Sam Pleasure

Sam Pleasure, MD, PhD, is a Professor of Neurology at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Weill Institute for Neurosciences. He runs both a clinical practice and a research laboratory focused on autoimmune autoantibody-associated encephalitis, a condition where the immune system attacks the central nervous system. His work bridges patient care and fundamental research, emphasizing the molecular mechanisms of neuroinflammatory diseases and neural development.

Education:

• MD/PhD from University of Pennsylvania
• Neurology residency at UCSF
• Research fellowship at UCSF with Dan Lowenstein and Mark Tessier-Lavigne

His research spans autoimmune neurological disorders, cortical circuit formation, and the role of meningeal signaling in brain development. Key discoveries include antibodies targeting vitamin B12 receptors and their implications for neuropsychiatric deficits, as well as molecular pathways (e.g., EPHRIN-B/EPHB, SHH, FGF) regulating cortical and hippocampal development. His lab collaborates extensively, including with Dr. Michael Wilson and Dr. Joe DeRisi, to identify novel autoantibodies through biobanking.

Scientific Awards:

• Glenn W. Johnson, Jr. Memorial Endowed Chair in Neurology

He utilizes multidisciplinary approaches, including metagenomics and host transcriptomics, to study neuroinflammatory diseases like multiple sclerosis, HIV-associated neurological conditions, and post-viral syndromes (e.g., neuropsychiatric COVID-19). His work has been supported by the National Institutes of Health and private foundations.