My current project investigates how genetics and the Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) interact to influence the immune response in multiple sclerosis (MS). Although EBV infection and certain HLA genes are the two strongest known risk factors for MS, we still do not understand how they work together to trigger the disease. Using our unique EBV protein microarray and human protein array platforms, we have already generated detailed antibody profiles from people with MS and healthy individuals. This grant will enable us to add high-resolution HLA genotyping and integrate these datasets for the first time. By combining viral, human and genetic information, we aim to identify immune signatures associated with MS and gain new insights into why some people develop the disease after EBV infection while others remain healthy. Ultimately, this work could open new opportunities for earlier diagnosis and more personalised treatments.

MS is a complex disease, and there are still many unanswered questions about why it develops. More than 90% of adults are infected with Epstein–Barr virus (EBV), yet only a small proportion develop MS. We know that EBV infection is almost essential for MS to occur, which tells us that other factors must determine who develops the disease.

Our research aims to understand how genetic susceptibility shapes the immune response to EBV and how this contributes to MS. By identifying the immune pathways involved, we hope to discover biomarkers that could improve earlier diagnosis and patient stratification, while also revealing new targets for future therapies. Although this is discovery research, every new insight brings us one step closer to more precise and personalised ways of preventing, diagnosing and treating MS.

My research has always focused on understanding how infections shape the immune system and influence human disease. Over the years, my team has developed and applied protein microarray technologies to investigate antibody responses in infectious diseases and cancer. When compelling evidence emerged linking Epstein–Barr virus to multiple sclerosis, it opened an exciting new direction for our research. It gave us the opportunity to apply the technologies and expertise we had developed over many years to better understand how the immune response to EBV contributes to MS. The opportunity to uncover new biology, and ultimately translate those discoveries into better diagnostics, new therapeutic targets and improved outcomes for people living with MS, is what inspired me to move into this field.

For me, the most exciting development has been the recognition that Epstein–Barr virus infection is a necessary step in the development of multiple sclerosis. The landmark studies published over the past few years have fundamentally changed how we think about the disease and opened entirely new directions for research.

Rather than asking whether EBV is involved, we can now focus on understanding “how” it contributes to MS and why only a small proportion of people infected with EBV go on to develop the disease. For me, that's what makes this field so exciting. We're finally beginning to connect the dots between viral infection, genetics and the immune system, and I believe those discoveries will shape the next generation of strategies to prevent, diagnose and treat MS.

I'm driven by the excitement of discovery. I love asking big biological questions and bringing together different types of data to uncover patterns that no single experiment could reveal on its own. The moment those pieces come together and reveal a new biological insight is what makes science so rewarding for me.

The biggest challenge is that diseases like MS are incredibly complex. Understanding how infections, genetics and the immune system interact requires creativity and close collaboration between scientists with different expertise. But that's also what makes the work so exciting. Every discovery deepens our understanding of disease and brings us one step closer to improving people's health.

My scientific career has been anything but a straight line. I began with a Master's degree in Physics before pursuing an international PhD in Immunology and the Pathogenesis of Infectious Diseases, studying malaria. During my PhD, I worked at research institutes across Europe and Africa, gaining experience in molecular biology, immunology, epidemiology and malaria field research in Uganda. Those experiences taught me that scientific discoveries rarely come from looking at a problem through a single lens. Today, I combine large-scale antibody profiling, genetics and proteomics to understand how infections, genetics and the immune system interact to drive diseases such as multiple sclerosis. What fascinates me most is connecting pieces of information that, at first glance, seem unrelated. When those pieces come together to reveal a new biological insight, that's the most rewarding part of science because it opens the door to discoveries that can ultimately improve people's health.