In people living with MS, the coating around nerves, called myelin, is attacked by the immune system. Myelin can be repaired by cells called oligodendrocytes that survive the immune attack or by recruiting support cells called oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs). However, in people living with MS, OPCs and surviving oligodendrocytes lose their ability to repair myelin and we do not understand why.
Dr Jessica Fletcher will take four approaches to learn why OPCs and oligodendrocytes no longer make myelin in MS:
By identifying why myelin repair fails in MS, Dr Fletcher and her team will build the knowledge base essential for the development and translation of effective brain repair treatments.
Professor Kaylene Young
$225,000
2024
3 years
Current project