Overview
Background
Stefan is a Staff Specialist in Neurology at the Princess Alexandra Hospital (PAH) and the Mater Centre for Neuroscience. He finished his training as neurologist in 2012.
He runs dedicated multiple sclerosis (MS) and Neuroimmunology clinics at the PAH, leading in modern MS therapies. Moreover, he has been at the forefront of advancing the field of neuroimmunology in Queensland, with establishment of dedicated neuroimmunology outpatient clinics at the RBWH and PAH, combining expertise from neurologists and immunologists in the care of this very complex group of disorders.
In addition to his busy, full-time clinical workload, Stefan has been involved as PI or CI in a range of clinical trials in the fields of MS, botulinum toxin, CIDP and Pompe’s disease. Additionally, he has performed and is involved in ongoing research projects of neuroimmunological disorders such as neuromyelitis optica, myasthenia gravis and autoimmune limbic encephalitis. He has been a member of the New Horizons study to assess prevalence of anti-neuronal antibodies in patients with new onset psychosis.
Prior to this, Stefan finished a PhD in the field of ‘Immunogenetics of Guillain-Barre Syndrome and Chronic inflammatory polyneuropathy’ at the University of Queensland in 2014. He also completed a doctoral thesis at the University of Heidelberg, Germany in 2002 in the field of T cell immunology. During this time, he has developed solid skills in bench-side immunological research.
Currently, he is neurological lead in a diverse group of clinicians and scientists investigating the role of antineuronal antibodies in neurological and psychiatric disease. He supervises 3 PhD students in the field of advanced imaging in autoimmune encephalitis and multiple sclerosis. He is currently building up a laboratory to test antineuronal antibodies using live cell assays.
Availability
- Associate Professor Stefan Blum is:
- Available for supervision
Fields of research
Research interests
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Neuronal cell surface antibodies in neurological and psychiatric disease
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Social cognition in Multiple Sclerosis
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The role of low dose Rituximab in autoimmune neurological disease
Research impacts
Stefan has been medical advisor and organiser of conferences of the national myasthenia gravis association. He is neurological advisor of the state-wide blood product services regarding use of immunoglobulins in neuroimmunological disorders. He is involved in the organisation of the International Society of Neuroimmunology Conference in Brisbane 2018. He is secretary of Neuroimmunology Australia, a national group of clinicians and researchers in the field of neuroimmunology. He was lead clinician in the development of referral guidelines for state-wide referral guidelines to Queensland Health Neurology services (CPC). He has been involved for many years in the education of medical student and young doctors, winning several teaching awards.
Works
Search Professor Stefan Blum’s works on UQ eSpace
2021
Journal Article
Sustained Clinical Improvement in a Subset of Patients With Progressive Multiple Sclerosis Treated With Epstein–Barr Virus-Specific T Cell Therapy
Ioannides, Zara A., Csurhes, Peter A., Douglas, Nanette L., Mackenroth, Gem, Swayne, Andrew, Thompson, Kate M., Hopkins, Tracey J., Green, Kerryn A., Blum, Stefan, Hooper, Kaye D., Wyssusek, Kerstin H., Coulthard, Alan and Pender, Michael P. (2021). Sustained Clinical Improvement in a Subset of Patients With Progressive Multiple Sclerosis Treated With Epstein–Barr Virus-Specific T Cell Therapy. Frontiers in Neurology, 12 652811, 652811. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2021.652811
2021
Journal Article
An Australian state-based cohort study of autoimmune encephalitis cases detailing clinical presentation, investigation results, and response to therapy
Swayne, Andrew, Warren, Nicola, Prain, Kerri, Gillis, David, O'Gorman, Cullen, Tsang, Benjamin K-T., Muller, Claire, Broadley, Simon, Adam, Robert J., McCombe, Pamela, Wong, Richard C. and Blum, Stefan (2021). An Australian state-based cohort study of autoimmune encephalitis cases detailing clinical presentation, investigation results, and response to therapy. Frontiers in Neurology, 12 607773, 607773. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2021.607773
2021
Journal Article
Voltage-gated potassium channel blanket testing in first-episode psychosis: diagnostic nihilism?
Chan, Fiona, O’Gorman, Cullen, Swayne, Andrew, Gillis, David, Blum, Stefan and Warren, Nicola (2021). Voltage-gated potassium channel blanket testing in first-episode psychosis: diagnostic nihilism?. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 55 (8), 4867420983454-823. doi: 10.1177/0004867420983454
2020
Journal Article
A missense mutation in the MLKL brace region promotes lethal neonatal inflammation and hematopoietic dysfunction
Hildebrand, Joanne M., Kauppi, Maria, Majewski, Ian J., Liu, Zikou, Cox, Allison J., Miyake, Sanae, Petrie, Emma J., Silk, Michael A., Li, Zhixiu, Tanzer, Maria C., Brumatti, Gabriela, Young, Samuel N., Hall, Cathrine, Garnish, Sarah E., Corbin, Jason, Stutz, Michael D., Di Rago, Ladina, Gangatirkar, Pradnya, Josefsson, Emma C., Rigbye, Kristin, Anderton, Holly, Rickard, James A., Tripaydonis, Anne, Sheridan, Julie, Scerri, Thomas S., Jackson, Victoria E., Czabotar, Peter E., Zhang, Jian-Guo, Varghese, Leila ... Silke, John (2020). A missense mutation in the MLKL brace region promotes lethal neonatal inflammation and hematopoietic dysfunction. Nature Communications, 11 (1) 3150, 3150. doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-16819-z
2020
Journal Article
Epstein-Barr virus-specific T cell therapy for progressive multiple sclerosis
Pender, Michael P., Csurhes, Peter A., Smith, Corey, Douglas, Nanette L., Neller, Michelle A., Matthews, Katherine K., Beagley, Leone, Rehan, Sweera, Crooks, Pauline, Hopkins, Tracey J., Blum, Stefan, Green, Kerryn A., Ioannides, Zara A., Swayne, Andrew, Aftab, Blake T., Hooper, Kaye D., Burrows, Scott R., Thompson, Kate M., Coulthard, Alan and Khanna, Rajiv (2020). Epstein-Barr virus-specific T cell therapy for progressive multiple sclerosis. JCI insight, 5 (20) e144624. doi: 10.1172/jci.insight.144624
2020
Journal Article
Overview of new developments in myasthenia gravis therapy
Beer, Reuben and Blum, Stefan (2020). Overview of new developments in myasthenia gravis therapy. Advances in Clinical Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, 19 (4), 28-30. doi: 10.47795/mqnw5770
2020
Journal Article
Placebo effect in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy: The PATH study and a systematic review
Lewis, Richard A., Cornblath, David R., Hartung, Hans-Peter, Sobue, Gens, Lawo, John-Philip, Mielke, Orell, Durn, Billie L., Bril, Vera, Merkies, Ingemar S. J., Bassett, Paul, Cleasby, Alexa, van Schaik, Ivo N., Sabet, A., George, K., Roberts, L., Carne, R., Blum, S., Henderson, R., Van Damme, P., Demeestere, J., Larue, S., D’Amour, C., Kunc, P., Valis, M., Sussova, J., Kalous, T., Talab, R., Bednar, M., Toomsoo, T. ... PATH study group (2020). Placebo effect in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy: The PATH study and a systematic review. Journal of the Peripheral Nervous System, 25 (3), 230-237. doi: 10.1111/jns.12402
2020
Journal Article
Relapse patterns in NMOSD: evidence for earlier occurrence of optic neuritis and possible seasonal variation
Khalilidehkordi, Elham, Clarke, Laura, Arnett, Simon, Bukhari, Wajih, Jimenez Sanchez, Sofia, O'Gorman, Cullen, Sun, Jing, Prain, Kerri M., Woodhall, Mark, Silvestrini, Roger, Bundell, Christine S., Abernethy, David, Bhuta, Sandeep, Blum, Stefan, Boggild, Mike, Boundy, Karyn, Brew, Bruce J., Brown, Matthew, Brownlee, Wallace, Butzkueven, Helmut, Carroll, William M., Chen, Celia, Coulthard, Alan, Dale, Russell C., Das, Chandi, Fabis-Pedrini, Marzena J., Fulcher, David, Gillis, David, Hawke, Simon ... Broadley, Simon A. (2020). Relapse patterns in NMOSD: evidence for earlier occurrence of optic neuritis and possible seasonal variation. Frontiers in Neurology, 11 537, 537. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2020.00537
2020
Journal Article
Screening for anti-NMDAR encephalitis in psychiatry
Warren, Nicola, Flavell, Joshua, O'Gorman, Cullen, Swayne, Andrew, Blum, Stefan, Kisely, Steve and Siskind, Dan (2020). Screening for anti-NMDAR encephalitis in psychiatry. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 125, 28-32. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2020.03.007
2020
Journal Article
Evaluation of the proposed anti-N-Methyl-D-Aspartate receptor encephalitis clinical diagnostic criteria in psychiatric patients
Warren, Nicola, O’Gorman, Cullen, Blum, Stefan, Kisely, Steve, Swayne, Andrew, Flavell, Joshua and Siskind, Dan (2020). Evaluation of the proposed anti-N-Methyl-D-Aspartate receptor encephalitis clinical diagnostic criteria in psychiatric patients. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 142 (1), 52-57. doi: 10.1111/acps.13197
2020
Conference Publication
Real world safety of Alemtuzumab in the treatment of Multiple Sclerosis – Australian cohort study
Corbett, Joel, Blum, Stefan, Boggild, Mike, Broadley, Simon and McCombe, Pamela (2020). Real world safety of Alemtuzumab in the treatment of Multiple Sclerosis – Australian cohort study. 2020 AAN Science Highlights, Online, 14 April 2020. Philadelphia, PA United States: Wolters Kluwer. doi: 10.1212/wnl.94.15_supplement.1499
2020
Conference Publication
Generalised Epileptiform Activity in Anti-Glycine Receptor Antibody Autoimmune Limbic Encephalitis
Beer, Reuben, Singh, Gaurav, Blum, Stefan and Sabet, Arman (2020). Generalised Epileptiform Activity in Anti-Glycine Receptor Antibody Autoimmune Limbic Encephalitis. 2020 AAN Science Highlights, Online, 14 April 2020. Philadelphia, PA United States: Wolters Kluwer. doi: 10.1212/wnl.94.15_supplement.2836
2020
Conference Publication
Specific Psychiatric Features Identify Anti-NMDAR Encephalitis Before Neurological Deterioration (4888)
Warren, Nicola, O’Gorman, Cullen, Swayne, Andrew, Siskind, Dan and Blum, Stefan (2020). Specific Psychiatric Features Identify Anti-NMDAR Encephalitis Before Neurological Deterioration (4888). 2020 AAN Science Highlights, Online, 14 April 2020. Philadelphia, PA United States: Wolters Kluwer. doi: 10.1212/wnl.94.15_supplement.4888
2020
Journal Article
The clinical profile of NMOSD in Australia and New Zealand
Bukhari, Wajih, Clarke, Laura, O’Gorman, Cullen, Khalilidehkordi, Elham, Arnett, Simon, Prain, Kerri M., Woodhall, Mark, Silvestrini, Roger, Bundell, Christine S., Ramanathan, Sudarshini, Abernethy, David, Bhuta, Sandeep, Blum, Stefan, Boggild, Mike, Boundy, Karyn, Brew, Bruce J., Brownlee, Wallace, Butzkueven, Helmut, Carroll, William M., Chen, Celia, Coulthard, Alan, Dale, Russell C., Das, Chandi, Dear, Keith, Fabis-Pedrini, Marzena J., Fulcher, David, Gillis, David, Hawke, Simon, Heard, Robert ... Broadley, Simon A. (2020). The clinical profile of NMOSD in Australia and New Zealand. Journal of Neurology, 267 (5), 1431-1443. doi: 10.1007/s00415-020-09716-4
2019
Journal Article
Psychiatric management of anti-NMDAR encephalitis: a cohort analysis
Warren, Nicola, O'Gorman, Cullen, McKeon, Gemma, Swayne, Andrew, Blum, Stefan and Siskind, Dan (2019). Psychiatric management of anti-NMDAR encephalitis: a cohort analysis. Psychological Medicine, 51 (3) PII S0033291719003283, 1-6. doi: 10.1017/s0033291719003283
2019
Journal Article
Serum and CSF anti-NMDAR antibody testing in psychiatry
Warren, Nicola, Swayne, Andrew, Siskind, Dan, O'Gorman, Cullen, Prain, Kerri, Gillis, David and Blum, Stefan (2019). Serum and CSF anti-NMDAR antibody testing in psychiatry. The Journal of neuropsychiatry and clinical neurosciences, 32 (2), appineuropsych19030079-160. doi: 10.1176/appi.neuropsych.19030079
2019
Journal Article
Long-term follow-up of patients with myasthenia gravis treated with low-dose rituximab
Chan, Fiona, Swayne, Andrew, Gillis, David, Walsh, Michael, Henderson, Robert D., McCombe, Pamela A., Wong, Richard C. and Blum, Stefan (2019). Long-term follow-up of patients with myasthenia gravis treated with low-dose rituximab. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, 90 (8), 1-2. doi: 10.1136/jnnp-2018-319410
2019
Journal Article
Efficacy and safety of IVIG in CIDP: Combined data of the PRIMA and PATH studies
Merkies, Ingemar S.J., van Schaik, Ivo N., Léger, Jean-Marc, Bril, Vera, van Geloven, Nan, Hartung, Hans-Peter, Lewis, Richard A., Sobue, Gen, Lawo, John-Philip, Durn, Billie L., Cornblath, David R., De Bleecker, Jan L., Sommer, Claudia, Robberecht, Wim, Saarela, Mika, Kamienowski, Jerzy, Stelmasiak, Zbigniew, Tackenberg, Björn, Mielke, Orell, Sabet, A., George, K., Roberts, L., Carne, R., Blum, S., Henderson, R., Van Damme, P., Demeestere, J., Larue, S., D'Amour, C. ... Zwolińska, G. (2019). Efficacy and safety of IVIG in CIDP: Combined data of the PRIMA and PATH studies. Journal of the Peripheral Nervous System, 24 (1), 48-55. doi: 10.1111/jns.12302
2019
Journal Article
Restabilization treatment after intravenous immunoglobulin withdrawal in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy: Results from the pre-randomization phase of the Polyneuropathy And Treatment with Hizentra study
Mielke, Orell, Bril, Vera, Cornblath, David R., Lawo, John-Philip, van Geloven, Nan, Hartung, Hans-Peter, Lewis, Richard A., Merkies, Ingemar S.J., Sobue, Gen, Durn, Billie, Shebl, Amgad, van Schaik, Ivo N., Sabet, A., George, K., Roberts, L., Carne, R., Blum, S., Henderson, R., Van Damme, P., Demeestere, J., Larue, S., D'Amour, C., Kunc, P., Valis, M., Sussova, J., Kalous, T., Talab, R., Bednar, M., Toomsoo, T. ... Gable, K. (2019). Restabilization treatment after intravenous immunoglobulin withdrawal in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy: Results from the pre-randomization phase of the Polyneuropathy And Treatment with Hizentra study. Journal of the Peripheral Nervous System, 24 (1), 72-79. doi: 10.1111/jns.12303
2018
Journal Article
Epstein-Barr virus–specific T cell therapy for progressive multiple sclerosis
Pender, Michael P., Csurhes, Peter A., Smith, Corey, Douglas, Nanette L., Neller, Michelle A., Matthews, Katherine K., Beagley, Leone, Rehan, Sweera, Crooks, Pauline, Hopkins, Tracey J., Blum, Stefan, Green, Kerryn A., Ioannides, Zara A., Swayne, Andrew, Aftab, Blake T., Hooper, Kaye D., Burrows, Scott R., Thompson, Kate M., Coulthard, Alan and Khanna, Rajiv (2018). Epstein-Barr virus–specific T cell therapy for progressive multiple sclerosis. JCI Insight, 3 (22) e124714. doi: 10.1172/jci.insight.124714
Funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Associate Professor Stefan Blum is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
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Doctor Philosophy
Studies of myasthenia gravis using MGBase.
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Pamela McCombe
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Doctor Philosophy
Utilising multimodal MRI to model disease activity before and after highly active disease modifying therapy in newly diagnosed multiple sclerosis.
Principal Advisor
Completed supervision
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2023
Doctor Philosophy
Multimodal evaluation of autoimmune encephalitis in Queensland
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Pamela McCombe
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2021
Doctor Philosophy
Psychiatric clinical decision making in anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Steve Kisely, Professor Dan Siskind
Media
Enquiries
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