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About our Guest Speakers
Eoin Flanagan, MB, BCh
Dr. Eoin Flanagan is a Professor of Neurology and Consultant in the departments of Neurology and Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at the Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN). He completed his medical school training at University College Dublin in Ireland in 2005. He did a medical residency in Ireland and then completed neurology residency, fellowships in neuroimmunology and a masters in clinical and translational science at Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN). He works in the Autoimmune Neurology and Multiple Sclerosis Clinics and the Neuroimmunology Laboratory at the Mayo Clinic. His clinical expertise and research is focused on inflammatory myelopathies and their imaging patterns, Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein (MOG) antibody associated disorder, neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders, autoimmune encephalitis, paraneoplastic neurologic disorders and multiple sclerosis. He is principal investigator on an NIH RO1 grant studying MOG antibody associated disorder.
Cristina Valencia Sanchez, MD, PhD
Dr. Cristina Valencia Sanchez is an Assistant Professor of Neurology and Senior Associate Consultant in the Department of Neurology at the Mayo Clinic (Phoenix, AZ). She completed her medical school training and PhD in Neuroscience at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid. She did a Neurology residency in the Hospital Universitario Clinico San Carlos and then completed Neurology residency and fellowships in ARZ Multiple Sclerosis and RST Autoimmune Neurology at the Mayo School of Graduate Medical Education, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, in Arizona and Minnesota.
The research interests of Dr. Valencia Sanchez focus on autoimmune disorders involving the central nervous system. These include neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders, myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD), autoimmune encephalitis, and paraneoplastic neurological syndromes. She is particularly interested in the neurological complications of immune checkpoint inhibitor cancer immunotherapy. The clinical trials that she leads at Mayo Clinic in Arizona are among the first studies that may lead to approval of new targeted therapies for MOGAD and autoimmune encephalitis. Additionally, Dr. Valencia Sanchez’s clinical research allows for increased recognition of autoimmune neurological disorders. Also, her work is helping to avoid misdiagnosing autoimmune encephalitis in the clinical setting. Her research leads to earlier diagnosis and appropriate treatment to ultimately improve patient outcomes.
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