PANS Research Consortium
In the Spring of 2013, the first PANS Consensus Conference was convened at Stanford University, calling together a geographically diverse group of clinicians and researchers from complementary fields of pediatrics: General and developmental pediatrics, infectious diseases, immunology, rheumatology, neurology, and child psychiatry. Participants were academicians with clinical and research interests in pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder associated with streptococcus (PANDAS) in youth, and the larger category of pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS). The goals were to clarify the diagnostic boundaries of PANS, to develop systematic strategies for evaluation of suspected PANS cases, and to set forth the most urgently needed studies in this field. As a result of this conference, we produced a consensus statement proposing recommendations for the diagnostic evaluation of youth presenting with PANS was developed. A by-product of this conference was the devlopment of the PANS Research Consortium.
The following year, the second annual conference focused on developing treatment reccomendations based on expert opinions. Due to the paucity of data to guide the development of the guidelines, we are still trying to work out a preliminary approach that can be used until clinical trial data is available.
The PANS Consortium continues to grow and holds monthly teleconference calls with PANS/PANDAS experts from across the country to discuss diagnostic dilemmas, treatments, and how to move research forward.
Here are the outstanding members of the PANS Academic Research Consortium:
- Michael Cooperstock, MD, MPH (University of Missouri School of Medicine):
Pediatrics Infectious Diseases - Dritan Agalliu, PhD (Columbia University)
- Jim Crowley, PhD (University of North Carolina School of Medicine):
Research Assistant Professor of Genetics - Madeleine Cunningham, PhD (University of Oklahoma College of Medicine):
Professor of Microbiology & Immunology - Jennifer Frankovich, MD (Stanford University School of Medicine):
Clinical Professor of Pediatric Rheumatology - Mady Hornig, MD, MA (Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health):
Professor of Epidemiology - Elizabeth Latimer, MD (Latimer Neurology Center):
Pediatric & Adolescent Neurology - James Leckman, MD, PhD (Yale University):
- Tanya Murphy, MD (University of South Florida):
Professor of Pediatrics & Psychiatry - Mark Pasternack, MD (Massachusetts General Hospital):
Associate Professor of Pediatrics Infectious Disease - Christopher Pittenger, MD, PhD (Yale University):
- Susan Swedo, MD (National Institute of Mental Health):
Chief Pediatrics & Developmental Science Branch
- Margo Thienemann, MD (Stanford University School of Medicine):
Clinical Professor of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences - Wendy Vargus, MD (Columbia University):
Director of Pediatric Neuroimmunology Program
- Jolan Walter, MD (Massachusetts General Hospital):
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics Allergy & Immunology - Kyle Williams, MD (Massachusetts General Hospital):
Instructor in Psychiatry