Research Insights Episodes

2023 marks 30 years since the very first MS disease-modifying therapy received FDA approval. To say that changed everything would be an understatement. Two of the top MS experts in the world have published a reflection, looking back at how MS research and treatment has progressed over the past 30 years and looking ahead at the challenges that remain in solving the riddle of MS. Joining me this week are the authors of that reflection, Dr. Fred Lublin and Dr. Stephen Krieger. Dr. Lublin particip...

Welcome to the 300th episode of RealTalk MS! Yikes! In last week's episode of the podcast, Dr. Bruce Bebo walked us through the latest research on the prevalence of MS in the United States, and the data serves as a clear reminder that anyone can get MS. However, not everyone with MS receives the same quality of care. My guest today is clinician-researcher Dr. Lilyana Amezcua, and we're discussing her work in exploring healthcare disparities among minority populations. In addition to celebratin...

Evidence shows that MS can affect members of minority communities differently. But how does that impact the total number of people who are living with MS? For multiple reasons, it's a tricky problem to solve. Yet, it's important that the numbers reflect everyone living with MS and no one is left behind. This week, the National MS Society's Executive Vice-President of Research, Dr. Bruce Bebo, is on hand to walk us through the just-published results of a study that provides a more granular estim...

This week, we're in New York, attending the Pathways To Cures Global Summit. The National MS Society is convening the world -- bringing together the best and brightest minds in MS research, the CEOs of major MS Societies, representatives from the pharmaceutical industry and people affected by MS -- to update the scientific foundation of the Pathways To Cures research roadmap and set the global MS research agenda for the next 3-5 years. Don't miss next week's episode of RealTalk MS, when you'll h...

Welcome to Part 1 of a special two-part RealTalk MS series highlighting conversations with past recipients of the Barancik Prize for Innovation in MS Research. The Barancik Prize is awarded at the annual meeting of the Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis, a meeting better known as the ACTRIMS Forum. Several past Barancik Prize winners gathered at the 2023 ACTRIMS Forum to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Barancik Prize, and I took that opportunity to chat wi...

You've told me that the subject of diet and MS is one of your top three interests. And a quick scan of social media platforms reveals that a lot of people living with MS agree! This week, Dr. Ilana Katz Sand, the Associate Director of the Corinne Goldsmith Dickinson Center for Multiple Sclerosis at Mount Sinai, joins me with an update on what the latest research is revealing about the impact of diet on MS, and to answer that eternal question -- Is there an MS diet? We're also talking about the...

If you've listened to this podcast before, you already know that we avoid hype, and we stick to talking about evidence-based science. So, let me say right up front -- today, the cause of multiple sclerosis is unknown. However, a research team has identified a bacterial toxin that may prove to be the cause of MS onset as well as MS relapses. Joining me for an exclusive conversation about this discovery is Dr. Timothy Vartanian, who leads the team that made the discovery, and Dr. Richard Rudick, ...

Last week in San Diego, the Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis convened their annual meeting, the ACTRIMS Forum. One of the highlights of this meeting is the presentation of the Barancik Prize, awarded in recognition of exceptional innovation in MS research. This year's winner of the Barancik Prize is Dr. Ruth Ann Marrie, a clinician scientist at the University of Manitoba. The Barancik Prize is administered by the National MS Society, and this year's award reco...

Two years ago, the National MS Society made a public commitment to do more to ensure that the MS movement was open to and reflective of everyone affected by MS. When you stop to consider issues like access to healthcare or MS clinical research, it quickly becomes apparent that diversity, equity, and inclusion aren't only organizational goals for the MS Society. They also address some of the systemic barriers that directly impact the quality of MS care for members of historically marginalized co...

Last week, in Episode 279 of RealTalk MS we talked with Professor Tanja Kuhlmann about a new framework for researching, diagnosing, and treating MS that was proposed by the International Advisory Committee on Clinical Trials in Multiple Sclerosis. This proposed framework represents the next evolutionary step in diagnosing and treating MS. Joining me this week to talk about how this proposed framework will impact people living with MS is the National MS Society's Chief Advocacy, Services, and Sc...