Dr. Chethan K. Rao

Catherine Chu is the director of the Division of Pediatric Neurology and the John M. Freeman Pediatric Epilepsy Center in the Johns Hopkins Department of Neurology, as well as the vice president of child neurology at the Kennedy Krieger Institute. As a child neurologist, epileptologist and clinical neurophysiologist, Dr. Chu cares for children diagnosed with epilepsy and disorders of the nervous system (neurophysiology). She specializes in electroencephalogram (also known as EEG) analysis, seizure localization, surgical planning and neuromodulation for adult and pediatric patients with difficult to control epilepsy. She is nationally and internationally recognized for her work identifying causes of and treatment options for cognitive dysfunction and seizures in epilepsy and neurodevelopmental disorders. Dr. Chu’s team specializes in identifying and developing tools to detect and understand brain rhythms that support complex cognitive functions throughout development, including how these rhythms are disrupted by seizures and neurodevelopmental disorders. Dr. Chu earned her medical degree and a master’s degree in social anthropology from Harvard University. She completed an internship in pediatrics at Massachusetts General Hospital, and then a residency in neurology and child neurology at Massachusetts General and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. After completing two fellowships at Massachusetts General, one in epilepsy and another in clinical neurophysiology, Dr. Chu earned a master’s degree in medical science, focused on clinical investigation, from Harvard Medical School. Dr. Chu is highly rated in 11 conditions, according to our data. Her top areas of expertise are Benign Rolandic Epilepsy, Epilepsy in Children, Seizures, and Epilepsy.

Dr. Comi graduated from SUNY Buffalo School of Medicine and received her training in pediatrics at the Children's Hospital of Buffalo and her child neurology training at Johns Hopkins Medicine. Her clinical specialization is in the treatment of the neurological aspects of Sturge-Weber syndrome and other disorders related to capillary malformation. Dr. Comi's clinical research interests focus on improving the early diagnosis and treatment of brain involvement in Sturge-Weber syndrome in order to prevent ischemic brain injury in affected infants and young children, and on studies to understand what causes Sturge-Weber syndrome. Her laboratory research work deals with the pathogenesis of Sturge-Weber syndrome, recently shown to be caused by a somatic mutation, and on developing new drug targets, screening assays, models and therapeutic strategies for Sturge-Weber syndrome. Her lab group also works on developing better neuroprotective and neuroregenerative responses to brain injury resulting from impaired blood flow to the brain. Dr. Comi is highly rated in 22 conditions, according to our data. Her top areas of expertise are Sturge-Weber Syndrome, Parkes Weber Syndrome, Stork Bite, Epilepsy in Children, and Endovascular Embolization.

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 highly rated in 16 conditions, according to our data. Her top areas of expertise are Multiple Sclerosis (MS), CACH Syndrome, Optic Neuritis, and Transverse Myelitis.