it live or have us ask anonymously. If you do not state your preference, we will ask the question anonymously for you.
  • Please note that we are not recording this to protect the privacy of members, however, please be mindful of the way you phrase questions on the Q&A so as to only divulge information you feel comfortable sharing with the group.
  • Please note that panelists cannot give medical advice. By participating you agree you understand you are not receiving medical advice but rather insight as to how patients in their cohort have responded to various treatments.
  • Please do *not* ask patient specific questions. For instance: “How do you decide which antibiotic to use?” is fine but “What antibiotic would you suggest for an eight year old with ASO titers of 738 and positive Mycoplasma IgM?” would not be.
  • Failure to protect the privacy of other group members will result in revocation of membership. Please do not share any identifying details of any other parent’s questions with anyone outside the Q&A. Thank you for your cooperation in creating a safe space for families.

Jennifer Frankovich, MD

Clinical Associate Professor, Stanford

Anna Conkey

Neuroimmune Foundation, Executive Director and Founder

Webinars Available Exclusively to Members

Available until the end of March:

Neuromodulation for Psychiatric Disorders

Sameer Sheth, MD, PhD

Dr. Sameer Sheth is currently Associate Professor, Cullen Foundation Endowed Chair, Vice-Chair of Research, and McNair Scholar in the Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX. He also holds joint appointments in the Department of Neuroscience and Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at Baylor, and is an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at… Read More

Presentation Synopsis

Dr. Sheth will review the history and development of neurosurgery for psychiatric disorders, focusing on neuromodulation therapies like DBS. In particular, he will discuss DBS for severe, treatment resistant depression and will cover the current state of this therapy and future directions of research.

Theresa Willett, MD, PhD

PANS/PANDAS for the Busy Primary Care Provider
Dr. Theresa Willett is a general pediatrician and current medical director of the Stanford PANS/Immune Behavioral Health Clinic. She pursued her MD-PhD at Tufts University in Boston, where… Read More

Wei Zhao, MD, PhD

Plasmapheresis in Treatment of PANS
Dr. Wei Zhao received his medical degree from Wenzhou Medical University in China. He received his PhD in Immunology from West Virginia University. He then completed his pediatric residency at… Read More

Chris Bartley, MD, PhD

Autoantibody Discovery in Psychotic Spectrum Disorders
Dr. Christopher Bartley is the Chief of the Translational Immunopsychiatry Unit, NIMH, NIH*… Read More

Sarosh Irani, FRCP, DPhil, FEAN

The Immunology Underlying Autoantibody Associated CNS Diseases
Dr. Sarosh Irani is a consultant neurologist and clinician-scientist with clinical and laboratory experiences in the field of autoantibody mediated diseases of the nervous system, in… Read More

Margo Thienemann, MD

PTSD in Parents of Children with PANS
Margo Thienemann, MD is a clinical professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford. Thienemann is the lead psychiatrist of the Packard Children’s PANS clinic, the first in the country exclusively devoted to PANS… Read More

Michael Wilson, MD

Autoimmune and Infectious Encephalitis
Dr. Michael Wilson is a Debbie and Andy Rachleff Distinguished Professor of Neurology and an Associate Professor in the UCSF Department of Neurology and Weill Institute of… Read More

Hayley Gans, MD

The Link Between Infectious Diseases and Neuroimmune Disorders
Hayley Gans is a Professor of Pediatrics at Stanford University Medical Center. She spends her clinical time on the Pediatric Infectious Diseases service… Read More

Shannon Delaney, MD

Neuropsychiatric Illness Associated with Lyme and Tick-Borne Illness
Dr. Shannon Delaney is a neuropsychiatrist at Columbia University Irving Medical Center who is co-director with Dr. Fallon of the Cohen Center for Health and Recovery from Lyme and Tick borne… Read More

Madeleine Cunningham, PhD

Update on The Cunningham Panel and Related Research
Dr Cunningham received her PhD in Microbiology and Immunology in1973 at University of Tennessee Center for the Health Sciences in Memphis, TN… Read More

Erica Guetzlaff, PharmD

Understanding the Medications Used in PANS and PANDAS
Dr. Erica Guetzlaff is a pharmacist with 14 years of experience in a variety of settings, including retail, clinical and administrative (insurance) pharmacy… Read More

Beth Maloney, Esq

Protecting Your Child: Legal Issues Arising for PANS/PANDAS Families and How to Advocate Without Increasing the Risk
Beth Alison Maloney is an attorney and the author of Saving Sammy: Curing the Boy Who Caught OCD and Childhood Interrupted: The Complete Guide to PANDAS and PANS… Read More

Emily Severance, PhD

Autoimmune Phenotypes in Psychiatric Disorders
Dr. Emily Severance is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She is a member of the Stanley Division of Developmental Neurovirology… Read More

Eileen Devine, LCSW

Recognizing and Addressing Trauma in the Sibling Experience
Eileen is a certified facilitator in the teaching and application of the neurobehavioral model and has also completed Tier 1 training in Think:Kids Collaborative Problem Solving… Read More

Margo Thienemann, MD

Psychiatric Medication Management in Inflammatory Psychiatric Disease With a Focus on PANS
Margo Thienemann, MD is a clinical professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford. Thienemann is the lead psychiatrist of the Packard Children’s PANS clinic, the first in the country exclusively devoted to PANS… Read More

Richard Frye, MD, PhD

Q&A for Families with Pediatric Neurologist, Dr. Richard Frye
Dr. Richard Frye is a Child Neurologist with expertise in neurodevelopmental and neurometabolic disorders. He is the Chief of the Division of Neurodevelopmental Disorders at. Phoenix Children’s Hospital… Read More

Tina Motley

EMDR 101 for Families of Children and Young Adults with PANS/PANDAS/Encephalitis
Read More

James Adams, PhD

Overview of Microbiota Transplant for Autism Studies
James B. Adams, Ph.D., is the Director of the Autism/Asperger’s Research Program at Arizona State University. His research focuses on the medical causes of autism and how to treat and prevent it… Read More

Eileen Devine, LCSW

Co-Parenting a Child With a Neuroimmune Illness: Working Together to Navigate Challenges
Eileen is a certified facilitator in the teaching and application of the neurobehavioral model and has also completed Tier 1 training in… Read More

Lawrence Steinman, MD

Does Molecular Mimicry Explain Epidemiology Linking EBV & MS? …
Dr. Lawrence Steinman is Professor of Neurology, Neurological Sciences and Pediatrics at Stanford University. He was Chair of the Stanford Program in Immunology from 2001… Read More

Robert Yolken, MD

Neuropsychiatric Consequences of Viral Infections – Focus on SARS-CoV-2 and Other Coronaviruses
Dr. Robert H. Yolken is the Theodore and Vada Stanley Distinguished Professor of Neurovirology in the Department of Pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine… Read More

Naresha Saligrama, MD

T Cells and Neurodegeneration
Dr. Saligrama is an Assistant Professor in the Departments of Neurology and Pathology and Immunology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis… Read More

Sam Pleasure, MD, PhD & Claire Johns, MD

Neuropsychiatric Presentation in Pediatric COVID-19 Patients Associated with Anti-Neural Autoantibodies
Dr. Sam Pleasure is the Glenn W. Johnson, Jr. Memorial Endowed Chair in Neurology at UCSF. Dr. Pleasure is a neurologist who specializes in caring for patients with multiple sclerosis… Read More

Richard Frye, MD, PhD

Metabolic and Mitochondrial Considerations in Neuropsychiatric Deteriorations
Dr. Richard Frye is a Child Neurologist with expertise in neurodevelopmental and neurometabolic disorders. He is the Chief of the Division of Neurodevelopmental Disorders at. Phoenix Children’s Hospital… Read More

Hrissanthi (Chris) Ikonomidou, MD, PhD

A Neurologist’s Perspective on PANS: Case Studies
Dr. Hrissanthi (Chris) Ikonomidou is a Child Neurologist and physician researcher with expertise in neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental disorders… Read More

Jennifer Frankovich, MD

Rheumatology & Psychiatry – What We Can Learn From Overlapping Conditions
Dr. Frankovich is an Associate Clinical Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, Division of Allergy, Immunology Rheumatology (AIR) at Stanford University/Lucile… Read More

Chris Pittenger, MD, PhD

Antibodies in Children with PANDAS Bind to and Inhibit Specific Inter­neurons in the Basal Ganglia
Chris Pittenger earned his MD and Ph.D. degrees from Columbia University, where his graduate work was done with Nobel Prize recipient Eric Kandel… Read More

Cheryl Standing, MD

PANS Cases: Through the Eyes of a Pediatrician
Dr. Cheryl Standing is a pediatrician at Greater Regional Health in Creston, Iowa. She completed a pediatric residency at Strong Memorial Hospital and fellowships in pediatric emergency… Read More

Erin Masterson, PhD, MPH

Preliminary Findings from the International PANS Registry Epidemiology Study
Erin E. Masterson, PhD, MPH is an Epidemiologist at the University of Washington in Seattle. She has partnered with the Pediatric Research & Advocacy Initiative.. Read More

Theresa Willett, MD, PhD

Clues from the Clinical Exam and PANS/PANDAS for the Busy Primary Care Provider
Dr. Theresa Willett is a general pediatrician and current medical director of the Stanford PANS/Immune Behavioral Health Clinic. She pursued her MD-PhD at Tufts University in Boston, where… Read More

Ruy Carrasco, MD

Clinical Workup and Treatment of Rheumatological Diseases That Have Psychiatric Co-Morbidities
Healthcare Executive with over 15 years’ experience in nationally recognized rheumatology programs for superior patient care, research and patient satisfaction… Read More

Andrew Baumel, MD

A Pediatrician’s Perspective on Treating Mild to Moderate PANS
Dr. Baumel is a graduate of Yale University and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. His pediatric internship and residency were done at Childrens’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago… Read More

Elizabeth Mellins, MD

Monocyte Research in PANS
Dr. Elizabeth Mellins is a Pediatric Rheumatologist and a Molecular Immunologist at Stanford University School of Medicine. She has focused her career on laboratory-based research on… Read More

Cynthia Kapphahn, MD, MPH

Disordered Eating in PANS
Dr. Cynthia Kapphahn is a Clinical Professor in the Division of Adolescent Medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine. She is Medical Director, Eating Disorders Program of Lucile… Read More

Sean Pittock, MD

GAD65 Neurological Autoimmunity
Dr. Sean Pittock is Professor of Neurology, Director of the Neuroimmunology Laboratory and the Center for MS and Autoimmune Neurology at the Mayo Clinic. His expertise is in the… Read More

Jill Hollenbach, PhD, MPH

Immunogenetic Variation in PANS and Neuroinflammatory Disease
Jill Hollenbach is Associate Professor in the Department of Neurology and Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of California, San Francisco. She was… Read More

Dritan Agalliu, PhD

The Role of the Adaptive Immunity and Genetic Risk Factors in Vas­cular and Neuronal Dys­function in Post Infectious Autoimmune Encephalitis
Research in Dr. Dritan Agalliu’s laboratory is focused on understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms that regulate formation of the blood-brain barrier in the central nervous system… Read More

Cynthia Wang, MD

Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis
Dr. Cynthia Wang received her medical degree from University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas and completed a pediatric neurology residency at Mott Children’s Hospital… Read More

Harumi Jyonouchi, MD

A Possible Role of Immune Mediated Inflammation in Autism Spectrum Disorders
Harumi Jyonouchi, MD received her medical training at the Yokohama City University School of Medicine, Yokohama, Japan… Read More

Kiki Chang, MD

Review of Expert Consensus Treatment Guidelines for Youth with PANS
Dr. Kiki Chang is a child psychiatrist with over 22 years of experience in working with younger children, adolescents, adults and families. Formerly, Dr. Chang was Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral… Read More

Richard Frye, MD, PhD

Understanding the Overlap of PANS and Autism – An Overview of Research on Antineuronal Antibodies in Patients with Autism
Dr. Richard Frye is a Child Neurologist with expertise in neurodevelopmental and neurometabolic disorders… Read More

Shannon Delaney, MD

Q&A for Families with Neuropsychiatrist, Dr. Shannon Delaney
Dr. Shannon Delaney is a neuropsychiatrist at Columbia University Irving Medical Center who is co-director with Dr. Fallon of the Cohen Center for Health and Recovery from Lyme and Tick borne… Read More

Jessica Schaffer

Nervous System Know-How for Parents: How to Harness the Wisdom of Your Body to Navigate Through Challenging Times
Read More

Samuel Pleasure, MD, PhD & Michael Wilson, MD

Infectious and Autoimmune Causes of Encephalitis
Dr. Sam Pleasure is the Glenn W. Johnson, Jr. Memorial Endowed Chair in Neurology at UCSF. Michael Wilson, MD is a Debbie and Andy Rachleff Distinguished Professor of Neurology and an Associate Professor in the UCSF Department of Neurology… Read More

Margo Thienemann, MD and Richard Frye, MD, PhD

PANS and PANDAS: A Review of the Research and Current Treatments
Dr. Margo Thienemann is a clinical professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford. Dr. Richard Frye is a Child Neurologist with expertise in neurodevelopmental and neurometabolic disorders. … Read More
Front of awareness card with a digital, artistic drawing of a brain, and the text: My child has an inflammatory brain condition that can present with challenging behavioral symptoms that are not in his/her control. Thank you for your patience and understanding. It is appreciated.
Back of awareness card, with the logo, The Foundation for Children with Neuroimmune Disorders, and neuroimmune.org.

Members can request these cards be shipped to them free of charge.

What are the benefits of joining The Community Room and purchasing Neuroimmune membership?

  • Please see above for all the exciting webinars and opportunities you can access as a member!

How much does membership cost? What are the terms and conditions?

  • Annual membership is offered at $11 a month. Cancellation prior to 12 months is permitted, however you will be responsible for the remainder of the $132 annual membership fee if you would like to cancel in advance. By submitting your first payment and agreeing to an account, you are agreeing to these terms.
  • Community Membership Terms and Conditions
    There are no refunds for any reason. Cancellation prior to 12 months is permitted, however you will be responsible for the remainder of the $132 annual membership fee if you would like to cancel in advance. Once you have completed one year as a member, you may cancel at any time without additional charges. By submitting your first payment and agreeing to an account, you are agreeing to these terms. Ongoing monthly charges will occur until you cancel them.
  • While membership entitles you to view or listen to certain webinars or meetings, it does not guarantee that your question will be asked. In all cases, the opinions expressed by the expert hosts should not be interpreted as medical advice pertaining to a specific child’s case, but rather simply reflect the experience of these expert clinicians in treating similar cases or encountering similar situations in the past. Each individual’s case is unique and the expert hosts do not have the ability to examine the child nor confirm the accuracy of the clinical information, thus cannot and will not make specific treatment recommendations on any child’s case but instead provide more general information based upon clinical experience.
  • Any type of bullying or harassment on forums, Q&As, social media, or email will not be tolerated under any circumstances and will lead to immediate revocation of one’s membership as will failure to respect the privacy of other children/families (including but not limited to sharing details of private questions asked on Q&As and in forums). Similarly, allowing friends/family to access one’s membership account or any online meeting links will result in revocation of membership without refund.
  • We value your thoughts and contributions and will periodically ask for your feedback on our initiatives and how we can best serve our community. Please note that our membership structure does not provide voting opportunities for members. While membership provides access to watch the CME recordings, medical professionals who are not entitled to free CME certification.