Grant: CIHR Café Scientifique Program

MS is an illness affecting the brain and the spinal cord (central nervous system, CNS) of 55,000 to 65,000 Canadians. In MS, the CNS is attacked by immune cells that are inappropriately activated and subsequently migrate from the blood into the CNS. A number of clinical trials now demonstrate that removing B lymphocytes, a sub-type of immune cells, prevents formation of MS plaques and decreases symptoms. These therapies cannot be used for long-term treatment, due to potential complications. Our team of leading clinical-neurologists (Drs. Prat, Bar-Or) and basic-scientist (Dr. Gommerman) will focus on these B lymphocytes and their roles in MS with the goal of understanding how B cells are involved in MS in order to develop safer more effective therapies. In pursuing these goals, we wish to engage with patient populations as well as their families, friends and care-givers in a two-way conversation, communicating our research goals whilst gathering information from these stake-holders on what excites them about the future of research on B cells and MS. We will hold a Cafe Scientifique in order to bring together these stake-holders for an informal lecture on the state of the art with respect to MS therapies (in particular B cell directed therapies) and our research objectives. This will be followed by a Question and Answer period facilitated by Dr. Andreas Laupacis (Knowledge Translation expert) who will serve as a moderator. The ultimate goal will be to educate the public on our research goals, encourage fresh thinking about MS therapies and approaches to MS research, and learn from our stake-holders about the issues that matter to them.