Stephanie K. Tankou, MD, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Neurology at Mount Sinai Health System, and sees patients at the Corinne Goldsmith Dickinson Center for Multiple Sclerosis, with a clinical focus in multiple sclerosis (MS), neuromyelitis optica, and neurosarcoidosis. Dr. Tankou has an established research lab focusing on identifying gut derived bacteria that regulate inflammation in the central nervous system (CNS), setting the goal to identify gut derived bacteria that can serve as biomarkers as well as disease modifying therapies for MS and other CNS autoimmune diseases.

Paola is a Postdoctoral Fellow at Dr. Tankou Lab. She obtained her degree in Biochemistry and PhD in Biology from Universidad de la Republica, in Uruguay. Her long term research interest is on the mechanisms regulating nervous system plasticity, disease and repair. Her previous research has focused on peripheral nerve plasticity, neuro-vascular coupling and spinal cord injury. Paola joined the Tankou Lab to study astrocyte biology in a mice model of multiple sclerosis (EAE), and the gut-derived microbiota modulating astrocyte function. In her free time, Paola enjoys reading, traveling and travel photography.

Paola is a postdoctoral fellow at Dr. Tankou lab. After graduating at the University of Parma (Italy), Paola moved to Spain, where she obtained her PhD in Neuroscience at the University of Valencia. During her PhD, Paola was studying the role of peripheral inflammation and neuroinflammation in inducing cognitive and motor impairment in minimal hepatic encephalopathy, and the effect of treatment with the antibiotic rifaximin in preventing these alterations. Further research experience focused on cognitive deficits associated with maternal immune activation. Paola joined the Tankou Lab being interested in studying the gut microbiota’s modulation of the inflammatory environment in multiple sclerosis.

Zoë LaRock is a Clinical Research Coordinator at Mount Sinai’s Corinne Goldsmith Dickinson Center for MS. Interested in the gut-brain axis, she enthusiastically joined Dr. Tankou’s research team in 2023. Zoë graduated from Colby College in 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience and then attended Columbia University as a postbaccalaureate student. 

Susan Filomena (Clinical Research Manager) joined the Corinne Goldsmith Center for Multiple Sclerosis in 2018 as a research coordinator and now oversees regulatory management of the center’s human subjects research studies.  

Nicole Graziano, Clinical Research Managers at the Corinne Goldsmith Dickinson Center for Multiple Sclerosis, oversees data acquisition for Dr. Tankou’s Vancomycin Study in MS. She conducts study visits when needed and helps set up many of the study operations. She partakes in the brainstorming and resolution of any operational issues in the conduct of the clinical trial. 

Current Position: Osteopathic Medical student, University of New England, College of Osteopathic Medicine

Current Position: Undergraduate in Bioengineering at UC Berkeley