RealTalk MS
RealTalk MS
Navigating multiple sclerosis is easier when you understand the science behind it. Join host Jon Strum each week as he translates complex MS research, treatment breakthroughs, and healthcare news into clear, accessible language. Whether you’re living with MS, caring for a loved one, or looking for answers, RealTalk MS connects you with top neuroscientists, advocates, and the information and insights that matter most to your MS journey.
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Nov. 20, 2025

Special Episode: Participating in MS Research with Chiquita Shepard-Knight and Earl Sneed

Special Episode: Participating in MS Research with Chiquita Shepard-Knight and Earl Sneed
RealTalk MS
Special Episode: Participating in MS Research with Chiquita Shepard-Knight and Earl Sneed

Welcome to a RealTalk MS special series on MS clinical trials. This special series is made possible through a generous grant from Sanofi.

In today's episode, you'll meet two participants from the TEAMS Study, a research study at the University of Illinois Chicago's UI Health, in conjunction with the University of Alabama Birmingham School of Public Health.

TEAAMS is an acronym for Targeted Exercise for African-Americans with Multiple Sclerosis. And the study's research team analyzed the effects of a remotely delivered, racially tailored exercise training program among African Americans with MS living in low-income areas of the Southeastern United States, including Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Tennessee. This is a part of the country that doesn't have many primary care or MS clinics that provide full exercise and rehabilitation services for patients with MS.

TEAAMS Study

The TEAMMS study consists of two 16-week exercise programs, completed 3 days per week at home. One exercise program combines aerobic and resistance training, while the other focuses on stretching and flexibility. Study participants were randomly assigned to one of the two programs, and all of the materials to complete each program, like yoga mats, resistance bands, and training manuals, were provided. And every study participant receives a $90 gift card in compensation for completing the program.

The study's research team hypothesizes that completing the TEAAMS program would improve walking, reduce symptoms of fatigue, anxiety, depression, and pain, and enhance quality of life.

This special episode of RealTalk MS is made possible by a generous grant from Sanofi. Sanofi has two ongoing Phase 3 clinical trials in MS studying Frexalimab, an investigational second-generation anti-CD40 ligand monoclonal antibody. If you are interested in learning more about these clinical trials, please visit SanofiStudies.com


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