Dr. Mao-Draayer completed medical school at the Capital Institute of Medicine in Beijing, China, and her doctoral degree from the University of Iowa. She completed Neuroimmunology/Multiple Sclerosis fellowship after neurology residency training at the University of Vermont. She has been a physician scientist and a neurologist specializing in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) since 2005. She joined the Multiple Sclerosis Program at UM in June 2012. She has involved in many clinical trials of new types of therapy for various stages of MS as well as for neuromyelitis optic (NMO). Her research is directed at understanding the immunologic and neurobiologic mechanisms in neuro-inflammatory diseases and applying novel therapeutics in MS and NMO.