Benavides Laboratory Research

Neurobiology of Antibody-Mediated Injury in Neurological Disease

Translating research into targeted therapeutics requires a multifaceted understanding of the pathophysiology of neurological diseases. To better understand abnormal neuronal function due to dysregulation of the immune system, we examine how antibodies develop and hone to targets in the central nervous system.

For example, anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (anti-NMDAR) encephalitis causes cognitive and psychiatric changes, seizures, coma and even death when antibodies target NMDA receptors on neurons.

To date, it is not clear how these pathological antibodies target and alter neuron function. Understanding that process is our long-term goal.

Clinical Neuroscience Database and Biorepository

UMMC provides an excellent environment to capture the clinical data needed to develop a comprehensive database and biorepository in clinical neuroscience. 

The University of Maryland's Center for Multiple Sclerosis Treatment and Research and the University of Maryland Clinical Center for Autoimmune Neurology (UMCCAN) are coordinating the expansion of patient-derived samples and the translational research using them. These collaborations include investigating various neuroinflammatory diseases, including autoimmune encephalitis, paraneoplastic neurologic disorders, immune-checkpoint inhibitor and CAR-T cell associated neurotoxicity, and neurosarcoidosis.

Emerging evidence supports an important role for immune dysfunction in the pathogenesis of many neurological diseases. These resources enable functional analyses of patient-derived samples and the identification of candidate pathways for targeted neurotherapeutics.