Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) have become a critical tool for capturing the lived experience of multiple sclerosis (MS), offering a perspective that extends beyond traditional clinical and imaging metrics. As research increasingly prioritises real-world relevance and individualised care, PROs provide valuable insights into symptoms such as fatigue, mood changes, and cognitive decline—factors that often evade objective measurement but have a profound impact on quality of life. Professor Jan Hillert of Karolinska Institute in Sweden and chair of the Swedish MS Registry joins host Brett Drummond of MStranslate to discuss how patient reported data are being integrated into clinical trial design and observational studies. They also explore current limitations to their use and highlight best practices for validation and interpretation. 

Biomarkers are one of the most exciting and fast-evolving areas in multiple sclerosis research, offering promise for earlier diagnosis, accurate prognosis, and truly personalised treatment. Yet despite their potential, there is still significant debate that limits their widespread application in clinical and research settings. In this episode, host Brett Drummond is joined by two leading voices in this field, Professor Charlotte Teunissen of Amsterdam UMC in The Netherlands and Associate Professor Michael Khalil of Medical University of Graz in Austria to explore the most promising biomarker candidates and when and how they might be implemented.

Over the past few years, the MS research community has been following developments in a new class of therapies called Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitors (BTKis). At ECTRIMS 2024, the results of two tolebrutinib trials were presented as late-breaking abstracts by Dr. Robert Fox, Neurologist at the Mellen Center for Multiple Sclerosis at Cleveland Clinic in the US, and Dr. Jiwon Oh, Neurologist at St. Michael's Hospital at the University of Toronto. The full results were recently published in The New England Journal of Medicine. In this episode, host Brett Drummond of MStranslate spoke with Drs. Oh and Fox about the outcomes and what they mean for people with MS.

What do the latest research findings tell us about the role diet can play in the management of multiple sclerosis (MS)? How should neurologists talk about diet with their patients?

While people living with MS may view their food choices as a way to exert some control over the disease, the concept of an "ideal diet" remains hotly contested. Dr. Brigit de Jong, Neurologist at MS Center Amsterdam, investigates non-pharmacological interventions, including diet, that determine the clinical outcome and pathogenesis of MS. She joins host Brett Drummond of MSTranslate to discuss the latest evidence on dietary modifications and how they should be communicated and implemented by neurologists.

Autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) has gained considerable attention in recent years as a treatment option for multiple sclerosis (MS). As long-term clinical trial data on AHSCT continues to grow, there is increasing debate about where it fits in the current MS therapeutic landscape.

Dr. Joachim Burman, Neurologist and Associate Professor at Uppsala University in Sweden, and Dr. Jennifer Massey, Neurologist at St. Vincent's Hospital and a Senior Lecturer at the University of New South Wales in Australia, discuss the latest research and insights on this hot topic with host Brett Drummond of MStranslate.

The rise of multiple sclerosis (MS) registries worldwide has transformed MS research, providing access to vast clinical data spanning years. This development also triggers critical conversations about how best to use real-world data to answer questions over the treatment of people with MS and the potential shift towards personalised medicine. In this episode, guests Professor Tomas Kalincik, Head of the Clinical Outcomes Research (CORe) Unit at the University of Melbourne and the MS Centre at the Royal Melbourne Hospital in Australia, and Maria Pia Sormani, Professor of Biostatistics at the University of Genoa in Italy, share their expert insights on harnessing real-world data with host Brett Drummond of MStranslate.

Fatigue is a common symptom of multiple sclerosis, significantly impacting the quality of life of people living with the disease. In this episode, Dr. Anne-Laure Dubessy of Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière in Paris and Professor Iris-Katharina Penner of the University Hospital of Bern in Switzerland join host Brett Drummond of MSTranslate to discuss the causes of MS-related fatigue, strategies for managing it, and the latest research developments in this area.

The recent ECTRIMS 2024 in Copenhagen showcased the work of young scientific investigators, including this year's ECTRIMS Fellowship recipients Oscar Ayala from Colombia and Zuhal Abasiyanik from Turkey. Every year, ECTRIMS awards fellowships across various categories to promote knowledge and expertise in the field of multiple sclerosis (MS). Oscar and Zuhal spoke with host Brett Drummond of MSTranslate about the research projects that they will be pursuing and how they believe this opportunity will impact their career.

The ECTRIMS Fellowship application period for the 2025 cycle is now open. Apply before the deadline of December 1, 2024 at 23:59 CET.

Nearly three million people worldwide are living with multiple sclerosis (MS), affecting individuals from diverse geographical, ethnic, racial, and socio-economic backgrounds. This diversity raises important questions about how these factors may influence the experiences and outcomes of those with MS, as well as whether research studies and clinical trials have sufficiently addressed this variability. To answer these questions and more, host Brett Drummond of MSTranslate speaks with two leading researchers in this field: Dr. Léorah Freeman, assistant professor at the Dell Medical School Department of Neurology, The University of Texas at Austin; and Dr. Lilyana Amezcua, Associate Professor of Clinical Neurology at the University of Southern California's Keck School of Medicine.

While paediatric onset multiple sclerosis is relatively rare, it presents unique challenges. Extensive research efforts are taking place around the world to better understand the disease mechanism of paediatric MS and the similarities and differences that exist with adult onset MS to help determine the best treatment options for children and adolescents. In this episode, host Brett Drummond of MSTranslate explores the topic with Dr. Yael Hacohen of Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children and UCL Institute of Neurology in the UK and Dr. Thaís Armangué of SJD Barcelona Children's Hospital in Spain.