Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common acquired neurological disease in young Australians, affecting over 37,700 people. There is as yet no cure, and diagnosis often occurs years after symptoms begin.
Two key factors are strongly linked to the development of MS: infection with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), a very common virus that infects over 90% of adults globally, and certain inherited immune genes known as HLA class II genes. However, it is still unclear how these factors interact to contribute to MS.
Dr Carla Proietti and her team have identified a specific pattern of EBV-related antibodies that is much higher in people living with MS than in people without MS or those with other autoimmune diseases. This pattern is also found in cerebrospinal fluid – the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord – suggesting that the immune response to EBV may be active in the brain in MS.
This project will investigate whether inherited HLA risk genes influence which EBV proteins the immune system targets, and whether this leads to harmful immune responses in the brain and spinal cord in MS. The team will analyse existing blood and cerebrospinal fluid samples from people with MS using advanced protein profiling technologies.
This research will help determine how genetic risk factors and EBV interact in MS. It may also identify specific viral targets linked to genetic risk, providing a clearer understanding of disease mechanisms. In the longer term, these findings could support the development of improved tools for MS diagnosis and disease monitoring.
$25,000
2026
1 year
Current project
