Dr. Jennifer Frankovich is a pediatric rheumatologist and clinical professor in the Department of Pediatrics, Division of Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology at Stanford University and the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital. Dr. Frankovich is known around the world for her groundbreaking research and clinical work in PANS and PANDAS. She has directed the Stanford Immune-Behavioral Health Program since 2012.  

Dr. Frankovich explains emerging work on blood brain barrier disruption using brain endothelial cell models, and how immune phenotyping across T cells, B cells, and other subsets may help match the right patient to the right treatment. We also talk about why some kids improve with NSAIDs or Azithromycin, what that suggests about inflammation pathways like MMP9, and why B cell activation is especially linked to psychiatric symptom severity in her data.

We also get practical about what clinicians can actually look for right now in their patients, including subtle arthritis patterns, enthesitis, and nail pitting as empirical evidence that suggests an inflammatory driver when you can’t biopsy the brain. From there, we unpack imaging realities (why standard MRI reports often miss microstructural change, and why pediatric PET research is so hard), plus what the field needs next: randomized clinical trials, better outcome measures, the Aurora Network, microbiome research, and carefully documented brain tissue studies, to mention just a few things.

Learn what keeps this top PANS clinical researcher up at night and what gives her hope. Please share this with someone who still thinks “it’s only behavioral.” 

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Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent.

Credits: Music by Kingsley Durant from his "Convertible" album

To learn more about PANDAS and PANS and The Alex Manfull Fund, visit our website: TheAlexManfullFund.org

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