Dr. Michael Levy, MD, PhD, is an Associate Professor in Neurology who was recently recruited to lead the research unit in the new Division of Neuroimmunology at the Massachusetts General Hospital. His mission is to build a combined clinical and research neuroimmunology program to develop therapies for patients with autoimmune diseases of the central nervous system. Dr. Levy moved from Baltimore, MD, where was on the faculty at Johns Hopkins University since 2009 and Director of the Neuromyelitis Optica Clinic. 
 
Clinically, Dr. Levy specializes in taking care of children and adults with rare neuroimmunological diseases including neuromyelitis optica, transverse myelitis, MOG antibody disease and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis. In addition to four monthly clinics, Dr. Levy is the principal investigator on several clinical studies and drug trials for these conditions. 

In the laboratory, Dr. Levy’s research focuses on three main areas:
1. Development of animal models of neuromyelitis optica (NMO) with the goal of tolerization as a sustainable long term treatment. We generated a mouse model of NMO based on pathogenic T cells reactive against the aquaporin-4 water channel. Now, we are using this mouse model to create a tolerization therapy to desensitize the immune response to aquaporin-4. 
2. Genetic basis of transverse myelitis. We discovered a genetic mutation in VPS37a found in a group of patients with a familial form of transverse myelitis (TM). To understand how this gene is involved in this immune process, we generated a mouse model with this mutation. 
3. Biomarker assays for other autoimmune diseases of the central nervous system. We are developing assays that detect autoreactive T cells in NMO and MOG antibody disease. In parallel, we are screening for novel antibodies to glial cells in related disorders such as encephalitis and optic neuritis.