Research Insights Episodes

Our coverage of MSToronto 2026 continues this week with two important conversations. First, we'll hear from Dr. Jeffrey Cohen about the latest clinical findings on CAR-T cell therapy as a potential treatment for MS. Then, Dr. Robert Fox will update us on the global research portfolio being driven by the International Progressive MS Alliance. And we have to talk about Christina Applegate. By now, the news of her misdiagnosis isn't really news. But we have some suggestions...

Last week, about 8,000 MS researchers and clinicians arrived in Toronto, Canada, for MSToronto 2026, the joint meeting of the Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in MS and the European Committee for Treatment and Research in MS, and the largest MS research conference in the world. As the meeting adjourned, the National MS Society's Chief Research and Medical Affairs Officer, Dr. Bruce Bebo, joined me to share some of the presentations and announcements that he fou...

Welcome to a special episode of RealTalk MS and The ECTRIMS Podcast! MS Toronto 2026 concluded with the event we were most looking forward to -- Patient Community Day -- where some of the top MS experts in the world broke down the research presented over the course of the 3-day meeting and answered questions from people living with MS in easy-to-understand English. In this special episode, Professor Peter Feys, an MS rehabilitation expert from Hasselt University in Be...

Jan Janisch-Hanzlik was the first MS patient to receive CAR T-cell therapy as part of a clinical trial. We met Jan last year, in episode 424 of RealTalk MS, when she gave us a first-hand report on how she was responding to this treatment. This week, Jan is back with an update on how she's responding to CAR T-cell therapy one year later. We're just two weeks away from the U.S. midterm elections. We're sharing some resources that will help you get ready to v...

What happens when you're diagnosed with a chronic, unpredictable condition just as your career is taking off? That's exactly what happened to my guest, Dana Foote. This week, Dana joins us to share her journey from hiding her MS diagnosis as a young auditor at one of the largest accounting organizations in the world to becoming National Managing Partner for Audit & Assurance Operations and a leader in the MS community. We'll also update you on the status of a disease-modifying therapy tha...

RealTalk MS is celebrating our ninth anniversary, and we're marking the milestone with a special guest! Dr. Tim Coetzee, President and CEO of the National MS Society, returns to the show for a candid, forward-looking conversation about why today represents one of the most promising moments for advancing MS research and transforming clinical care. We're taking a hard look at the game-changers on the horizon: what it will take to shorten the diagnostic journey from years down to mere hou...

We are less than 40 days away from MSToronto2026—the joint ECTRIMS/ACTRIMS Scientific Congress. While the congress brings together the world's leading MS researchers and clinicians, Patient Community Day —in person and online—is designed specifically for people affected by multiple sclerosis. This week, Dr. Jennifer Graves and Brett Drummond join me to preview what to expect from Patient Community Day 2026. With less than 50 days until the midterm elections in the United States, ...

Relapses make life with MS unpredictable. Understanding what they are, why they happen, and how best to manage them can make a relapse less scary and easier to navigate. This week, Dr. Gabriela Karolidis, a board-certified neurologist and neuroimmunologist at Thomas Jefferson University, joins us for a deep dive into MS relapses. The MS International Federation has just updated the Atlas of MS, showing more than 3 million people living with MS worldwide. We're sharing the det...

Wise men and women remind us that life is a marathon, and not a sprint. Joining us this week is Benji Wilkins. Benji is a magician in the U.K., and for 42 days this summer, his life was quite literally a marathon. In the process, Benji raised money to help his mom, who lives with MS, and he raised awareness of MS across the U.K. and around the world. We're also sharing results of a study that focused on gait training using a powered exoskeleton for people living with MS. We'll tell you...

Cognitive changes in MS—fluctuations in processing speed, memory, and executive function—can significantly impact daily life, yet they're often misunderstood or overlooked in routine clinical exams. This week, we are joined by Dr. Anna Kratz, clinical psychologist and Professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Michigan, to discuss actionable, evidence-based ways to navigate cognitive challenges. Dr. Kratz breaks down the latest findings from t...