Henry F. McFarland, MD
Entry Id: TP-49

Overview
The Neuroimmunology Branch (NIB) is a component of the Clinical Neurosciences Program in the Division of Intramural Research of the National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). The focus of research in the NIB is on understanding disease mechanisms in immunologically-mediated diseases of the nervous system. Particular focus is placed on diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS), which is believed to be an immunopathological process and diseases which may be examples of viral-induced immunopathological processes such as HTLV-I-associated myelopathy or tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). Research in the NIB ranges from studies of basic molecular immunology to clinically applied research. In general, an effort is made in the NIB to extend findings made at the basic level into the clinic. For example, approaches to modifying pathological immune responses in vitro will be extended into studies in experimental animal models, and in some instances, into early phase I or phase II clinical trials in patients in the Clinical Center.

Structure of the Clinical Training Program
The NIB consists of four Sections and the Office of the Chief. The four Sections include the Molecular Immunology Section, which does work in basic molecular immunology, the Cellular Immunology Section, which focuses on cell-mediated responses in humans, the Neurological Disease Section, which studies animal models of autoimmune disease, and the Viral Immunology Section, which examines mechanisms of viral-induced autoimmune disease. Clinical research in the NIB focuses largely on the use of MRI to monitor disease course in patients with MS and to examine the effect of experimental therapies. The clinical research in the NIB is done out of the Office of the Chief.

Fellows coming to the NIB will be assigned to work with a mentor in one of the four Sections. Some Fellows come to the NIB to gain experience in basic science research, while other Fellows come with a greater interests in clinical research projects. An effort is made in the Branch to integrate all of the research efforts. There are two weekly seminars and research issues in all of the Sections are discussed jointly. Consequently, Fellows training in more clinically related research projects will still have exposure to basic aspects of research going on in the Branch.

Fellows interested in coming to the Neuroimmunology Branch as Medical Staff Fellows and wishing to be involved in some aspect of clinical research effort of the Branch should either have completed and approved Neurology Residency in the United States and be Board eligible or have completed a neurology training program inside of the United States and have passed these ECFMG examinations.

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