Dr. Olwen C. Murphy

Dr. Pardo's interest in transverse myelitis centers on management of acute myelitis, biomarkers of the disease in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood, and the role of neuroimmune factors in the pathogenesis of myelopathies. Along with others neurologists and health care providers in the Johns Hopkins Transverse Myelitis Center, Dr. Pardo focuses on a comprehensive approach in the diagnosis and management of myelopathies, myelitis, neuroimmunological and neuroinfectious disorders. Dr. Pardo is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM). His top areas of expertise are Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM), Neurosarcoidosis, Transverse Myelitis, Zika Virus Disease, and Gastrostomy.

Dr. Elrick specializes in the care of children with neuromuscular disorders, and EMG studies in children and adults. He has special interests in genetic neuromuscular and neurodegenerative disorders and Acute Flaccid Myelitis. Dr. Elrick earned his M.D. and Ph.D. in Neuroscience at the University of Michigan Medical School, studying inherited neurodegenerative disorders of childhood. He completed residency training in Pediatrics and Child Neurology, followed by a fellowship in Neuromuscular Medicine and Johns Hopkins before joining the faculty in 2019. Dr. Elrick's laboratory research interest is in understanding mechanisms of neurodegenerative disease, especially those affecting motor neurons. He studies disorders caused by genetic mutations in the nuclear pore complex, the main pathway for transport of material in and out of the nucleus of the cell, including Triple A Syndrome. He also participates in clinical research on Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM), aimed at understanding susceptibility to AFM in children, and defining clinical and EMG characteristics of illness and recovery in AFM. Dr. Elrick is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM). His top areas of expertise are Cramp-Fasciculation Syndrome, Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM), Dysferlinopathy, and Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

Brenda Banwell is the director of the Department of Pediatrics, as well as pediatrician-in-chief and co-director of Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, where she helps manage the hospital’s many clinical and research centers. Dr. Banwell is a renowned expert in the research and treatment of pediatric multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neuroimmune disorders. She specializes in and studies the use of neuroimaging to assess the clinical and cognitive impact of the conditions, as well as the function of the immune system in children with these disorders. She also created a standardized clinical care algorithm and clinical database in order to evaluate the clinical impact of MS. Dr. Banwell has published more than 250 manuscripts in high-impact journals, along with over 25 book chapters. In addition, she has over 200 national and international invited lectureships and visiting professorships. An advocate for pediatric multiple sclerosis needs and research, Dr. Banwell serves as chair of the International Medical and Scientific Board of the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation, and the Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein Antibody–Associated Disease (MOGAD) International Research Consortium. She is also chair of the pediatric committee of the National Institutes of Health NeuroNEXT program, which conducts studies on treatments for neurological diseases through academic, private, and industry collaborations. Dr. Banwell currently serves as past-chair of the International Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis Study Group, Dr. Banwell earned her medical degree from the University of Western Ontario. She later completed a residency in pediatrics at the University of Western Ontario-Children's Hospital of Western Ontario and a second residency in pediatric neurology at University of Toronto – The Hospital for Sick Children. Her residencies were followed by a fellowship in neuromuscular research at Mayo Clinic. Dr. Banwell is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM). Her top areas of expertise are Multiple Sclerosis (MS), CACH Syndrome, Optic Neuritis, and Transverse Myelitis.