Dr Sophie Binks

After a career in medical communications, I retrained in medicine and graduated with distinction and first in my cohort from Brighton & Sussex Medical School in 2013 (Professor Alasdair Smith prize for best performance in the overall programme), being awarded 18 prizes/scholarships during my medical degree, including three-times recipient of the Dean’s prize for best overall performance (years 1, 2 & 4). I completed a fellowship in autoimmune neurology in Oxford in 2016-2017 and was awarded my DPhil in neuroimmunology from the University of Oxford in 2022. In my current role, I work as a clinician-scientist and early career researcher at NDCN and the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford. My research programme focuses on clinical and genetic aspects of autoimmune encephalitis (AE). Significant breakthroughs I have published include human leucocyte antigen genetics (2018) and additional genetic risk loci (2025) in AE associated with antibodies to leucine-rich glioma-inactivated 1 (LGI1-Ab-E) and contactin-associated protein 2 (CASPR2). I have also been at the forefront of describing the impact of fatigue and quality of life outcomes in LGI1-Ab-E (2021 and 2024), and a unique naturally-occurring animal model of LGI1-Ab-E in pet cats (2025). As a thought leader in this field, I am active as an international speaker and educator, including supervision of postgraduate students, patient engagement activities, and professional leadership roles.