香港六合彩中特网

Our research activity truly spans 鈥渇rom bench to bedside and back again鈥�, described in more detail on the personal websites of the members:

• Microglial biology in neurodegeneration & neuroinflammation /Cell Signalling Laboratory 鈥� Jennifer Pocock
• Pathophysiology of neuroinflammation & new treatment strategies/听Experimental neuroinflammation 鈥� Kenneth Smith
• Understanding damage and repair using MRI 鈥�
• Cerebrospinal fluid and blood biomarkers -听Neuroimmunology Unit
• Developing quantitative MRI imaging biomarkers 鈥�
• Optimising MRI measures of neuroprotection and repair/ Diagnosis, prognosis and therapeutic monitoring in MS/ MRI & pathology in MS/ Mechanisms of disability and recovery in MS鈥�
• Studying the MS grey matter -
• Investigator-led and commercial clinical trials in MS /听Queen Square MS Centre 鈥撎�, Olga Ciccarelli, Raj Kapoor, David Miller
• Optic neuritis 鈥�
• Magnetic resonance physics - Tofts
• NMR Research Unit (links to QS MS Centre)

MRI & pathology in MS -听Professor David Miller and Professor Tarek Yousry

Our work involves collaboration with the MS Society UK Tissue Bank at Imperial College (Professor Richard Reynolds) and the Division of Neuropathology, at the ION (Professor Sebastian Brandner) and uses a stereotactic co registration system developed in-house. There is a particular interest in developing an imaging marker for remyelination that could be used in clinical trials in MS and our studies suggest that the MTR may be one such measure.

Diagnosis, prognosis and therapeutic monitoring in MS - Professor David Miller and Professor Alan Thompson

The new MS Society programme grant is focused on the identification of early MR markers of prognosis and pathogenetic mechanisms. Progress in detecting such markers will elucidate new treatments strategies and enable their implementation for those most likely to benefit before disability develops. Cohorts of patients with clinically isolated syndromes and early relapsing remitting and primary progressive MS are being followed; the neurological and cognitive status after 5 years is being related to earlier MR measures.

The imaging techniques are studying lesions, normal appearing whiter matter, grey matter and atrophy in the brain and spinal cord. Abnormalities in the normal appearing white and grey matter have been identified from symptom onset. Serial studies in those with clinically isolated syndromes (mainly optic neuritis patients studied in collaboration with Dr Gordon Plant, Moorfields Eye Hospital) have identified modifications to the existing McDonald criteria for MS that improve their accuracy.

The MRI Trial Analysis Unit managed by Mr David MacManus provides central MRI analysis for multicentre clinical trials in MS. In the last two years it has been engaged in the analysis of phase II and III trials of several agents including natalizumab, rosiglitazone and dimethylfumaric acid. In addition to measuring therapeutic effects on lesions, there is focus on the measurement of atrophy and abnormalities in normal appearing tissues. Although the latter are more technically challenging in multicentre trials, they have potential to provide a better indication of disease progression. Cerebral atrophy will be the primary outcome measure of an upcoming phase II trial of lamotrigine in secondary progressive MS (Dr Raj Kapoor is the principal investigator in this trial funded by the MS Society). In collaboration with Professor Nick Fox (Dementia Research Group), a PhD fellow is investigating the relative utility of multiple methods that are currently used to evaluate atrophy in MS.