Title(s)
- Director, Critical Care Continuous EEG Monitoring
- Consultant, UPMC Sleep Medicine Center
- Neurology Consultant, Pittsburgh Steelers
- Chair, Neurology Wellness Committee
Biographical Sketch
Dr. Joanna Fong-Isariyawongse is an Associate Professor of Neurology at the University of Pittsburgh, specializing in Sleep Medicine and Epilepsy. She is a nationally recognized advocate for sleep health and brain health, working to turn scientific evidence into actionable public policy. Her efforts focus on issues like later school start times for adolescents, adoption of permanent standard time, and improved care and education for people living with epilepsy.
Clinically, Dr. Fong-Isariyawongse provides expert care for individuals with epilepsy, including those undergoing surgical evaluation for drug-resistant seizures. She also sees patients with a wide range of sleep concerns, helping individuals improve sleep quality to enhance cognitive function, emotional resilience, and overall performance. In addition, she leads critical care continuous EEG services across eight UPMC hospitals, ensuring timely neurological monitoring for patients in intensive care. Her commitment to patient-centered care has earned her UPMC’s Excellence in Patient Experience Award and recognition as a Pittsburgh Magazine Best Doctor since 2019.
She serves on national advocacy and health policy committees for the American Academy of Neurology (AAN), the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), where she helps shape legislation and healthcare priorities at both state and federal levels. She is a board member of the Pennsylvania Neurological Society, a physician advisory board member for the Epilepsy Association of Western and Central Pennsylvania, and a professional advisory board member for the Epilepsy Foundation of Eastern Pennsylvania.
Dedicated to public education, Dr. Fong-Isariyawongse speaks widely on the science of sleep and its role in learning, mood, seizure control, athletic performance, and public safety. Her outreach spans school districts, athletic teams, first responders, and public transportation workers. She also serves as a neurology consultant to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Whether in the clinic, the classroom, or the Capitol, Dr. Fong-Isariyawongse is committed to building a healthier, more well-rested future for all.
Education & Training
- Fellow, Cleveland Clinic - Cleveland, Ohio, Sleep Medicine Fellowship
- Fellow, Cleveland Clinic - Cleveland, Ohio, Epilepsy Fellowship
- Resident, Cleveland Clinic - Cleveland, Ohio, Neurology
- Resident, Cleveland Clinic - Cleveland, Ohio, Preliminary Internal Medicine
- MD, The Ohio State University College of Medicine - Columbus, Ohio, Medicine
Specialized Areas of Clinical, Research and/or Educational Interests
- Clinical: Critical Care EEG and Quantitative EEG
- Educational: EEG Curriculum
- Advocacy: Sleep Health and Performance
Board Certifications
- American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology: Neurology
- American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology: Clinical Neurophysiology
- American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology: Sleep Medicine
Professional Organization Membership
- American Academy of Neurology
- American Epilepsy Society
- American Academy of Sleep Medicine
Honors & Awards
- Medical Alumni Society Funding
- Neurology Clerkship Award
- American Neurological Association Travel Award
- Excellence in Patient Experience Award – Top UPMC Provider
- Pittsburgh Magazine “Best Doctors”
Selected Publications
Fong JS, Hantus S, Erbayat Altay E, Tuxhorn I. De novo sustained refractory status epilepticus and encephalopathy: a retrospective case series. J Child Neurol. 2010 Dec;25(12):1535-8. doi: 10.1177/0883073810376442. PMID: 21148451.
Joanna S. Fong, Lara Jehi, Imad Najm, Richard A. Prayson, William Bingaman. Surgical Outcome and Prognostic Factors Following Temporal Lobe Epilepsy Surgery in Patients with Non-lesional MRI. Epilepsia 2011 Aug;52(8):1393-401.
Joanna S. Fong, Andreas V. Alexopoulos, William E. Bingaman, Jorge Gonzalez-Martinez, Richard A. Prayson. Pathological Findings Associated with Invasive EEG Monitoring for Medically Intractable Epilepsy. Am J Clin Pathol 2012 Oct;138(4):506-510.
Joanna S. Fong, Zahreddin Alsheikhtaha, Nancy Foldvary-Schaefer. Chapter 31: Sleep and Epilepsy. Review of Sleep Medicine. Saunders (Elsevier Inc.), Philadelphia, PA (2011).
Joanna S. Fong, Nancy Foldvary-Schaefer. Chapter: Periodic Limb Movement in Sleep (PLMS). Encyclopedia of Neurological Sciences 2nd edition. Elsevier Inc, Oxford University Press, USA (2013).
