Alexander Sandweiss, MD, PhD

Assistant Professor

Positions

Assistant Professor: Pediatrics
Pediatric Neurology and Developmental Neuroscience
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, Texas, United States

Education

Residency at Baylor College of Medicine: 06/2023 - Houston, Texas, United States; Child Neurology

MD from University of Arizona: 05/2018 - Tucson, Arizona

PhD from University of Arizona: 06/2016 - Arizona, Tucson; Pharmacology/Neuroscience

BS from University of Arizona: 05/2011 - Tucson, Arizona; Physiology, Music

Fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine: 06/2024 - Houston, Texas, United States; Pediatric Neuroimmunology

Honors & Awards

Chief Resident, 2021-2022: Baylor College of Medicine

Professional Statement

Alex, originally from Phoenix, Arizona, relocated two hours south to Tucson, Arizona, where he resided for 11 years while pursuing his education at The University of Arizona. He studied physiology and music in undergrad, then began medical school and his PhD in pharmacology at The University of Arizona COM. For his PhD dissertation, Alex studied the role of the neuropeptide substance p in the neural circuitry of opioid reward, with the goal of developing a novel analgesic that lacks the potential for abuse.

Upon completion of pediatric neurology residency at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital, he began pediatric neuroimmunology fellowship, during which Alex's primary focus revolved around his research interest in autoimmune diseases affecting the nervous system, with a specific emphasis on encephalitis.

He is now an Assistant Professor at Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital where he runs his basic-science lab studying autoimmune neurological disorders such as encephalitis and demyelinating diseases.

Selected Publications

Alexander J. Sandweiss, Vicky Brandt, Huda Y. Zoghbi. " Advances in understanding Rett syndrome and MECP2 duplication syndrome: prospects for future therapies. " The Lancet Neurology. 2020 Aug 1; 19 (8) : 689-698.
Pubmed PMID: 32702338.
Sandweiss AJ, Erickson T, Jiang Y, Kannan V, Yarimi JM, Fisher KS, Shukla N, Litze T, Muscal E, Murray KO. " Phenotypic Diversity and Outcomes in Pediatric NMDA Receptor Encephalitis: A 15-Year Retrospective Study from the Largest Children’s Hospital in the United States " Adv Sci. 2026 Mar ; (28:e20313)
Pubmed PMID: 41903117.
Sandweiss AJ, Truong C, Murray KO, Russell H. " Pediatric Neuroinflammatory Disorders: Patterns of Hospital Utilization and Population Burden " Hospital Pediatrics. 2025 Nov ; (25:e2025008542)
Pubmed PMID: 41285398.
Kass NR, Ledbetter E, Erickson TA, Yarimi JM, Zoghbi A, Muscal E, Murray KO, Fisher KS, Sandweiss AJ. " Pediatric NMDAR Encephalitis is Differentiated from Encephalitis Mimickers by Early Elevated Blood Pressure " Pediatr Neurol. 2025 Nov ; 172 : 71-77.
Pubmed PMID: 40907243.
Alexander J Sandweiss, Varun Kannan, Nilesh K Desai, Stephen F Kralik, Eyal Muscal, Kristen S Fisher. " Arterial Spin Labeling Changes Parallel Asymmetric Perisylvian and Perirolandic Symptoms in 3 Pediatric Cases of Anti-NMDAR Encephalitis " Neur: Neuroimmunol & Neuroinflamm. 2023 Apr ; 10 (4)
Pubmed PMID: 37094999.
Alexander J Sandweiss, Jonathan Rosen, Chaitanya Aduru, Akansha Chandrasekar, Kyla Blasingame, Madhuri Chilakapati, Rod Foroozan, Jonathan M Yarimi. " MOGAD optic neuritis after mild head/orbital trauma in six children " J Neuroimmunol. 2025 Jul ; 15 (404)
Pubmed PMID: 40187047.
Alexander J Sandweiss, Timothy A Erickson, Yike Jiang, Varun Kannan, Jonathan M Yarimi, Jesse M Levine, Kristen Fisher, Eyal Muscal, Gail Demmler-Harrison, Kristy O Murray, Shannon E Ronca. " Infectious profiles in pediatric anti-N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor encephalitis " J Neuroimmunology. 2023 Jun ;
Pubmed PMID: 37364517.
Alexander J. Sandweiss, Mary I. McIntosh, Aubin Moutal, Rachel Davidson-Knapp, Jackie Hu, Aswini K. Giri, Takashi Yamamoto, Victor J. Hruby, Rajesh Khanna, Tally M. Largent-Milnes, Todd W. Vanderah. " Genetic and pharmacological antagonism of NK 1 receptor prevents opiate abuse potential " Molecular Psychiatry. 2018 Aug ; 23 (8) : 1745-1755.
Pubmed PMID: 28485408.
Gombolay G, Brenton JN, Yang JH, Stredny CM, Kammeyer R, Fisher KS, Sandweiss AJ,.... " Isolated Psychiatric Symptoms in Children With Anti-N-Methyl-d Aspartate Receptor Encephalitis " Pediatr Neurol. 2024 Oct ; (159) : 12-15.
Pubmed PMID: 39094249.
Ballinger EC, Todd HF, Yarimi JM, Lotze TE, Shukla NM, Fisher KS, Sandweiss AJ. " Non-syndromic tumefactive demyelinating lesions in the pediatric population: four case reports and review of the literature. " Ann Child Neurol Soc. 2026 Mar ; (4;1. 87-94)

Memberships

American Academy of Neurology

Child Neurology Society

American Academy of Pediatrics

Texas Neurological Society

Texas Pediatrics Society

American Physiological Society

Funding

Chao Physician Scientist Award: (07/01/2025 - 06/30/2026); Grant funding from Baylor College of Medicine

Junior Faculty Seed Award: (07/01/2025 - 06/30/2026); Grant funding from Baylor College of Medicine

Pediatric Pilot Fund: (07/01/2025 - 06/30/2026); Grant funding from Texas Children's

Exome sequencing for the discovery of genetic determinants of pediatric anti-NMDAR encephalitis: (07/01/2022 - 06/30/2024); Grant funding from Thrasher Research Fund

Evaluation of novel therapies for autoimmune encephalitis: (01/01/2023 - 12/31/2023); Grant funding from Mike Hogg Fund

Assessing the burden of post-HSV meningoencephalitis induced NMDAR encephalitis in children: (08/01/2023 - 07/31/2024); Grant funding from Texas Neurological Society