Brenda Louise Banwell, MD

Professional Titles

• Director, Department of Pediatrics
• Co-Director, Johns Hopkins Children’s Center
• Pediatrician-in-Chief, Johns Hopkins Children's Center

Primary Academic Title

Professor of Pediatrics

Background

Centers and Institutes

• Johns Hopkins All Children's
• Pediatric Neurology
• Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis, MOGAD and Neuroimmune Disorders Program 

Videos

• Meet Pediatric Neurologist Brenda Banwell

• Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis: Q&A with Brenda Banwell

• Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein Antibody-Associated Disease (MOGAD) – Q&A with Brenda Banwell

Additional Academic Titles

Professor of Neurology

Research Interests

Pediatric multiple sclerosis, inflammatory brain disorders in children; acute demyelination in children; pediatric MRI imaging

Research Summary

Dr. Banwell’s research encompasses neuroimaging characterization of pediatric multiple sclerosis, the pathology of MS in children, and the clinical and cognitive impact of the condition. The main focus of her research has centered on better understanding the impact of MS when its onset occurs during childhood. Her work has shown that, even at MS onset, brain volume and skull size are reduced, and modeling growth trajectories demonstrate failure of age-expected brain growth during childhood, failure to reach maximal expected brain volumes, and progressive brain atrophy by mid-adolescence.

Dr. Banwell’s research with diffusion tensor imaging has shown that even non-lesional, normal-appearing white matter has reduced structural integrity and that pediatric MS patients fail to demonstrate maturational gains in white matter tract structure. Functional MRI (fMRI) studies have shown altered resting state connectivity, and task-based fMRI analyses show increased connectivity of neural networks in cognitively intact adolescent MS patients.

Research Gate - Research Profile

https://www.researchgate.net/scientific-contributions/Brenda-Banwell-38110136

Honors

• Guest of Honor, Chaim Medical Resource Organization, 2019
• 2nd Annual Lillian Pardo, MD, Lectureship Award, Pediatric Neurology Professorship Lecture, Department of Neurology, University of Kansas Medical Center, 2018
• Philadelphia Magazine's Top Doctors in Child Neurology, 2018, 2022
• Special Recognition, Baldwin Lecture in Pediatrics Neurology, University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Department of Neurology, 2017
• The Lady Barbara Colyton Prize for Autoimmune Research, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 2016
• Sidney Carter Award, American Academy of Neurology and The American Brain Foundation, 2015
• "Women on the Move", Mainline Today, 2014
• The William A. Hawke Award-Clinical Excellence in Teaching, The Hospital for Sick Children, 2012
• The CANMEDS Award for Clinical Excellence, Division of Neurology, The Hospital for Sick Children, 2012,
• Robert Salter Humanitarian Award Nominee-The Hospital for Sick Children, 2008
• Woman Against Multiple Sclerosis-Woman of the Year Award, 2007
• Canada's Top 40 Under 40 Recipient, 2006
•  AAN Leadership Development Program (Selected), American Academy of Neurology, 2006
• The William A. Hawke Award-Clinical Excellence in Teaching, The Hospital for Sick Children, 2002, 2004, 2006
• Faculty Award for Clinical Excellence, The Hospital for Sick Children, 2002
• The Department of Neurology Research Award, Mayo Clinic-(awarded by the Mayo Clinic Foundation), 2000
• The President's Prize, Canadian Congress of Neurological Sciences, 1997
• American Academy of Neurology Resident Scholarship Award, 1997
• Humanitarian Award, The Hospital for Sick Children Foundation, 1997
• The Pritchard Prize, Annual Neurology Resident Research Day, Department of Pediatric Neurology, University of Toronto, 1996
• The Neurosciences Research Award, Neuroscience Research Day, Department of Neurology, University of Western Ontario, 1994
• The Resident Teaching Award, University of Western Ontario, 1994
• The Wyeth Award for Pediatric Research, Sixth Annual Resident Research Day, Department of Pediatrics, University of Western Ontario, 1993
• The Hewlett-Packard Top Medical Graduate Award, University of Western Ontario, 1991
• The Dr. Henri Breault Award, University of Western Ontario, 1991
• The Martin and Mary Leboldus Award, University of Western Ontario, 1990
• 1M.D.S. Health Group Prize in Pathology, 989
• Bronze W Award-Varsity Swimming, 1989
• Alpha Omega Alpha Honour Society, 1989-1991
• The Rix Family Prize in Pathology, 1988
• The London Academy of Medicine Entrance Scholarship, 1988
• Dean's Honour Roll, Medicine, 1987-1991
• National Science and Research Council Award, 1986
• The Trois Pistoles 50th Anniversary Scholarship, University of Western Ontario Entrance Scholarship, 1985-1989

Memberships

• Americas Committee for Treatment & Research in MS,2017-present
• American Brain Foundation, 2017-present
• Board Member, Expert Review Panel for Autism & Neurodevelopment, 2017-present
• The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health - International Advisory Board Member, 2017-present
• The Lancet Neurology, 2017-present
• Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers, 2015-present
• Society for Pediatric Research, 2015-present
• American Neurological Association, fellow, 2013-present
• Meeting Management Committee, 2011-present,
• Common Data Element Task Force, Multiple Sclerosis Database Working Group, 2010-present
• McDonald Diagnostic Criteria, Invited Member, 2010-present
• Medical Advisory Committee, 2010-present
• Multiple International Federation, 2010-present
• National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, 2010-present
• endMS Campaign Steering Committee, 2008-present
• International Child Neurology Society, 2007-present
• International Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis Study Group, 2007-present.
• Leadership Program Development Committee, 2007-present
• Steering Committee, 2007-present
• American Academy of Neurology, 2005-present
• Canadian Association of Child Neurology, 2005-present
• Canadian Multiple Sclerosis Society, 2005-present
• International Juvenile Dermatomyositis Biopsy Consensus Group, Invited Member, 2004-present
• Myositis Support Group UK, 2004-present
• 10th International Congress of Neuromuscular Diseases, 2000-present
• Young Investigator Advisory Board, Appointed Member, 2000-present
• Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers, 1999-present
• American Academy of Neurology, 1997-present
• Board of Directors, 1997-present
• American Academy of Pediatrics, 1995-present,