William Steven Benko, M.D.
Director, UC Davis Leukodystrophy Clinic
Professor, Division of Pediatric Neurology
To see if William Steven Benko is accepting new patients, or for assistance finding a UC Davis doctor, please call 800-2-UCDAVIS (800-282-3284).
Specialties
Pediatric Neurology
Epilepsy
Neurodegenerative Conditions
Locations and Contact
Additional Numbers
Clinic Fax
Clinic Fax
Physician Referrals
Philosophy of Care
I will approach your child with respect and incorporate their input into the treatment plan to allow for the best possible outcome. I will do my best to thoroughly explain the meaning of what we are addressing and the plan in a careful understandible manner.
Clinical Interests
William Benko is a Professor of Neurology and the Director of the Leukodystrophy Clinic in the Division of Pediatric Neurology within the Department of Neurology. He sees pediatric patients from birth up until adulthood with conditions related to Developmental Delays, Seizures and Epilepsy, Tic disorders, Headaches and Migraines. Dr. Benko has a special interest in the rapidly expanding knowledge and management of Neurogenetics, with an emphasis on Leukodystrophies.
Research/Academic Interests
Dr. Benko is active in several projects in academic medicine. In addition to teaching medical students, residents and fellows, he is the site director for the Child Neurology Rotation for the Child Psychiatry Fellowship Program at UC Davis. He also actively collaborates with other Leukodystrophy centers around the country in research projects. He is passionate about educating future physicians.
Division
Pediatric Neurology
Center/Program Affiliation
Undergraduate School
B.A., University of Rochester, Rochester NY 1993
Medical School
M.D., Semmelweis University of Medicine, Budapest, Hungary 1999
Internship
Pediatrics, Atlantic Health System/Morristown Memorial Hospital, Morristown NJ 2000-2001
Residency
Pediatrics, Atlantic Health System/Morristown Memorial Hospital, Morristown NJ 2001-2002
Fellowship
Pediatric Neurology, Children's National Medical Center - George Washington University, Washington DC 2002-2005
Fellowship
Developmental and Metabolic Neurology, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda MD 2005-2007
Outstanding Junior Member Award, Child Neurology Society 2004, 2005
Top Scholar Award, Ortho McNeil, 2003
To view a detailed list of Dr. Benko's publications, please click here.
Stellingwerff MD, Nulton C, Helman G, Roosendaal SD, Benko WS, Pizzino A, Bugiani M, Vanderver A, Simons C, van der Knaap MS. Early-Onset Vascular Leukoencephalopathy Caused by Bi-Allelic NOTCH3 Variants. Neuropediatrics. 2022 Apr;53(2):115-121. doi:10.1055/a-1739-2722. Epub 2022 Feb 23. PMID:35026854.
Johannesen KM, Gardella E, Gjerulfsen CE, Bayat A, Rouhl RPW, Reijnders M, Whalen S, Keren B, Buratti J, Courtin T, Wierenga KJ, Isidor B, Piton A, Faivre L, Garde A, Moutton S, Tran-Mau-Them F, Denommé-Pichon AS, Coubes C, Larson A, Esser MJ, Appendino JP, Al-Hertani W, Gamboni B, Mampel A, Mayorga L, Orsini A, Bonuccelli A, Suppiej A, Van-Gils J, Vogt J, Damioli S, Giordano L, Moortgat S, Wirrell E, Hicks S, Kini U, Noble N, Stewart H, Asakar S, Cohen JS, Naidu SR, Collier A, Brilstra EH, Li MH, Brew C, Bigoni S, Ognibene D, Ballardini E, Ruivenkamp C, Faggioli R, Afenjar A, Rodriguez D, Bick D, Segal D, Coman D, Gunning B, Devinsky O, Demmer LA, Grebe T, Pruna D, Cursio I, Greenhalgh L, Graziano C, Singh RR, Cantalupo G, Willems M, Yoganathan S, Góes F, Leventer RJ, Colavito D, Olivotto S, Scelsa B, Andrade AV, Ratke K, Tokarz F, Khan AS, Ormieres C, Benko W, Keough K, Keros S, Hussain S, Franques A, Varsalone F, Grønborg S, Mignot C, Heron D, Nava C, Isapof A, Borlot F, Whitney R, Ronan A, Foulds N, Somorai M, Brandsema J, Helbig KL, Helbig I, Ortiz-González XR, Dubbs H, Vitobello A, Anderson M, Spadafore D, Hunt D, Møller RS, Rubboli G; PURA study group. PURA-Related Developmental and Epileptic Encephalopathy: Phenotypic and Genotypic Spectrum. Neurol Genet. 2021 Nov 15;7(6):e613. doi:10.1212/NXG.0000000000000613. PMID:34790866.
Pelletier F, Perrier S, Cayami FK, Mirchi A, Saikali S, Tran LT, Ulrick N, Guerrero K, Rampakakis E, van Spaendonk RML, Naidu S, Pohl D, Gibson WT, Demos M, Goizet C, Tejera-Martin I, Potic A, Fogel BL, Brais B, Sylvain M, Sebire G, Lourenço CM, Bonkowsky JL, Catsman-Berrevoets C, Pinto PS, Tirupathi S, Strømme P, de Grauw T, Gieruszczak-Bialek D, Krägeloh-Mann I, Mierzewska H, Philippi H, Rankin J, Atik T, Banwell B, Benko WS, Blaschek A, Bley A, Boltshauser E, Bratkovic D, Brozova K, Cimas I, Clough C, Corenblum B, Dinopoulos A, Dolan G, Faletra F, Fernandez R, Fletcher J, Garcia Garcia ME, Gasparini P, Gburek-Augustat J, Gonzalez Moron D, Hamati A, Harting I, Hertzberg C, Hill A, Hobson GM, Innes AM, Kauffman M, Kirwin SM, Kluger G, Kolditz P, Kotzaeridou U, La Piana R, Liston E, McClintock W, McEntagart M, McKenzie F, Melançon S, Misbahuddin A, Suri M, Monton FI, Moutton S, Murphy RPJ, Nickel M, Onay H, Orcesi S, Özkınay F, Patzer S, Pedro H, Pekic S, Pineda Marfa M, Pizzino A, Plecko B, Poll-The BT, Popovic V, Rating D, Rioux MF, Rodriguez Espinosa N, Ronan A, Ostergaard JR, Rossignol E, Sanchez-Carpintero R, Schossig A, Senbil N, Sønderberg Roos LK, Stevens CA, Synofzik M, Sztriha L, Tibussek D, Timmann D, Tonduti D, van de Warrenburg BP, Vázquez-López M, Venkateswaran S, Wasling P, Wassmer E, Webster RI, Wiegand G, Yoon G, Rotteveel J, Schiffmann R, van der Knaap M, Vanderver A, Martos-Moreno GÁ, Polychronakos C, Wolf NI, Bernard G. Endocrine and Growth Abnormalities in 4H Leukodystrophy Caused by Variants in POLR3A, POLR3B, and POLR1C. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2020 Oct 1:dgaa700. doi:10.1210/clinem/dgaa700. Epub ahead of print. PMID:33005949.
Dayal P, Chang CH, Benko WS, Ulmer AM, Crossen SS, Pollock BH, Hoch JS, Kissee JL, Warner L, Marcin JP. Appointment completion in pediatric neurology telemedicine clinics serving underserved patients. Neurol Clin Pract. 2019 Aug;9(4):314-321. doi:10.1212/CPJ.0000000000000649. PMID:31583186.
Dayal P, Chang CH, Benko WS, Pollock BH, Crossen SS, Kissee J, Ulmer AM, Hoch JS, Warner L, Marcin JP. Hospital Utilization Among Rural Children Served by Pediatric Neurology Telemedicine Clinics. JAMA Netw Open. 2019 Aug 2;2(8):e199364. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.9364. PMID:31418803.
Jany PL, Agosta GE, Benko WS, Eickhoff JC, Keller SR, Köehler W, Koeller D, Mar S, Naidu S, Marie Ness J, Pareyson D, Renaud DL, Salsano E, Schiffmann R, Simon J, Vanderver A, Eichler F, van der Knaap MS, Messing A. CSF and Blood Levels of GFAP in Alexander Disease. eNeuro. 2015 Oct 1;2(5):ENEURO.0080-15.2015. doi:10.1523/ENEURO.0080-15.2015. PMID:26478912.
Gutierrez M, Thiffault I, Guerrero K, Martos-Moreno GÁ, Tran LT, Benko W, van der Knaap MS, van Spaendonk RM, Wolf NI, Bernard G. Large exonic deletions in POLR3B gene cause POLR3-related leukodystrophy. Orphanet J Rare Dis. 2015 Jun 5;10:69. doi:10.1186/s13023-015-0279-9. PMID:26045207.
Wolf NI, Vanderver A, van Spaendonk RM, Schiffmann R, Brais B, Bugiani M, Sistermans E, Catsman-Berrevoets C, Kros JM, Pinto PS, Pohl D, Tirupathi S, Strømme P, de Grauw T, Fribourg S, Demos M, Pizzino A, Naidu S, Guerrero K, van der Knaap MS, Bernard G; 4H Research Group. Clinical spectrum of 4H leukodystrophy caused by POLR3A and POLR3B mutations. Neurology. 2014 Nov 18;83(21):1898-905. doi:10.1212/WNL.0000000000001002. Epub 2014 Oct 22. PMID:25339210.
Benko W, Ries M, Wiggs EA, Brady RO, Schiffmann R, Fitzgibbon EJ. The saccadic and neurological deficits in type 3 Gaucher disease. PLoS One. 2011;6(7):e22410. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0022410. Epub 2011 Jul 20. PMID:21799847.