Mackenzie C. Cervenka

Current: Professor of Neurology, Epilepsy Division Johns Hopkins School of Medicine; Medical Director, Johns Hopkins Adult Epilepsy Diet Center

Dr. Mackenzie Cervenka is a tenured Professor of Neurology at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine with subspecialty training in epilepsy. She is Medical Director of the Johns Hopkins Adult Epilepsy Diet Center which she developed in 2010 and has treated over 500 adults with ketogenic diet therapies for epilepsy, glucose transporter type 1 deficiency syndrome and refractory status epilepticus. She conducts clinical trials examining the feasibility, safety and efficacy of ketogenic diet therapies in managing medically resistant epilepsy and refractory status epilepticus in adults and also collaborates with investigators to evaluate these treatments for patients with serious mental illness, alcohol withdrawal, glioma, migraine, dementia and obesity hypoventilation syndrome.

Awards

  • 1999 Frank W. Finger Undergraduate Research Award for Psychology Distinguished Major Thesis, University of Virginia College of Arts and Sciences
  • Comparing viewer and array mental rotations in different planes
  • 2008 Gold Humanism Honor Society
  • 2008 Humanism Honor Society, Univ Maryland School of Medicine
  • 2008 National EpiFellows Foundation Scientific Forum Travel Grant
  • 2009 TopScholar Award, American Epilepsy Society
  • 2009 Susan S. Spencer Women, Minority, and Junior Investigator Award
  • 2009 Merritt-Putnam Fellowship Award, Epilepsy Foundation
  • 2011 American Clinical Neurophysiology Society Travel Fellow Award
  • 2013-2014 Johns Hopkins Univ School of Medicine Clinician Scientist Career Development Award
  • 2017 Osler Attending Preceptor in Neurology, Johns Hopkins Univ School of Medicine
  • 2017 Mentor of the Year for the Neurology Junior Faculty Mentoring Program, Johns Hopkins Univ School of Medicine
  • 2018 Top Doctors Baltimore

Number of Publications

Dr. Cervenka has published 95 original manuscripts, review articles and guidelines, 15 book chapters, authored 2 books and participated in 38 media releases and interviews including international recommendations on the management of ketogenic diet therapies in adults.

Years of Clinical Experience & Estimated Number of Patients Treated

Dr. Cervenka obtained her medical degree at University of Virginia School of Medicine in 1999. She completed neurology residency training at University of Maryland Medical Center followed by a 2 year fellowship in epilepsy at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine before accepting a position as a full-time faculty member in the Department of Neurology in 2010. She has personally treated and enrolled over 500 adults with ketogenic diet therapies for epilepsy, glucose transporter type 1 deficiency syndrome and refractory status epilepticus in clinical trials. In addition, she collaborates with researchers who have enrolled or are enrolling over 300 adults in studies of ketogenic therapies in the management of serious mental illness, glioma, migraine, dementia and obesity hypoventilation syndrome.

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