
Overview
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 Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Cerebral Hypoxia. Her top areas of expertise are Multiple Sclerosis (MS), CACH Syndrome, Optic Neuritis, and Transverse Myelitis.
Her clinical research consists of co-authoring 304 peer reviewed articles and participating in 1 clinical trial. MediFind looks at clinical research from the past 15 years. In particular, she has co-authored 1 article in the study of Cerebral Hypoxia.
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- INDEMNITY
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- OTHER MEDICAID
- STATE MEDICAID
- INSURANCE PLAN
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- MEDICARE PDP
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- MEDICARE-MEDICAID PLAN
- OTHER MEDICARE PART D
- EPO
- HMO
- POS
- PPO
- EPO
- HMO
- INSURANCE PLAN
- MANAGED MEDICAID PLAN
- MEDICARE MAPD
- MEDICARE PDP
- MEDICARE SNP
- MEDICARE-MEDICAID PLAN
- OTHER MEDICARE
- OTHER MEDICARE PART D
Locations
601 North Caroline Street, Floor 5, Floor 5, Baltimore, MD 21287
Clinical Research
Clinical research consists of overseeing clinical studies of patients undergoing new treatments and therapies, and publishing articles in peer reviewed medical journals. Providers who actively participate in clinical research are generally at the forefront of the fields and aware of the most up-to-date advances in treatments for their patients.
1 Clinical Trials
Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center
Pediatric and neonatal neurologist Joseph Scafidi is a clinician-scientist with expertise in pre-term neonatal brain injury, hypoxic ischemia and neurodevelopmental disorders. He directs the Michael V. Johnston Center for Developmental Neuroscience at Kennedy Krieger Institute. Dr. Scafidi earned a degree in osteopathic medicine from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. He completed residency training in pediatrics at Rutgers University Medical School as well as in child neurology at Children’s National Hospital, where he also undertook fellowship training in neonatal neurology. Additionally, Dr. Scafidi was a postdoctoral research fellow in developmental neurobiology at Children’s National Research Institute. His research interests focus on understanding metabolic adaptations after perinatal brain injury in the acute and long-term recovery phases, specifically how different cell populations in different brain regions use energy after injury and how these adaptations or maladaptations affect the recovery process. As a practicing pediatric and neonatal neurologist, Dr. Scafidi is ideally positioned to facilitate bench-to-bedside therapies through his laboratory and to improve knowledge of disease by developing and testing bedside-to-bench, research-driven hypotheses. Dr. Scafidi is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Cerebral Hypoxia. His top areas of expertise are Cerebral Hypoxia, Seizures, Benign Rolandic Epilepsy, Premature Infant, and Endovascular Embolization.
Johns Hopkins Outpatient Center
Dr. Habela completed a Medical Scientist Training Program at the University of Alabama, Birmingham. She received her PhD in Neurobiology in 2008 and her MD in 2010. After medical school, she specialized in child neurology, and completed 2 years of pediatrics residency and 3 years of child neurology residency at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in 2015. She then completed another 2 years of training specifically focused on the diagnosis, characterization and medical and surgical management of patients with epilepsy during an Epilepsy Fellowship at Johns Hopkins. Dr. Habela’s clinic specializes in pediatric neurology and epilepsy. Her clinical focus in on the care of patients with severe epilepsy with or without other neurodevelopmental disorders that have not been easily controlled with medications. She is also focused on the genetic causes of epilepsy and other neurodevelopmental disabilities with the hope that increasing our understanding of the genetic causes of epilepsy and neurodevelopmental disabilities will improve treatment. Dr. Habela’s basic science research is focused on the genetic mechanisms regulating appropriate proliferation, migration and integration of neurons and glial cells in both the prenatal and postnatal developing brain and how aberrations in these processes result in neurodevelopmental disabilities. Her hypothesis is that deregulation of pre and postnatal neurogenesis and synaptogenesis contributes to the behavioral phenotypes observed in many forms of intellectual disability, epilepsy and autism. Her research applies what we know from human genetic studies to basic science studies examining how specific genetic changes alter neurogenesis, synaptogenesis and overall excitation / inhibition balance in laboratory model systems. Her goal is to provide a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of these processes and, in turn, possibly identify specific targets for disease modifying treatments for epilepsy. Contact for Research Inquiries 600 N. Wolfe Street Meyer 2-147 Baltimore, MD 21287 Phone: (410) 955-9100. Dr. Habela is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Cerebral Hypoxia. Her top areas of expertise are 15q11.2 Microdeletion, Primary Lateral Sclerosis, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's Disease), Epilepsy, and Endovascular Embolization.
The Johns Hopkins Hospital
Christopher Carosella is a Neurologist and a Pulmonary Medicine provider in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Carosella is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Cerebral Hypoxia. His top areas of expertise are Cerebral Hypoxia, Tuberous Sclerosis, Tuberous Sclerosis Complex, and Seizures.
Areas of Expertise
MediFind evaluates expertise by pulling from factors such as number of articles a doctor has published in medical journals, participation in clinical trials, speaking at industry conferences, prescribing and referral patterns, and strength of connections with other experts in their field.
Learn more about MediFind’s expert tiers
- Elite
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS)Dr. Banwell isElite. Learn about Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
- Distinguished
- CACH SyndromeDr. Banwell isDistinguished. Learn about CACH Syndrome.
- Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein Antibody-Associated Disease
- Neuromyelitis OpticaDr. Banwell isDistinguished. Learn about Neuromyelitis Optica.
- Optic NeuritisDr. Banwell isDistinguished. Learn about Optic Neuritis.
- Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis (RMS)Dr. Banwell isDistinguished. Learn about Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis (RMS).
- Transverse MyelitisDr. Banwell isDistinguished. Learn about Transverse Myelitis.
- Advanced
- Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM)Dr. Banwell isAdvanced. Learn about Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM).
- Agyria Pachygyria PolymicrogyriaDr. Banwell isAdvanced. Learn about Agyria Pachygyria Polymicrogyria.
- Anti-NMDA Receptor EncephalitisDr. Banwell isAdvanced. Learn about Anti-NMDA Receptor Encephalitis.
- EncephalitisDr. Banwell isAdvanced. Learn about Encephalitis.
- Focal or Multifocal Malformations in Neuronal Migration
- HiccupsDr. Banwell isAdvanced. Learn about Hiccups.
- Experienced
- Absence SeizureDr. Banwell isExperienced. Learn about Absence Seizure.
- ApraxiaDr. Banwell isExperienced. Learn about Apraxia.
- Brain HerniationDr. Banwell isExperienced. Learn about Brain Herniation.
- Cerebellum Agenesis HydrocephalyDr. Banwell isExperienced. Learn about Cerebellum Agenesis Hydrocephaly.
- Cerebral HypoxiaDr. Banwell isExperienced. Learn about Cerebral Hypoxia.
- Childhood PancreatitisDr. Banwell isExperienced. Learn about Childhood Pancreatitis.

