Emmanuelle Waubant, MD, PhD, received her medical degree at the University of Lille, France. She then trained in France as well as at UCSF in adult neurology, neuroimmunology and MS clinical research. She is currently Professor of Neurology and Pediatrics at UCSF. She directs the Regional Pediatric MS Center at UCSF and is the president-elect for the Americas Committee on Treatment and Research in MS. She is the founder and lead of the international Women in MS, a group devoted to advancing diversity and fostering collaborations in the field of MS and related diseases. Dr. Waubant serves or has served on the clinical care, fellowship and research grant review, and scientific advisory committees of the National MS Society, and is a grant reviewer for the NIH, DoD, and Neuro-NEXT. She is the medical director of the Race to Erase MS. She directs translational research projects, and mentors junior investigators on various clinical, research, and career development aspects in the field of MS and related diseases.
Akash Virupakshaiah, MD, is a pediatric neurologist and neuroimmunologist specializing in autoimmune diseases affecting the brain and spinal cord, including MS, NMOSD, and MOGAD. His research focuses on advancing treatments through clinical trials and observational studies, with interests in neuroimmunology, neuroimaging, and biomarker discovery. He collaborates with UCSF researchers and the U.S. Network of Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis Centers to improve therapies for MOGAD and explore the impact of diet on MS.
Fun fact: Landscape and astrophotography enthusiast
Vinicius Andreoli Schoeps, MD, MPH, is an adult neurologist specializing in autoimmune diseases that affect the central nervous system. His research aims to identify risk factors, biomarkers, and therapeutic targets in neuroinflammatory disorders using advanced epidemiological methods and developing clinical trials to translate them into strategies for disease prevention, early detection, and precision medicine.
Parinaz Nasr, MD, is a postdoctoral research fellow with a background in medicine from Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Iran. Her research focuses on gene-environment interactions in pediatric multiple sclerosis, patient recruitment for ongoing clinical trials, and data analysis. She has contributed to multi-center studies and led collaborative projects aimed at advancing our understanding of genetic and environmental risk factors for pediatric MS. Beyond her research, Dr. Nasr is passionate about patient care, medical education, and community engagement.
Gina Chang, MD, MPH, is a child neurologist completing a pediatric clinician-scientist fellowship in MS and neuroimmunology. Her research interests include clinical and epidemiological studies on risk and prognostic factors for pediatric MS and related diseases, as well as the role of social determinants of health.
Raviola Murataj, MD, is a medical graduate pursuing a master's in clinical research at UCSF. Her interest on neurology developed during a three-year postgraduate training in Niedersachsen, Germany. Her current research focuses on neuroimmune conditions, specifically pediatric MS, with an emphasis on identifying environmental risk factors through observational studies and data analysis. Outside of her clinical interests, she likes swimming and reading.