Grant: Doctoral Research Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the leading cause of permanent neurological disability among young adults, affecting 1 in every 400 Canadians. MS is an autoimmune-mediated neurodegenerative disease in which cells of the immune system attack and kill oligodendrocytes-the cells that wrap neurons with a layer of insulation called 'myelin' that is essential for proper nerve cell function. Current treatments for MS focus on preventing or slowing down the immune system from destroying oligodendrocytes. While these drugs are effective in reducing inflammatory responses in patients, none of them repair damaged myelin nor treat the debilitating cognitive impairments associated with MS. The current thinking is that myelin cannot be repaired in MS patients largely because oligodendrocytes cannot form properly. We suggest that multi-pronged therapies that both reduce the inflammatory response in patients and promote remyelination in the central nervous system are required for optimal patient outcomes. Our lab is exploring the idea that overexpression of the enzyme ZDHHC9 may be an effective treatment to aid in myelin repair. This project will explore whether ZDHHC9 overexpression increases the number of oligodendrocytes in a mouse model of MS and restores damaged myelin. We will also map out the targets of ZDHHC9 to understand how it may control oligodendrocyte maturation. Together, this study will investigate a novel avenue of research to promote the repair of myelin.