CHLA researcher explores immune mechanisms behind rare pediatric neuroinflammatory diseases

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20261113/CHLA-researcher-explores-immune-mechanisms-behind-rare-pediatric-neuroinflammatory-diseases.aspx Her life-changing experience in hospitals as a child is part of what led Jesse M. Levine, MD, PhD, to pursue a career in medical research. "I had a pacemaker implanted when I was two years old," Dr. Levine says. "As a kid, I thought it was so cool that someone had an interesting idea and they were able to invent a device that directly impacted my life. I always knew that I wanted to create something or innovate in a way that helped people." While in college, Dr. Levine became fascinated with the brain, neurology, and neuroscience. "And then throughout my medical training, I found myself drawn to the neuroimmunology patients," she explains. "These patients can have psychiatric, cognitive, motor, and sensory effects, but there's still so much we don't know about how to diagnose and treat these issues. As someone interested in solving mysteries, I was drawn in and I translated my interest in medical innovation to neuroimmunology."