Joan Ohayon, RN, MSN, CRNP, MSCN

Joan Ohayon is a nurse practitioner in the Neuroimmunology Branch of the National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland. Ohayon was born in southeastern Virginia and spent most of her childhood in Hampton, Virginia. Prior to receiving her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from James Madison University in 1993, she was a Clinical Nursing Student in a summer program at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. Upon graduating, she then completed the Neuroscience Nurse Internship Program while working as a Clinical Research Nurse in the Neuroscience Program of Care at NIH. Ohayon received a Masters in Nursing from Marymount University in Arlington, Virginia in 1997. She became certified as a Family Nurse Practitioner and joined the Neuroimmunology Branch of NINDS under the leadership of Dr. Henry McFarland. Ohayon is also a Multiple Sclerosis Certified Nurse.

Ohayon is an associate investigator in multiple research studies involving treatments and imaging in multiple sclerosis (MS), along with a few studies involved with a rare chronic neurological disorder, HTLV-1 Associated Myelopathy/Tropical Spastic Paraparesis (HAM/TSP). Currently she is focusing on disability and magnetic resonance imaging in MS. Ohayon is actively involved with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, National Capital Chapter. She is their Research Advocate and on their Professional Advisory Committee. Ohayon is a member of the International Organization of MS Nurses and a member of the Metropolitan Washington MS Interest Group. Ohayon has given numerous educational presentations to both community and professional audiences as well as co-authored many publications and abstracts. She is a Guest Lecturer and Faculty for several courses and educational classes at NIH. Ohayon has also been a guest speaker on several televised programs on multiple sclerosis.

Ohayon is committed to helping people with MS, their families and communities have a better understanding of this disease. Through research and education, she hopes to improve overall quality of life for people living with MS.

Ohayon currently resides in Rockville, Maryland with her husband, two boys, and their chocolate Labrador retriever.