
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
2013
Journal Article
Managing the generalised tonic-clonic seizure and preventing progress to status epilepticus: a stepwise approach
Dionisio, S., Brown, H., Boyle, R. and Blum, S. (2013). Managing the generalised tonic-clonic seizure and preventing progress to status epilepticus: a stepwise approach. Internal Medicine Journal, 43 (7), 739-746. doi: 10.1111/imj.12168
2013
Journal Article
Immunoglobulin-responsive refractory epilepsy-3 cases with a similar EEG pattern
Dionisio, Sasha, Brown, Helen, Lander, Cecilie, Airey, Caroline, Lehn, Alexander, Nooruddin, Hozefa and Blum, Stefan (2013). Immunoglobulin-responsive refractory epilepsy-3 cases with a similar EEG pattern. Seizure-European Journal of Epilepsy, 22 (5), 403-408. doi: 10.1016/j.seizure.2013.02.013
2013
Journal Article
Susac syndrome and multifocal motor neuropathy first manifesting in pregnancy
Ioannides, Zara A., Airey, Caroline, Fagermo, Narelle, Blum, Stefan, McCombe, Pamela A. and Henderson, Robert J. (2013). Susac syndrome and multifocal motor neuropathy first manifesting in pregnancy. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 53 (3), 314-317. doi: 10.1111/ajo.12069
2012
Journal Article
Common polymorphisms in dystonia-linked genes and susceptibility to the sporadic primary dystonias
Newman, Jeremy R. B., Sutherland, Greg T., Boyle, Richard S., Limberg, Nicole, Blum, Stefan, O'Sullivan, John D., Silburn, Peter A. and Mellick, George D. (2012). Common polymorphisms in dystonia-linked genes and susceptibility to the sporadic primary dystonias. Parkinsonism & Related Disorders, 18 (4), 351-357. doi: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2011.11.024
2012
Conference Publication
CT perfusion and bilateral paramedian thalamic stroke due to Artery of Percheron occlusion
Sheikh, N., Wong, A., O'Sullivan, J., Blum, S., Airey, C., Dionisio, S., Mitchell, K., Coulthard, A., Cloustan, J., Groundwater, A., Rajah, T., Jhamb, A. and Henderson, R. (2012). CT perfusion and bilateral paramedian thalamic stroke due to Artery of Percheron occlusion. Annual Scientific Meeting and the 8th Smart Strokes Australasian Nursing and Allied Health Stroke Conference, Sydney, NSW, Australia, 29-31 August 2012. Richmond, VIC Australia: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Asia. doi: 10.1111/j.1747-4930.2012.00907.x
2011
Journal Article
Guillain-Barré Syndrome: Modern theories of etiology
Hardy, Todd A., Blum, Stefan, McCombe, Pamela A. and Reddel, Stephen W. (2011). Guillain-Barré Syndrome: Modern theories of etiology. Current Allergy and Asthma Reports, 11 (3), 197-204. doi: 10.1007/s11882-011-0190-y
2011
Journal Article
Use and monitoring of low dose rituximab in myasthenia gravis
Blum, Stefan, Gillis, David, Brown, Helen, Boyle, Richard, Henderson, Robert, Heyworth-Smith, David, Hogan, Patrick, Kubler, Paul, Lander, Cecilie, Limberg, Nicole, Pillans, Peter, Prain, Kerri, Staples, Christopher, Walsh, Michael, McCombe, Pamela and Wong, Richard (2011). Use and monitoring of low dose rituximab in myasthenia gravis. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, 82 (6), 659-663. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.2010.220475
2011
Journal Article
Atypical clinical presentations of the A3243G mutation, usually associated with MELAS
Blum, S., Robertson, T., Klingberg, S., Henderson, R.D. and McCombe, P. (2011). Atypical clinical presentations of the A3243G mutation, usually associated with MELAS. Internal Medicine Journal, 41 (2), 200-202. doi: 10.1111/j.1445-5994.2010.02379.x
2010
Conference Publication
Clinical characteristics of Aquaporin 4 auto-antibody positive patients – A case series
Blum, Stefan, Wong, Richard, Gillis, David, Wilson, Bob, Prain, Kerryn and McCombe, Pamela (2010). Clinical characteristics of Aquaporin 4 auto-antibody positive patients – A case series. ANZAN Annual Scientific Meeting 2014, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, May 2014. Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.jocn.2010.07.067
2010
Conference Publication
Unusual clinical presentations associated with the A3243G mutation
Blum, Stefan, Robertson, Thomas, Klingberg, Sandra, Henderson, Robert and McCombe, Pamela (2010). Unusual clinical presentations associated with the A3243G mutation. ANZAN Annual Scientific Meeting 2010, -, 2010. Elsevier. doi: 10.1016/j.jocn.2010.07.066
2005
Journal Article
Fibronectin on activated T lymphocytes is bound to gangliosides and is present in detergent insoluble microdomains
Blum, Stefan , Hug, Friederike , Hansch, Gertrud M. and Wagner, Christof (2005). Fibronectin on activated T lymphocytes is bound to gangliosides and is present in detergent insoluble microdomains. Immunology and Cell Biology, 83 (2), 167-174. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1711.2005.01318.x
2000
Journal Article
Fibronectin synthesis by activated T lymphocytes: up-regulation of a surface-associated isoform with signalling function
Wagner, C., Burger, A., Radsak, M., Blum, S., Hug, F. and Hansch, G. M. (2000). Fibronectin synthesis by activated T lymphocytes: up-regulation of a surface-associated isoform with signalling function. Immunology, 99 (4), 532-539. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2567.2000.00995.x
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
Utilising multimodal MRI to model disease activity before and after highly active disease modifying therapy in newly diagnosed multiple sclerosis.
Principal Advisor
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Doctor Philosophy
Studies of myasthenia gravis using MGBase.
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Pamela McCombe
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
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