MRes (Masters by Research): Identifying biomarkers to improve the diagnosis and treatment of MS

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a devastating demyelinating disease of the central nervous system which affects around 2.5 million people worldwide and is the main cause of non-traumatic neurological disability in young people in the Europe and the United States of America. Current diagnosis of MS is carried out using magnetic resonance imagining (MRI), presence of cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) – specific oligoclonal bands and longitudinal clinical presentation. These techniques are used to determine whether a person fulfils the McDonald criteria for an MS diagnosis – namely that they have experienced at least two distinct clinical events and that there is evidence of dissemination-in-space (and time). Unfortunately, this method of diagnosis, which combined with the dynamicity of the condition, as well being highly severe and invasive, often results in patients waiting months/ years to be given a definitive diagnosis of clinically definite MS, and with ongoing morbidity and suffering, highlights a clear unmet need. Therefore, the development of a quick, less invasive and traumatic simple biomarker/diagnostic test e.g. blood, breath would be a key development, which then could applied as a model across other neurological conditions. The MRes project will involve looking to identify and test biomarkers from MS patient samples.