Meet our members
The International Susac Consortium brings together clinicians and researchers from around the world who share a commitment to improving the lives of people with Susac syndrome.
Our members include neurologists, ophthalmologists, ENT specialists, neuroradiologists, immunologists and scientists, as well as patient experts, each bringing their own expertise to a shared goal:
Earlier diagnosis, better treatment and a deeper understanding of this rare disease.
Get to know the Steering Committee members
Get to know the members of the International Susac Consortium below - in no particular order
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Prof. Heinz Wiendl, MD, Dr. h.c.
Medical Director, Department for Neurology and Neuroscience, Medical Center – University of Freiburg, Germany
Research focus: Neuroinflammation, Neuroimmunology & Multiple Sclerosis
Focus on Precision Neuroimmunology, Biomarkers & Neurological Immunotherapy
President, International Society of Neuroimmunology (ISNI)
Prof. dr. Guy Laureys, MD, PhD
Neurologist
Ghent University Hospital (UZ Gent), Belgium
Specialist in neuroinflammatory disorders.
Clinical and research focus: optimization and clinical management of Susac syndrome.
Member of the European Reference Network for rare immunological diseases (ERN-RITA)
Coordinates a dedicated multidisciplinary team that manages a cohort of more than 20 patients with Susac syndrome.
Dr. Beatrijs Wokke, MD, PhD
Neurologist
Erasmus Medical Center, Department of Neurology, MS Center ErasMS, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Clinical and research focus: neuroinflammatory diseases of the central nervous system
Member of the European Reference Network for rare immunological diseases (ERN-RITA)
Katrin Hellmundt, MSc
Patient expert
M.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering (Vehicle and Combustion Engine Technologies) from the Technical University of Munich (TUM), Germany
Working in the research and development department of a German OEM (Development Powertrain)
Diagnosed with Susac Syndrome in 2022; Member of EuSac e.V.
Active in the local advisory council for inclusion and disability
Interested in hiking, reading and playing (traditional) brass music
Dr. Dr. Christian Keller, MD PhD MBA
Attending Physician, Department of Neurology and Neurophysiology, Medical Center – University of
Freiburg, Germany
Research focus: Translational Neuroimmunology – Multiple Sclerosis, Myasthenia Gravis and
Antibody-Mediated CNS Disorders
Head, Translational Neuroimmunobiology Research Group; Deputy Head CSF Laboratory, Deputy Head Myasthenia Center
Dr. John J. Chen
Professor of Ophthalmology and Neurology
Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
Neuro-ophthalmologist with special interest in autoimmune disorders
Research interests include Susac syndrome, optic neuritis, neuroimmunology, and OCT biomarkers
Associate Editor, Ophthalmology and Journal of Neuro-Ophthalmology
Dr. Stephen Reddel, MB BS PhD FRACP
Neurologist
Concord Repatriation & General Hospital Sydney, and consultant neurologist at the Brain & Mind Research Institute, University of Sydney, Australia
Leads the neuroimmunology clinic at Concord Hospital, which specialises in the safe treatment of neurological conditions requiring immunotherapy.
Prof. Dr. Ayşe Altıntaş
Neurologist
Director of the Demyelinating Central Nervous System Diseases Center at Koç University Hospital, Turkye
Istanbul University, Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Medicine
Research focus: inflammatory demyelinating diseases of the CNS particularly MS and NMOSD, aiming to elucidate disease mechanisms and identify potential biomarkers through integrated clinical and laboratory-based research
Prof. dr. Roland Liblau
Neurologist and professor of clinical immunology
Toulouse University Hospital, Toulouse, France
Head of a laboratory combining analysis of original murine models with the exploration of biological samples from patients to better understand the functions of T cells, in particular CD8+ T cells, in inflammatory diseases of the CNS, including Susac syndrome.
Dr. Juna de Vries, MD, PhD
Neurologist
National reference centre and expertise centre for autoimmune encephalitis at Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Member of the European Reference Network for rare immunological diseases (ERN-RITA).
Focus: on clinical care for patients with autoimmune encephalitis and other neuroimmunological disorders, including Susac syndrome.
Prof. Fabrice BONNEVILLE, MD, PhD
Neuroradiologist
University Hospital Purpan, Toulouse, France
Head of diagnostic section of Neuroradiology
Research focus: special interest in neuroinflammation, but also infectious, tumoral and vascular brain disorders
Dr. Judith Derdelinckx, MD, PhD
Neurologist
Department of Neurology, Antwerp University Hospital (UZA), Belgium
Clinical expertise in multiple sclerosis and rare neuroinflammatory disorders
Loves research in every aspect: fundamental, translational, clinical
Prof. Zsolt Illes MD, PhD, DSc
Professor and Consultant, Department Neurology, Odense University Hospital, Denmark
Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark
Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Southern Denmark
Flagship Center for Integrated Multi-Omics in Precision Medicine, University of Southern Denmark
Neuroimmunology research by combining multi-omics, animal models, in vitro models, biomarker studies, database/registry research, and population-based, national, head-to-head epidemiology studies.
PD Dr. med. Marius Ringelstein
Neurologist
University Hospital Bonn, Germany
Andreu Vilaseca, MD
Neurologist
Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
Assistant Professor of Neurology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
Assistant Professor of Neurophysiology, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
Jeroen Kerstens, MD
Neurologist
Antwerp University Hospital (UZA), Antwerp, Belgium
Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Clinical and research focus: non-MS autoimmune neurological disorders (autoimmune encephalitis, paraneoplastic neurological syndromes, autoinflammatory disorders, Susac syndrome)
Prof. dr. Vincent van Pesch, MD, PhD
Head of the Neurology Dept, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc
Principal Investigator of the Neuroimmunology and Neurochemistry Unit, Institute of Neuroscience, UClouvain
Specialist in neuroinflammatory disorders
Large experience in clinical trials (Phase I-IV)
Clinical and research focus: immunology of MS and soluble biomarkers for neuroinflammatory diseases, real world data.
Dr Deepti Yagnik, MBBS, MD, FRACP
Consultant neurologist and neuroimmunologist.
Fiona Stanley Hospital, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital and Perron Institute, Perth, Australia
Currently pursuing a PhD in Susac Syndrome through the University of Sydney, Australia
Clinical focus: MS, NMOSD, MOGAD, autoimmune neurology
Susac enthusiast
Bio
Susac enthusiast
Bio
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