Radiculopathy near Dobbs Ferry, NY

Biography: Rachael Benson is an assistant professor of neurology at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, in the Division of Epilepsy and Sleep. She completed her undergraduate degree at Washington University in St. Louis followed by a medical doctorate (MD) at New York Medical College. She pursued her residency in Neurology and fellowship in Neurophysiology and Epilepsy at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Dr. Benson specializes in epilepsy and sleep disorders. She has a special interest in pregnant women with epilepsy.

Biography: Dr. Dina Dababneh is an Adult Neurology specialist with sub-specialization in Multiple Sclerosis. Her clinical practice includes all types of neurological disorders with expertise in Headache Disorders, Movement Disorders, and Multiple Sclerosis. Dr. Dababneh was elected as the Academic Chief Resident in her last year of residency. During fellowship, she served as the Chief Fellow at the University of Toronto, and a member of the Fellowship Education Advisory Committee (FEAC). Dr. Dababneh won multiple awards for outstanding professional and research skills. Prior to her residency, Dr. Dababneh completed 2 years of research training at the Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in Maryland and the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas.

Biography: Peter C. Pan, MD is a board-certified assistant professor of neurology in the Division of Neuro-Oncology. He specializes in the treatment of brain tumors. He studied molecular biology and neurobiology at the University of California Berkeley, medicine at the State University of New York Downstate, and clinical neurology residency at the University of California Davis. He completed subspecialty training in Neuro-Oncology at NewYork-Presbyterian / Columbia University Irving Medical Center and NewYork-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center.

Biography: Dr. Sarah Flanagan Wesley graduated from medical school at the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin, followed by residency in adult neurology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and then fellowship in neuroimmunology at the Yale School of Medicine. Dr. Wesley was on faculty at Yale as an Assistant Professor of Neurology in the neuroimmunology subdivision until joining faculty at Columbia in 2020. Dr. Wesley treats a range of neuroimmunological and autoimmune neurological conditions, including various forms of autoimmune encephalitis, CNS vasculitis, neuro-rheumatological conditions, multiple sclerosis, and immune-related toxicity to cancer treatments. Dr. Wesley serves as a lead for Columbia's neurological immunotoxicity program, conducting clinical and translational research on the mechanisms and management of neurological side effects to cancer treatments, such as cancer immune checkpoint inhibitors and CAR T-cell therapy.

Biography: Dr. Philip L. De Jager is professor of neurology. After graduating from Yale University with a degree in Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry, Dr. De Jager received a PhD in Neurogenetics from Rockefeller University and an MD from Cornell University Medical College, before completing his MMSc in Clinical Investigation at Harvard Medical School (HMS) and MIT. He served as a neurology resident in the Partners Neurology Residency Program at the Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital. He then joined the faculty at HMS, rising to the rank of associate professor before joining CUIMC. The goal of Dr. De Jager's work as a clinician-scientist is to apply modern methods of neuro-immunology, statistical genetics, and systems biology to the understanding of common neurodegenerative diseases. At CUIMC, Dr. De Jager serves as Chief of the Department of Neurology's Division of Neuroimmunology, which includes the Columbia University Multiple Sclerosis Center and focuses on characterizing and targeting the neuro-immunologic component of neurodegenerative disease. Dr. De Jager also serves as the director of a new Center for Translational & Computational Neuro-Immunology.

Biography: Dr. Imundo has 20 years of experience as a pediatric rheumatologist with a busy and complex clinic practice; she is engaged in clinical care, education, and research. Dr. Imundo is the founder and director of the Center for Adolescent Rheumatology, which provides care for children and adolescents with chronic rheumatic disease with a focus on helping teens and young adults become more prepared and independent to successfully transition from pediatric to adult care. Research demonstrates that despite having programs in place at pediatric centers, teens and young adults are not consistent in managing their diseases and have worse outcomes and increased medical complications. At the Center for Adolescent Rheumatology, pediatric and adult providers work together and collect data on effective ways to educate teens and measure teen readiness to become independent. New, innovative, disease-specific collaborative clinics staffed with pediatric and adult rheumatologists will help all families support their children and help them become prepared for transition. Dr. Imundo's mentor Dr. Jerry Jacobs established Pediatric Rheumatology in 1960 at Columbia, under the mentorship of Charles Raean, the Chairman of Medicine, and Charles Christian,the Chairman of Adult Rheumatology. Dr. Jacobs wrote the first textbook in the field, "Pediatric Rheumatology for the Practitioner," and defined new entities which today have genetic, cellular, and molecular foundations. Dr. Jacobs' former fellows, among them Dr. Imundo, wrote the continuing textbook "Arthritis in Children and Adolescents" (I. Szer, ed.). At Columbia University Dr. Imundo was appointed both Division Director and Fellowship Director shortly after completing her Chief Residency and Fellowship. Under her leadership, her Division of Pediatric Rheumatology (1997-2014) expanded to provide care for thousands of children with complex and often mysterious autoimmune and rheumatic diseases, both on the inpatient and on the outpatient service, a record unmatched in the USA. She continues in the footsteps of Dr. Jacobs defining new entities and conducting cutting-edge research in the efficacy of molecularly specific medications. Like Dr. Jacob's before her, Dr. Imundo is available continuously to treat the sick children of the tri-state area, and like Dr. Jacob's before her, Dr. Imundo's patients become part of her family, and she very frequently part of theirs.

Biography: Dr. Srinivasan completed her undergraduate studies at M.S. University of Baroda, India, receiving the Susmita Patel Memorial Gold Medal, and went on to complete a 3 year residency in Internal Medicine at the same institution. She then moved to the US, completed her neurology residency at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School. Following her residency, she completed a Clinical Neurophysiology fellowship at Brigham and Women's Hospital. Shen then joined the faculty at Columbia University as an Assistant Professor of Clinical Neurology in 2011. She is the director of the Vanderbilt Epilepsy Clinic at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and is very closely involved in epilepsy fellow education and training. Her areas of focus include treatment of refractory epilepsy including epilepsy surgery and neuromodulation.

Biography: Dr. Charles A. Popkin specializes in pediatric, adolescent, and collegiate sports medicine, with an emphasis on the operative and non-operative treatment of complex knee disorders. His specific clinical interests involve primary and revision ACL reconstruction, patellar instability, cartilage injuries and disorders, meniscal tears, and recalcitrant patellar tendinopathy. With dual fellowships in Pediatric Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, Dr. Popkin has dedicated his career to the comprehensive treatment and prevention of injury in developing athletes. He has a particular interest in the management of ice hockey injuries, serving as a team physician for USA Hockey, and on the USA Hockey National Safety and Protective Equipment Committee. Dr. Popkin is also the head team physician for: Fordham University, Mercy College, and the Hackley School in Tarrytown. In addition to his academic practice, Dr. Popkin conducts research on ACL injury prevention, ACL reconstruction techniques in the pediatric athlete, overuse injuries in youth sports, refractory patellar tendonitis, and shoulder instability in ice hockey. He pens a monthly "Ask Dr. Hockey" column for USA Hockey Magazine. Dr. Popkin lives in Westchester and enjoys spending time with his wife and two sons.