2024-2026 James T. Lubin Fellowship Award Recipients Announced

The Siegel Rare Neuroimmune Association (SRNA) is thrilled to announce the two newest recipients of the James T. Lubin Clinician Scientist Fellowship Award: Dr. Sydney Lee and Dr. Rachel Walsh. This program supports up to two years of clinical care and research training in an environment where clinicians learn to use the most current scientific tools to treat and advance knowledge about rare neuroimmune disorders. 

Dr. Lee received her medical degree from the University of Saskatchewan. She then completed a Residency at The University of Toronto. Under the mentorship of Dr. Stacey Clardy at the University of Utah, Dr. Lee will conduct a study that compares NMOSD preventative treatments in terms of cost and efficacy in preventing disability and preserving patients’ quality of life. Patients with NMOSD will complete questionnaires, allowing them to identify factors that impact their health and quality of life. This information will then be used to calculate a measurement of quality of life in NMOSD, called a quality-adjusted life year (QALY). They will use economic models to map the course of NMOSD over time and compare the overall cost and effectiveness of each preventative drug. This study will determine the most cost-effective treatment for NMOSD and pave the way toward making these important medications more available to patients. 

Dr. Lee shares, “The James T. Lubin Fellowship will provide invaluable support for my training and early career development. I will use this support to continue focusing on caring for patients and pursuing research in autoimmune neurology. Participating in the SRNA community will enhance my understanding of issues that affect patients with rare autoimmune neurologic disorders. This will help me evolve as a clinician, identify areas for future research that advance the field, and incorporate patient interests. I could not be more excited to contribute to this important and rapidly expanding field of neurology.”  

Dr. Walsh is a pediatric neurologist who received her medical degree from Mercer University School of Medicine. She then completed a Pediatrics and Pediatrics Neurology Residency at Stanford Health Care. Under the mentorship of Dr. Leslie Benson at Boston Children’s Hospital and Dr. Tanuja Chitnis at Massachusetts General Hospital, Dr. Walsh will evaluate the medical information on a large group of pediatric patients (860 patients anticipated) who presented with symptoms of spinal cord dysfunction and were initially diagnosed with myelitis. She will compare patients based on the underlying cause of their myelitis, including those labeled as idiopathic. The study aims to describe the clinical features and long-term recovery from myelitis amongst the different diagnostic groups as well as better characterize the idiopathic cases. Results are expected to help develop classification systems and definitions, predict outcomes early after myelitis onset, and guide future myelitis studies in children and adolescents. 

“I could not be more thrilled about my pursuit of a career in neuroimmunology and believe that the James T. Lubin Clinician Scientist Fellowship Award will be fundamental in helping me achieve my professional goals,” shares Dr. Walsh. “I am greatly inspired by the prospect of initiating change at a young age and monitoring a patient’s progress throughout his or her life. Neuroimmunology is an evolving field that will continually motivate me to learn and experiment, and I am excited to share my enthusiasm and passion for this field as I further develop my diagnostic and research skills in fellowship.”