Neuroimmunology fellow will build clinic at IU Health Riley Hospital for Children.

A fellowship-trained autoimmune neurologist is paving the way for a new neuroimmunology clinic at Indiana University Health's Neuroscience Center in downtown Indianapolis. Dr. Stefanie Rodenbeck treats adult patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and other inflammatory diseases that cause a patient’s immune system to attack the brain, spinal cord and nerves.

Over the next year, Dr. Rodenbeck will train pediatric neurologist Dr. Jerilyn Summay through a fellowship at the Neuroscience Center funded by a gift from the Koorsen-Hoffman family. As part of her fellowship, Dr. Summay will begin to develop a neuroimmunology clinic at Riley to care for younger patients who face diseases like MS. Currently, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital is the closest option for such pediatric patients.

“Dr. Summay has already met with [Cincinnati Children’s Hospital] to understand how they built their clinic and how it’s run,” Dr. Rodenbeck said. "She has already been in touch with other folks here at Riley who trained in Cincinnati to bolster the new clinic here.”

Dr. Summay completed her pediatric neurology residency at Riley Children’s Hospital.

“The clinic Dr. Summay will create helps grow the Neuroscience Center as a whole,” said Dr. Rodenbeck. “Patients suffering from diseases like MS will receive better care from a fellowship-trained neurologist like Dr. Summay. Indiana needs more neuroimmunologists, generally. After already completing a pediatric neurology fellowship, Dr. Summay will serve our pediatric patients in a way that aligns nicely with the intent of the gift from the Koorsen-Hoffman family.”