Myositis is a rare disease, affecting approximately 50,000 Americans a year. It is critical for patients who suspect they may be suffering from myositis to be evaluated by an experienced myositis specialist.
The doctors at the Johns Hopkins Myositis Center have spent the majority of their medical careers diagnosing, researching and treating myositis. As the physicians with the most experience in recognizing myositis, their expertise is now gathered in one center, conveniently located at the Johns Hopkins Bayview campus in Baltimore, Maryland.
Our team features rheumatologists, neurologists, pulmonologists, along with physical medicine rehabilitation specialists who evaluate hundreds of new patients a year who are referred with a suspected or confirmed diagnosis of myositis.
Dr. Lisa Christopher-Stine
Dr. Christopher-Stine is a Professor of Medicine and Neurology in the Division of Rheumatology at the Johns Hopkins University and Co-Director of the Johns Hopkins Myositis Center.
Dr. Andrew Mammen
Dr. Mammen is an Adjunct Professor in Neurology and Neuromuscular at the Johns Hopkins University and co-founding member of the Johns Hopkins Myositis Center. His clinical and research interests are focused on autoimmune muscle disease.
Dr. Julie Paik
Dr. Paik is an Associate Professor in the Division of Rheumatology at the Johns Hopkins University, the Co-Director of the Myositis Center and Director of Clinical Trials in the Myositis Center.
Dr. Jemima Albayda
Dr. Albayda is an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Rheumatology. She is the Director of the Rapid Arthritis Care and Evaluation [RACE] Clinic and heads the rheumatology musculoskeletal ultrasound program.
Dr. Christopher Mecoli
Dr. Christopher Mecoli is an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Rheumatology at the Johns Hopkins University and Director of Research Operations and Physician Lead for the Myositis Precision Center of Excellence.
Dr. Timothy Kaniecki
Dr. Timothy Kaniecki is an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Rheumatology at the Johns Hopkins University.
Dr. Payam Mohassel
Dr. Mohassel is an Associate Professor of Neurology at Johns Hopkins University specializing in degenerative and genetic neuromuscular disorders. After completing his clinical internship, neurology residency, and clinical fellowship in neuromuscular disorders at Johns Hopkins Hospital, he then went to the National Institutes of Health. During an 8-year period at the NIH, he trained in research studies in muscle disease, including muscular dystrophies and myositis, and led clinical trials in rare genetic neuromuscular disorders. His clinic specializes in genetic muscles disorders such as muscular dystrophies and congenital myopathies and Inclusion Body Myositis (IBM). He serves as the co-director of the Johns Hopkins Myositis Center. He is the site PI for three clinical studies in IBM including two interventional clinical trials for this disease at the Johns Hopkins Myositis Center.
Dr. Abdul AlQahtani
Dr. AlQahtani is an Associate Professor of Neurology at Johns Hopkins University.
Dr. Sonye Danoff
Dr. Danoff is a Professor in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine and Director of the Hopkins Interstitial Lung Disease Clinic.
Dr. Anna Gersten
Dr. Gersten is a quadruple board-certified physician with expertise in myositis-associated interstitial lung disease. She serves as Director of the novel Breathlessness Clinic that she developed to meet the supportive care and symptom management needs of patients with serious respiratory illness. Her research focuses on understanding the palliative care needs in patients with interstitial lung disease and studying novel approaches to address these gaps in care. Dr. Gersten has spoken nationally and internationally about her research and the role of palliative care in serious respiratory illness.
Dr. Matthew Lammi
Dr. Lammi is an Associate Professor of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine. Associate Program Director, Advanced Lung Disease Fellowship. Associate Director, Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation Care Center. Associate Professor of Medicine, LSU Health Sciences Center (gratis)
Dr. Sarah L. Khan
Dr. Khan is an Assistant Professor of Pulmonary Medicine, Johns Hopkins University.
Annlise Calypso, CRNP
Annlise Calypso is a board-certified nurse practitioner with a deep commitment to improving care for patients living with complex pulmonary and autoimmune diseases. She practices within the Johns Hopkins Myositis Center and the Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) Program, and she also sees patients in the Breathlessness Clinic, where she supports individuals struggling with chronic respiratory symptoms. Annlise brings a unique blend of clinical insight, empathy, and advocacy to her work.
Annlise has a special interest in myositis-associated ILD and is passionate about providing integrated, whole-person care to patients navigating these challenging conditions. She is particularly drawn to the overlap of autoimmune muscle disease and lung involvement and is dedicated to advancing earlier recognition, effective symptom management, and patient education in this space. Her clinical philosophy centers on partnership, meeting patients where they are, and ensuring they feel seen, supported, and empowered throughout their journey.
