Kyle Blackburn, M.D.

Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute

Neurology
Antibody-Mediated Neurologic Disorders
Neurologic Complications of Cancers and Rheumatologic Disease

Biography

Kyle Blackburn, M.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurology at UT Southwestern Medical Center. He specializes in neuroimmunology and has clinical interests in antibody-mediated neurologic disorders, including autoimmune encephalitis, epilepsy, and ataxias; neurologic complications of cancers, including paraneoplastic disorders and checkpoint inhibitor/CAR T-cell toxicity; and demyelinating disorders, including sarcoidosis, neuromyelitis optica, myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG)-associated disease, and multiple sclerosis.

Dr. Blackburn earned his medical degree at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine. He performed his residency in adult neurology at UT Southwestern, serving his final year as Chief Resident, and stayed here to complete a fellowship in neuroimmunology, during which he earned the James T. Lubin Clinician Scientist Award from the Siegel Rare Neuroimmune Association (SRNA).

He joined the UT Southwestern faculty in 2020.

Education & Training

Medical School - University of Kentucky College of Medicine (2010-2014)
Fellowship - UT Southwestern Medical Center (2018-2020), Autoimmune Neurology
Residency - University of Texas Southwestern Medical School (2014-2018), Neurology

Professional Associations & Affiliations

American Academy of Neurology

Honors & Awards

Roger Rosenberg Fellow of the Year 2019, UT Southwestern
James T. Lubin Clinician Scientist Fellowship 2018, Siegel Rare Neuroimmune Association
AAN Enhanced Leadership Program 2018
Gold Humanism Honor Society, Inducted in 2013

Books & Publications

Publications
- Current and emerging therapies for autoimmune encephalitis
  Dinov D, Nguyen L, Blackburn K, Vernino S Expert review of neurotherapeutics 2025 25 555-565
- Faster and better than a physician?: Assessing diagnostic proficiency of ChatGPT in misdiagnosed individuals with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder
  Shan K, Patel MA, McCreary M, Punnen TG, Villalobos F, Tardo LM, Horton LA, Sguigna PV, Blackburn KM, Munoz SB, Burgess KW, Moog TM, Smith AD, Okuda DT Journal of the Neurological Sciences 2025 Jan 468
- Late Relapse After Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in AQP4-IgG-Positive NMOSD
  Vorasoot N, Blackburn KM, Nguyen L, Bush ML, Jenkins SM, Jitprapaikulsan J, Fryer JP, Irani SR, Flanagan EP, Pittock SJ JAMA Network Open 2025
- Fluorescence-detection size-exclusion chromatography specifically detects autoantibodies targeting the ganglionic acetylcholine receptor in patients with autoimmune autonomic ganglionopathy
  Baxter L, Hopkins S, O'Connor KC, Pham MC, Nowak RJ, Monson NL, Blackburn K, Hibbs RE, Vernino S, Noviello CM Journal of Neuroimmunology 2024 Nov 396
- Generative artificial intelligence versus clinicians: Who diagnoses multiple sclerosis faster and with greater accuracy?
  Patel MA, Villalobos F, Shan K, Tardo LM, Horton LA, Sguigna PV, Blackburn KM, Munoz SB, Moog TM, Smith AD, Burgess KW, McCreary M, Okuda DT Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders 2024 Oct 90
- Evaluation of the impact of neurology electronic consults (e-consults): Experiences of a neurology resident clinic in a safety-net hospital
  Tardo L, Hirczy S, Blackburn K, Mejia M, Salter A, Huynh M, Khan S Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare 2024
- Cladribine tablets after treatment with natalizumab (CLADRINA) – rationale and design
  Sguigna PV, Hussain RZ, Okai A, Blackburn KM, Tardo L, Madinawala M, Korich J, Lebson LA, Kaplan J, Salter A, Manouchehri N, Stuve O Therapeutic Advances in Neurological Disorders 2024 Jan 17
- Hero or Antagonist: A Case Series on the Tolerability of Memantine as Salvage Therapy for Catatonia from Anti-NMDA Receptor Encephalitis
  Maneta EK, Wang J, Abu-Hamad SJ, Jennings M, Blackburn K, Robinson DM Harvard review of psychiatry 2023 Nov 31 281-286
- VH2+ Antigen-Experienced B Cells in the Cerebrospinal Fluid Are Expanded and Enriched in Pediatric Anti-NMDA Receptor Encephalitis
  Monson N, Smith C, Greenberg H, Plumb P, Guzman A, Tse K, Chen D, Zhang W, Morgan M, Speed H, Powell C, Batra S, Cowell L, Christley S, Vernino S, Blackburn K, Greenberg B Journal of Immunology 2023 Nov 211 1332-1339
- Disease associations of excessive daytime sleepiness in multiple sclerosis: A prospective study
  Sguigna PV, Toranian S, Tardo LM, Blackburn KM, Horton LA, Conger D, Meltzer E, Hogan RN, McCreary M, Zee PC, Takahashi JS, Greenberg BM Multiple Sclerosis Journal - Experimental, Translational and Clinical 2023 Jan 9
- A narrative review of neuro-ophthalmologic disease in African Americans and Hispanics with multiple sclerosis
  Tardo L, Salter A, Truong-Le MN, Horton L, Blackburn KM, Sguigna PV Therapeutic Advances in Chronic Disease 2023 Jan 14
- Autoimmune Encephalitis Misdiagnosis in Adults
  Flanagan EP, Geschwind MD, Lopez-Chiriboga AS, Blackburn KM, Turaga S, Binks S, Zitser J, Gelfand JM, Day GS, Dunham SR, Rodenbeck SJ, Clardy SL, Solomon AJ, Pittock SJ, McKeon A, Dubey D, Zekeridou A, Toledano M, Turner LE, Vernino S, Irani SR JAMA neurology 2023 Jan 80 30-39
- Clinical Reasoning: A 59-Year-Old Man with Thymoma and Constitutional Symptoms, Seizures, and Multifocal CNS Lesions
  Stopschinski BE, Fredrich S, Vernino S, Phillips L, Blackburn KM Neurology 2022 Dec 99 1115-1121
- Refractory Anti-NMDA Receptor Encephalitis in Early Pregnancy: A Case Report of Treatment Course and Pregnancy Outcomes
  Fredrich S, Wang C, Narayan R, Tardo L, Blackburn KM, Vernino S Neurology: Neuroimmunology and NeuroInflammation 2022 Sep 9
- Low Recruitment in a Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Ocrelizumab for Autoimmune Encephalitis: A Case Series and Review of Lessons Learned
  Blackburn KM, Denney DA, Hopkins SC, Vernino SA Neurology and Therapy 2022 Jun 11 893-903
- Paraneoplastic syndromes
  Blackburn KM, Vernino S 2022 Jan 109-116
- Neuroimaging in paraneoplastic syndromes
  M. Blackburn K, Vernino S 2022 Jan 955-962
- Application of the International Interocular Difference Thresholds into Practice: Localising the Patient Experience
  Sguigna PV, Tardo LM, Blackburn KM, Horton LA, Conger DL, Hogan RN, McCreary MC, Greenberg BM Neuro-Ophthalmology 2022 46 375-382
- Autoimmune encephalitis: Proposed recommendations for symptomatic and long-term management
  Author Collaboration AE, Abboud H, Probasco JC, Irani S, Ances B, Benavides DR, Bradshaw M, Christo PP, Dale RC, Fernandez-Fournier M, Flanagan EP, Gadoth A, George P, Grebenciucova E, Jammoul A, Lee ST, Li Y, Matiello M, Morse AM, Rae-Grant A, Rojas G, Rossman I, Schmitt S, Venkatesan A, Vernino S, Pittock SJ, Titulaer MJ, Tarawneh R, Van Mater H, Muscal E, Ruhoy I, Anziska Y, Longbrake E, Benseler S, Wang C, Apperson M, Iorio R, Simabukuro MM, Zhong N, Rüegg S, Piquet A, Kuo J, Konuskan B, Frid E, Deng J, Mitchell W, Mooneyham GL, Estiasari R, Chiba Y, Alarcio M, Blackburn K Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and psychiatry 2021 Aug 92 897-907
- Autoimmune encephalitis: Proposed best practice recommendations for diagnosis and acute management
  Author Collaboration AE, Abboud H, Probasco JC, Irani S, Ances B, Benavides DR, Bradshaw M, Christo PP, Dale RC, Fernandez-Fournier M, Flanagan EP, Gadoth A, George P, Grebenciucova E, Jammoul A, Lee ST, Li Y, Matiello M, Morse AM, Rae-Grant A, Rojas G, Rossman I, Schmitt S, Venkatesan A, Vernino S, Pittock SJ, Titulaer MJ, Tarawneh R, Van Mater H, Muscal E, Ruhoy I, Anziska Y, Longbrake E, Benseler S, Wang C, Apperson M, Iorio R, Simabukuro MM, Zhong N, Rüegg S, Piquet A, Kuo J, Konuskan B, Frid E, Deng J, Mitchell W, Mooneyham GL, Estiasari R, Chiba Y, Alarcio M, Blackburn K Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and psychiatry 2021 Jul 92 757-768
- Antibody Testing for Neurological Autoimmune Disorders: Evaluation of Best Practices at a Tertiary Referral Center
  Fredrich SE, Vernino S, Blackburn KM Frontiers in Neurology 2021 Jun 12
- Autoimmune autonomic disorders
  Golden E, Blackburn K, Vernino S 2021 Apr 347-357
- Primary peripheral T-cell central nervous system lymphoma
  Bird CE, Traylor JI, Omas J, Caruso JP, Kafka B, Rosado F, Blackburn KM, Hatanpaa KJ, Abdullah KG Surgical Neurology International 2021 12
- Utilization of video oculography to quantify oculomotor dysfunction in anti-DPPX encephalitis: A case study
  Blackburn K, Vernino S, Sguigna P Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders 2020 Nov 46
- Revisiting Transverse Myelitis: Moving Toward a New Nomenclature
  Blackburn KM, Greenberg BM Frontiers in Neurology 2020 Sep 11
- NMDA receptor antibody seropositivity in psychosis: A pilot study from the Bipolar-Schizophrenia Network for Intermediate Phenotypes (B-SNIP)
  Blackburn KM, Ivleva EI, Weir RA, Kim M, Hopkins SC, Hudgens-Haney ME, Keedy SK, Gershon ES, Sweeney JA, Keshavan MS, Pearlson GD, Clementz BA, Tamminga CA, Vernino S Schizophrenia Research 2020 Apr 218 318-320
- Two cases of aquaporin-4 positive neuromyelitis optica associated with T-cell lymphoma
  Blackburn K, Wang C, Greenberg B Journal of Neuroimmunology 2020 Jan 338
- Post-infectious neurological disorders
  Blackburn KM, Wang C Therapeutic Advances in Neurological Disorders 2020 13
- Neurological autoimmune disorders with prominent gastrointestinal manifestations: A review of presentation, evaluation, and treatment
  Blackburn KM, Kubiliun M, Harris S, Vernino S Neurogastroenterology and Motility 2019 Oct 31
- Assessing recent suicidal ideation and behavior in the adult epilepsy monitoring unit
  Husari KS, Blackburn KM, Ding K, Roaten K, Hays R Epilepsy and Behavior 2019 May 94 100-103
- Relapsing-remitting chronic lymphocytic inflammation with pontine perivascular enhancement responsive to steroids syndrome in association with P/Q-type voltage-gated calcium channel antibody
  Dubey D, Devine M, Blackburn K, Warnack W Journal of postgraduate medicine 2016 Oct 62 269-270
- Diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for management of autoimmune encephalopathies
  Dubey D, Blackburn K, Greenberg B, Stuve O, Vernino S Expert review of neurotherapeutics 2016 Aug 16 937-949

Research

Autoantibodies in Neurological Disorders
Autoimmune Encephalitis
Clinical Trials in Rare Neuroimmune Disorders
Multiple Sclerosis
Neuromyelitis Optica
Transverse Myelitis

Clinical Focus

Antibody-Mediated Neurologic Disorders
Neurologic Complications of Cancers and Rheumatologic Disease
Demyelinating Disorders