Uploaded May 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
The "Community Meets Clinic" podcast series introduces clinicians and healthcare personnel specializing in rare neuroimmune disorders. In this episode hosted by Krissy Dilger of SRNA, we meet Dr. Monica Diaz of University of North Carolina Health. Dr. Diaz shared her journey into neurology and neuroimmunology, driven by her fascination with the brain and problem-solving [00:01:34]. She discussed her research focuses, including demyelinating disorders in Latin America and outcomes in Latino communities in the U.S. [00:03:26]. Dr. Diaz detailed the multidisciplinary approach of The Bodford Family Transverse Myelitis Center, highlighting the range of specialists involved in patient care [00:07:17]. She emphasized the importance of staying active and working with a care team for recovery and shared her hopes for future treatments and potential cures for rare neuroimmune disorders [00:11:08].
00:00 Introduction
00:54 Meet Dr. Monica Diaz
01:26 Dr. Diaz's Journey into Neuroimmunology
03:26 Research Focus and Interests
07:17 The Multidisciplinary Clinic at UNC
11:08 Self-Care and Personal Insights
13:23 Message to Patients and Hope for the Future
16:23 Conclusion
Monica Maria Diaz, MD, MS is an assistant professor of neurology in the Division of MS/Neuroimmunology at UNC. She sees patients in the multiple sclerosis (MS) and transverse myelitis (TM) clinics of UNC, providing care to patients with multiple sclerosis and autoimmune and infectious diseases affecting the nervous system. She completed her neurology residency at Yale and neuro-infectious/MS/neuroimmunology fellowship at UC San Diego.
Dr. Diaz has lived and worked in Peru intermittently since 2019 through an NIH Fogarty fellowship and continues to lead studies in Peru with the goal of improving neurological outcomes in Latin America, including studies on epidemiology/risk factors for dementia, cognitive impairment in Peruvians living with HIV, and transverse myelitis in Peru. She is the co-director of a bilateral neurology resident rotation between UNC and Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia in Lima, Peru. You can view the medical profile of Dr. Diaz here:
unchealth.org/care-services/doctors/d/monica-maria-diaz-md-ms
The "Community Meets Clinic" podcast series introduces clinicians and healthcare personnel specializing in rare neuroimmune disorders. In this episode hosted by Krissy Dilger of SRNA, we meet Dr. Monica Diaz of University of North Carolina Health. Dr. Diaz shared her journey into neurology and neuroimmunology, driven by her fascination with the brain and problem-solving [00:01:34]. She discussed her research focuses, including demyelinating disorders in Latin America and outcomes in Latino communities in the U.S. [00:03:26]. Dr. Diaz detailed the multidisciplinary approach of The Bodford Family Transverse Myelitis Center, highlighting the range of specialists involved in patient care [00:07:17]. She emphasized the importance of staying active and working with a care team for recovery and shared her hopes for future treatments and potential cures for rare neuroimmune disorders [00:11:08].
00:00 Introduction
00:54 Meet Dr. Monica Diaz
01:26 Dr. Diaz's Journey into Neuroimmunology
03:26 Research Focus and Interests
07:17 The Multidisciplinary Clinic at UNC
11:08 Self-Care and Personal Insights
13:23 Message to Patients and Hope for the Future
16:23 Conclusion
Monica Maria Diaz, MD, MS is an assistant professor of neurology in the Division of MS/Neuroimmunology at UNC. She sees patients in the multiple sclerosis (MS) and transverse myelitis (TM) clinics of UNC, providing care to patients with multiple sclerosis and autoimmune and infectious diseases affecting the nervous system. She completed her neurology residency at Yale and neuro-infectious/MS/neuroimmunology fellowship at UC San Diego.
Dr. Diaz has lived and worked in Peru intermittently since 2019 through an NIH Fogarty fellowship and continues to lead studies in Peru with the goal of improving neurological outcomes in Latin America, including studies on epidemiology/risk factors for dementia, cognitive impairment in Peruvians living with HIV, and transverse myelitis in Peru. She is the co-director of a bilateral neurology resident rotation between UNC and Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia in Lima, Peru. You can view the medical profile of Dr. Diaz here:
unchealth.org/care-services/doctors/d/monica-maria-diaz-md-ms
