The 20 Best Encephalitis Doctors in New York, US

Claude Steriade is a Neurologist in New York, New York. Dr. Steriade is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Encephalitis. Her top areas of expertise are Encephalitis, Seizures, Epilepsy, and Status Epilepticus.

Anusha Yeshokumar is a Pediatric Neurologist in New York, New York. Dr. Yeshokumar is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Encephalitis. Her top areas of expertise are Anti-NMDA Receptor Encephalitis, Encephalitis, Stiff Person Syndrome, and Seizures.

Kiran Thakur is a Neurologist in New York, New York. Dr. Thakur is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Encephalitis. Her top areas of expertise are Encephalitis, Meningitis, Tuberculous Meningitis, Gamma Knife Radiosurgery, and Awake Craniotomy.

"Souhel Najjar, MD is the Chair of Neurology at Lenox Hill Hospital and Staten Island University Hospital and is Chair and Professor of Neurology at the Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine. Dr. Najjar is a world-renowned physician, internationally recognized for his clinical, research and teaching expertise, having dedicated his career to the diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy, neuroinflammation-related neuropsychiatric disorders and autoimmune disorders of central nervous system.Dr. Najjar received his MD from Demascus Medical School in Syria and completed residencies in pathology and neurology at Albany Medical College. Following residency Dr. Najjar completed a fellowship in neuropathology at the NYU School of Medicine as well as a fellowship in epilepsy and clinical neurophysiology at NYU's Hospital for Joint Diseases.Prior to his appointment at North Shore-LIJ, Dr. Najjar was the Director of Neurosciences and Director of Stroke at SIUH, as well as the Director of Epilepsy Quality Assurance and Associate Professor of Neurology at New York University School of Medicine. Dr. Najjar was also the Founder and Director of the Epilepsy Center Division of the NYU Department of Neurology's Neuroinflammation Research Group.Dr. Najjar was featured in the New York Times' best-selling novel ""Brain on Fire,"" a memoir written by Susannah Cahalan, a reporter from the New York Post. Dr. Najjar diagnosed Ms. Cahalan with a rare autoimmune disease in which the body was attacking her brain. This illness is now thought to have been the cause of ""demonic possessions"" throughout history.In addition, Dr. Najjar has been featured in several nationally syndicated broadcast interviews including TLC's ""Mystery Diagnosis,"" NBC-TV's ""Today"" show and ABC-TV's ""Katie Couric Show."" Dr. Najjar has also been featured in Oprah magazine and Forbes magazine and has been included in ""Best Doctors"" issues published by US News and World Report and New York magazine. Dr. Najjar was also recognized in Exceptional Parent Magazine's Maxwell J. Schleifer Distinguished Service Award for his contributions to the care of children with epilepsy, cerebral palsy, movement disorders and related disabilities.Dr. Najjar's work has been widely published and is a reviewer for several peer-reviewed journals. He is also the Co-Director of the Scientific Planning Committee of the Autoimmune Encephalitis Alliance and lectures regularly both nationally and internationally.". Dr. Najjar is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Encephalitis. His top areas of expertise are Encephalitis, Rasmussen Encephalitis, Anti-NMDA Receptor Encephalitis, Epilepsy, and Thrombectomy.

Simona Proteasa is a Neurologist in Great Neck, New York. Dr. Proteasa is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Encephalitis. Her top areas of expertise are Seizures, Epilepsy, Encephalitis, Memory Loss, and Gastrostomy.

Asaff Harel MD MSC is an Associate Professor of Neurology at the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and serves as the Director of the Comprehensive Multiple Sclerosis Center as well as the North Shore/LIJ Neurology Residency Program. He subspecializes in the care of people with neuroimmunological conditions such as multiple sclerosis, neuromyelitis optica, MOGAD, sarcoidosis, central nervous system vasculitis, and other related conditions. He received his medical degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He completed both residency and a neuroimmunology fellowship at the Mount Sinai Hospital. Outside of clinical work and teaching, Dr. Harel is devoted to research and is involved in several clinical trials and internal research projects studying MS and related conditions. Dr. Harel is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Encephalitis. His top areas of expertise are Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM), Encephalitis, and Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis (RMS).

Nathalie Jette is a Neurologist in New York, New York. Dr. Jette is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Encephalitis. Her top areas of expertise are Epilepsy, Seizures, Generalized Tonic-Clonic Seizure, Absence Seizure, and Thrombectomy.

Dr. Sarah Flanagan Wesley graduated from medical school at the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin, followed by residency in adult neurology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and then fellowship in neuroimmunology at the Yale School of Medicine. Dr. Wesley was on faculty at Yale as an Assistant Professor of Neurology in the neuroimmunology subdivision until joining faculty at Columbia in 2020. Dr. Wesley treats a range of neuroimmunological and autoimmune neurological conditions, including various forms of autoimmune encephalitis, CNS vasculitis, neuro-rheumatological conditions, multiple sclerosis, and immune-related toxicity to cancer treatments. Dr. Wesley serves as a lead for Columbia's neurological immunotoxicity program, conducting clinical and translational research on the mechanisms and management of neurological side effects to cancer treatments, such as cancer immune checkpoint inhibitors and CAR T-cell therapy. Dr. Wesley is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Encephalitis. Her top areas of expertise are Encephalitis, Anti-NMDA Receptor Encephalitis, Rasmussen Encephalitis, and Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

Fred Lado is a Neurologist in Great Neck, New York. Dr. Lado is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Encephalitis. His top areas of expertise are Seizures, Epilepsy, Generalized Tonic-Clonic Seizure, Gastrostomy, and Deep Brain Stimulation.

Derek Chong is a Neurologist in New York, New York. Dr. Chong is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Encephalitis. His top areas of expertise are Seizures, Generalized Tonic-Clonic Seizure, Epilepsy, and Encephalitis.

Maria Popa Muste, MD, FAAN is an assistant professor of neurology at CUIMC, in the Division of Multispecialty Neurology. A native of Romania, Dr. Muste completed her formal medical education in her home country. After moving to New York, she completed residencies in internal medicine and neurology at North Shore University Hospital and New York University School of Medicine. Dr. Muste subsequently completed a Clinical Neurophysiology fellowship, with an emphasis on EMG/Neuromuscular Medicine, here at Columbia. She is board certified in Neurology and Electrodiagnostic Medicine and is a fellow of the American Academy of Neurology.  In addition to practicing general neurology, Dr. Muste specializes in the care of patients with a range of neuromuscular diseases, including myasthenia gravis, myopathy, chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CDIP), neuroimmunological disorders such as encephalopathy and paraneoplastic syndromes, small fiber neuropathy, and dystonia.  She will see patients and perform nerve conduction testing and electromyography (EMG) at the NewYork-Presbyterian Medical Group Westchester office in Eastchester, NY. Dr. Muste is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Encephalitis. Her top areas of expertise are Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy, Peripheral Neuropathy, Spastic Paraplegia-Epilepsy-Intellectual Disability Syndrome, and Spastic Paraplegia Type 2.

Sean T. Hwang, MD joined the Northwell Health System in 2008 and is an Associate Professor of Neurology at the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra Northwell. He is the Director of the Continuous EEG Monitoring Program at North Shore University Hospital and the Program Director of the ACGME-approved adult Epilepsy Fellowship Program.Dr. Hwang earned his MD from Tufts University and completed his residency in neurology at Stanford University Medical Center before completing a two-year fellowship in EEG and Epilepsy at Columbia University Medical Center.Dr. Hwang specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of seizures, the interpretation of neurophysiologic studies, operative planning for epilepsy surgery, and performing functional cortical mapping. Dr. Hwang's research interests also involve studying the interaction between epilepsy and behavior. Dr. Hwang has been a primary investigator and co-investigator in several clinical studies involving the development of new epilepsy medications, evaluating new technologies for epilepsy, and evaluating outcomes in children born to women with epilepsy.Dr. Hwang is responsible for the training of Epilepsy fellows and the formulation of their curriculum. His duties at North Shore Hospital also include the supervision and instruction of general neurology residents, as well as participating in the education of medical students. He has received departmental teaching honors on two occasions.Dr. Hwang is a member of the American Academy of Neurology, the American Clinical Neurophysiology Society, the American Epilepsy Society, and the Long Island Epilepsy Foundation Professional Advisory Board. He received the Epilepsy Foundation of Long Island Professional Leadership Award in 2017 for his commitment and dedication to his colleagues and patients. Dr. Hwang was voted one of Castle Connelly's Top Doctors in 2025.Dr. Hwang has triple board certification from the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in Neurology, Epilepsy, and Clinical Neurophysiology. Dr. Hwang is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Encephalitis. His top areas of expertise are Seizures, Epilepsy, Generalized Tonic-Clonic Seizure, Gastrostomy, and Deep Brain Stimulation.

Samir Alkabie is a Neurologist in New York, New York. Dr. Alkabie has been practicing medicine for over 10 years and is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Encephalitis. His top areas of expertise are Encephalitis, Optic Neuritis, Transverse Myelitis, and Neuromyelitis Optica.

Nisali Gunawardane is a Neurologist in Sleepy Hollow, New York. Dr. Gunawardane is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Encephalitis. Her top areas of expertise are Seizures, Generalized Tonic-Clonic Seizure, Encephalitis, and Anti-NMDA Receptor Encephalitis.

Lauren Gluck, MD, is the Director of the Montefiore Multiple Sclerosis Center and Assistant Professor at our Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Her clinical focus is on neuroimmunological diseases that affect the brain and spinal cord, including adult and adolescent multiple sclerosis, neuromyelitis optica, neurosarcoidosis and autoimmune encephalitis. Dr. Gluck is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Encephalitis. Her top areas of expertise are Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis (RMS), Encephalitis, and Transverse Myelitis.

Daniel Torres is a Neurologist in New York, New York. Dr. Torres is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Encephalitis. His top areas of expertise are Peripheral Neuropathy, Concussion, Generalized Tonic-Clonic Seizure, and Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.

Bibhuti Mishra is a Neurologist and a Sleep Medicine provider in Rego Park, New York. Dr. Mishra is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Encephalitis. His top areas of expertise are Acute Cerebellar Ataxia, Supranuclear Ocular Palsy, Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, and Progressive Supranuclear Palsy Atypical.

Salman Azhar is a Neurologist in New York, New York. Dr. Azhar is rated as an Advanced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Encephalitis. His top areas of expertise are Stroke, Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA), Hemiplegia, Gastrostomy, and Stent Placement.

Lawrence Samkoff is a Neurologist in Rochester, New York. Dr. Samkoff is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Encephalitis. His top areas of expertise are Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Encephalitis, Anti-NMDA Receptor Encephalitis, and Rasmussen Encephalitis.

Robert Fekete is a Neurologist in Hawthorne, New York. Dr. Fekete is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Encephalitis. His top areas of expertise are Movement Disorders, Parkinson's Disease, Drug Induced Dyskinesia, Stent Placement, and Transmyocardial Revascularization.