Testing a new approach to treating multiple sclerosis

This project aims to improve treatments for MS, a disease that affects the brain and spinal cord and is common in young adults. MS causes the immune system, which usually protects the body, to attack the brain and spinal cord instead.

The project focuses on a protein called Mertk, which helps control the immune system’s actions in the brain. Professor Trevor Kilpatrick seeks to both understand how Mertk affects MS and identify which patients might benefit most from treatments targeting this protein. Studies will be conducted in both laboratory models of MS and people with MS.

By examining blood samples from people with MS, the team will explore how changes in the levels of Mertk are linked to disease activity. Laboratory models will also investigate how changes in Mertk influence MS symptoms, such as weakness and loss of coordination.

The findings aim to identify individuals with specific versions of the Mertk protein, enabling clinicians to select treatments that are more effective and potentially reduce side effects. The goal is to improve understanding of MS and improve the lives of those living with the condition.