Les projets de recherche financés

• Principal Investigators | Álvaro Cobo-Calvo, MD, PhD and Juan Antonio García León
• Institutions | Multiple Sclerosis Center of Catalonia (CEMCAT), Vall d’Hebron and University of Malaga (Spain)
• Aim | To establish a new in vitro human model comprising an all-human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC)-derived oligodendrocytes co-cultured with neurons that could serve as the bases to reveal new MOGAD-specific mechanisms, a previous essential step before developing novel therapeutic strategies.
• Funds Awarded | $25,000
• Grant Type | SPARK Grant

• Principal Investigators | Benjamin Vlad, Ina Reichen, Stephan Neidhart, Marc Hilty, Dimitra Lekaditi, Christine Heuer, Amanda Eisele, Mario Ziegler, Markus Reindl, Andreas Lutterotti, Axel Regeniter and Ilijas Jelcic
• Institution | University Hospital Zurich (Switzerland), University of Zurich (Switzerland), Medizinische Universität Innsbruck (Austria), Neurozentrum Bellevue (Switzerland), and medica Medizinische Laboratorien Dr. F. Kaeppeli (Switzerland)
• Grant Type | In 2023, TSF sponsored the publication fees of 12 MOGAD-related articles to be published in Frontiers in Neurology
• Publication | Basic CSF parameters and MRZ reaction help in differentiating MOG antibody-associated autoimmune disease versus multiple sclerosis

• Principal Investigators | Frederike C. Oertel, Maria Hastermann, and Friedemann Paul
• Institution | Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Germany)
• Aim | This article reviews suitable animal models for translational MOGAD research and the current state and prospect of translational imaging in MOGAD.
• Grant Type | In 2023, TSF sponsored the publication fees of 12 MOGAD-related articles to be published in Frontiers in Neurology
• Publication | Delimiting MOGAD as a disease entity using translational imaging

• Principal Investigators | Ricardo Alonso, Lorna Galleguillos and Carlos Navas
• Institutions | Hospital Ramos Mejias (Argentina), Clínica Alemana de Santiago (Chile) and Clínica Colombia (Colombia)
• Aim I | To describe the epidemiological characteristics and phenotype of double seronegative NMOSD patients from Argentina, Chile and Colombia.
• Aim II | To analyze treatment responses of double seronegative NMOSD patients.
• Aim III | To describe the neurological evolution during follow-up visits.
• Funds Awarded | $25,000
• Grant Type | SPARK Grant

• Principal Investigators | Jyh Yung Hor and Kazuo Fujihara
• Institution | Penang General Hospital (Malaysia), Fukushima Medical University (Japan) and Multiple Sclerosis & Neuromyelitis Optica Center, Southern TOHOKU Research Institute for Neuroscience (Japan)
• Grant Type | In 2023, TSF sponsored the publication fees of 12 MOGAD-related articles to be published in Frontiers in Neurology
• Publication | Epidemiology of MOGAD: A review of prevalence and incidence worldwide

• Principal Investigators | Chaithra Malli, Lekha Pandit, Anita D’Cunha and Akshatha Sudhir
• Institution | Nitte University (India)
• Aim | To evaluate frequency of Hp IgG among patients with MOGAD, MS, NMOSD and matched controls and its effect on disease course. To ascertain whether childhood socio economic factors were linked to prevalence of Hp infection.
• Grant Type | In 2023, TSF sponsored the publication fees of 12 MOGAD-related articles to be published in Frontiers in Neurology
• Publication | Helicobacter pylori infection may influence prevalence and disease course in myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody associated disorder (MOGAD) similar to MS but not AQP4-IgG associated NMOSD (Frontiers in Neurology)

• Principal Investigators | Tammy L. Smith, Thomas R. Haven, Lauren M. Zuromski, Kyphuong Luong, Stacey L. Clardy and Lisa K. Peterson
• Institutions | VA Salt Lake City Health Care System, The University of Utah, ARUP Institute for Clinical and Experimental Pathology and George E. Whalen Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (USA)
• Grant Type | In 2023, TSF sponsored the publication fees of 12 MOGAD-related articles to be published in Frontiers in Neurology
• Publication | High Level of Agreement in a Fixed vs Live Cell-Based Assay for Antibodies to Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein in a Real-World Clinical Laboratory Setting (Frontiers in Neurology)

• Principal Investigators | Joachim Havla and Jonathan A. Gernert
• Institution | Institute for Clinical Neuroimmunology, University Hospital LMU Munich (Germany)
• Aim I | To conduct a cross-sectional comparison of the number of HRF in eyes without a history of optic neuritis between patients with NMOSD, MOGAD and other demyelinating diseases.
• Aim II | To conduct a longitudinal analysis of the number of HRF between patients with NMOSD, MOGAD and other demyelinating diseases considering clinical and imaging follow-up data.
• Funds Awarded | $25,000
• Grant Type | SPARK Grant

• Principal Investigators | Milena Trentinaglia, Alessandro Dinoto, Sara Carta, Vanessa Chiodega, Sergio Ferrari, Vincenzo Andreone, Giorgia Teresa Maniscalco and Sara Mariotto
• Institutions | University of Verona, Neurological Clinic and Stroke Unit – Naples and Multiple Sclerosis Center – Naples (Italy)
• Aim | To investigate the occurrence of tumors in a cohort of patients with MOGAD and to describe their clinical features, in addition to previously reported cases.
• Grant Type | In 2023, TSF sponsored the publication fees of 12 MOGAD-related articles to be published in Frontiers in Neurology
• Publication | Investigating the association between neoplasms and MOG antibody-associated disease

• Principal Investigators | Lorna Galleguillos & Ricardo Alonso
• Institutions | Clínica Alemana de Santiago (Chile) & Hospital Ramos Mejia (Argentina)
• Aim | To develop a consensus on the use of disease-modifying treatments in NMOSD patients and write guidelines for Latin America of treatment for NMOSD (aquaporin-4 positive and negative patients).
• Funds Awarded | $5,000
• Grant Type | SPARK Grant

Latin American Consensus Recommendations for Management & Treatment of Adult MOGAD Patients in Clinical Practice

• Principal Investigator | Edgar Carnero Contentti
• Institution | Hospital Alemán (Argentina)
• Aim | To review how adult patients living with MOGAD should be managed and treated in Latin America in order to improve long-term outcomes and to optimize resources in these populations.
• Funds Awarded | $5,000
• Grant Type | SPARK Grant – This grant was made possible with support from Terry & Greg Clark of The Dorchester Foundation

• Principal Investigator | Sanja Gluscevic
• Institution | Clinical Centre of Montenegro, Neurology Clinic, University of Montenegro
• Aim | To provide a comprehensive understanding of NMOSD and MOGAD in Montenegro, with a focus on clinical aspects, pain, and the impact on the community. The findings of this study can potentially contribute to the development of better strategies for diagnosis, treatment, and support for patients with NMOSD and MOGAD in the country.
• Funds Awarded | $5,000
• Grant Type | SPARK Grant – This grant was made possible with support from Terry & Greg Clark of The Dorchester Foundation

• Principal Investigators | Yoshiki Takai, Tatsuro Misu, Kazuo Fujihara and Masashi Aoki
• Institution | Tohoku University and Fukushima Medical University (Japan)
• Grant Type | In 2023, TSF sponsored the publication fees of 12 MOGAD-related articles to be published in Frontiers in Neurology
• Publication | Pathology of MOGAD: a comparison with MS and AQP4 antibody-positive NMOSD Authors (Frontiers in Neurology)

• Principal Investigators | Osman Corbali, MD and Tanuja Chitnis, MD
• Institution | Brigham and Women’s Hospital (USA)
• Aim | Overview of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody disease
• Grant Type | In 2023, TSF sponsored the publication fees of 12 MOGAD-related articles to be published in Frontiers in Neurology
• Publication | Pathophysiology of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody disease (Frontiers in Neurology)

• Principal Investigators | Xiaojing Li, Wenlin Wu, Chi Hou, Yiru Zeng, Wenxiao Wu, Lianfeng Chen, Yinting Liao, Haixia Zhu, Yang Tian, Bingwei Peng, Kelu Zheng, Kaili Shi, Ying Li, Yuanyuan Gao, Yani Zhang, Haisheng Lin and Wen-Xiong Chen
• Institution | Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou (China)
• Aim | To study the clinical features of children diagnosed with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD) in southern China.
• Grant Type | In 2023, TSF sponsored the publication fees of 12 MOGAD-related articles to be published in Frontiers in Neurology
• Publication | Pediatric myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease in southern China: analysis of 93 cases (Frontiers in Neurology)

• Principal Investigators | Yanlin Lang, William Robert Kwapong, Lingyao Kong, Ziyan Shi, Xiaofei Wang, Qin Du, Bo Wu, Hongyu Zhou
• Institution | West China Hospital, Sichuan University (China)
• Aim | To compare the optical coherence tomography (OCT)/OCT angiography (OCTA) measures in patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody disease (MOGAD).
• Grant Type | In 2023, TSF sponsored the publication fees of 12 MOGAD-related articles to be published in Frontiers in Neurology
• Publication | Retinal structural and microvascular changes in myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody disease and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder: An OCT/OCTA study (Frontiers in Neurology)

• Principal Investigator | Scott Zamvil
• Institution | University of California, San Francisco (United States)
• Aim I | To evaluate the role of thymic MOG expression in development of the pathogenic T-cell repertoire in MOG-targeted CNS autoimmunity
• Aim II | To breed our new MOG^fl/fl mice with Foxn1-cre mice to generate mice deficient in thymic expression of MOG (Foxn1-cre-MOG^fl/fl) and to confirm selective thymic deficiency.
• Funds Awarded | $25,000
• Grant Type | SPARK Grant

• Principal Investigators | Elena Grebenciucova, Gina S. Perez Giraldo and Natalia Gonzalez Caldito
• Institution | Northwestern University (USA)
• Aim | To empower physicians to recognize diagnostic challenges of transverse myelitis associated with MOGAD, such as low predictive value of low titers of MOG antibodies for the diagnosis of MOGAD, importance of both clinical and radiological characteristics, exclusion of other causes, discussing risk of recurrence, and administering acute treatment as well as communicating the rationale of whether chronic treatments are necessary to reduce the risk of relapse after the first relapse.
• Grant Type | In 2023, TSF sponsored the publication fees of 12 MOGAD-related articles to be published in Frontiers in Neurology
• Publication | Transverse Myelitis in Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein Antibody-Associated Disease (Frontiers in Neurology)

• Principal Investigators | Xu M. Hui, Ma Chi, Ming Dong, Liu Yue and Wang Xu
• Institution | The First Hospital of Jilin University (China)
• Aim |  To further characterize the clinical symptoms, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings, and prognosis of CCE with anti-MOG antibody.
• Grant Type | In 2023, TSF sponsored the publication fees of 12 MOGAD-related articles to be published in Frontiers in Neurology
• Publication | Two case reports and systematic review of the literature of adult cerebral cortical encephalitis with anti-myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody (Frontiers in Neurology)

Validating the TRIPS-A Scoring Tool for Relapse Prediction in MOGAD

• Principal Investigator | Ahmed Obeidat
• Institution | Medical College of Wisconsin (United States)
• Aim I | To develop and apply a scoring tool to predict subsequent relapses after an initial attack in people with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody disease.
• Aim II | To compare serum levels of neurofilament light (NfL), a marker of neuroaxonal damage, cross-sectionally, between patients falling into the high score category (potentially relapsing) versus those falling into the lower score category (potentially monophasic).
• Funds Awarded | $25,000
• Grant Type | SPARK Grant

• Principal Investigator | Farren Briggs, PhD
• Institution | Case Western Reserve University
• Aim I | Characterize the genetic risk component of NMOSD in a multi-ethic population
• Aim II | Determine the causal relationships between obesity and vitamin D insufficiency and NMOSD risk
• Funds Awarded | $25,000
• Grant Type | SPARK Grant

• Principal Investigator | Stacey Clardy, MD, PhD, Ka-Ho Wong, PhD student, MBA
• Institution | University of Utah Health
• Aim I | Determine the frequency of misdiagnosis of NMOSD patients as MS, and the point prevalence of misdiagnosis in different geographic census regions
• Aim II | Identify the frequency of utilization of FDA-approved MS therapies in misdiagnosed NMOSD patients
• Aim III | Understand the cost of misdiagnosis of NMOSD patients
• Funds Awarded | $25,000
• Grant Type | SPARK Grant
• Poster | Misdiagnosis of NMOSD as MS: Multi-institutional database analysis in the US (AAN Annual Meeting 2023 – Boston, MA)

• Principal Investigator | Sara Mariotto, MD, PhD
• Institution | Università di Verona
• Aim | To develop a novel potential biomarker to measure disease activity and predict outcome in adult patients with MOGAD.
• Funds Awarded | $25,000
• Grant Type | SPARK Grant

• Principal Investigator | José Flores, MD, MSc 
• Institution | National University of Mexico (UNAM) | National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery
• Aim I | Establish a biobank between sites in Los Angeles and México City (using epidemiological and socioeconomical data)
• Aim II | Include 100 DNA samples of Mexican patients from Los Angeles and México City
• Funds Awarded | $25,000
• Grant Type | SPARK Grant

• Principal Investigator | Sebastian Lopez, MD
• Institution | Mayo Clinic Florida
• Aim I | Develop serological biomarkers to predict relapses in patients with MOGAD.
• Aim II | Pilot the tolerability of cervical lymph node aspirations in MOGAD patients and their value in MOG-IgG determination.
• Funds Awarded | $25,000
• Grant Type | SPARK Grant

• Principal Investigators | Friedemann Paul, MD, Carmen Infante Duarte, PhD, Veronika E. Neubrand, PhD
• Institution | Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Germany)
• Aim I | To investigate the involvement of inflammasome in NMOSD, by detecting pyroptosis and the inflammasome effector cytokine IL1β in microglia-mediated astrocytic damage by AQP4-IgG
• Aim II | To study whether inhibition of inflammasome and its effectors may protect astrocytes from inflammasome-mediated damage
• Funds Awarded | $25,000
• Grant Type | SPARK Grant

• Principal Investigator | Farren Briggs, PhD
• Institution | Case Western Reserve University
• Aim | To better understand the interplay of genetics, metabolics, and other non-genetic factors that relate to NMOSD/MOGAD patient outcomes, including quality of life.
• Funds Awarded | $25,000
• Grant Type | Legacy CBJF Grant
• Poster | Estimating the prevalence of NMOSD using 28.7m electronic health records from the US (ACTRIMS Forum 2023 – San Diego, CA)

• Principal Investigators | Jacqueline Palace, MD, PhD, Ruth Geraldes, MD, PhD, David Berhanu, MD 
• Institution | University of Oxford
• Aim I | Assess the correlation between vascular risk factors and MRI lesion resolution
• Aim II | Determine the distribution of MRI lesion resolution across CNS locations associated with vascular risk factors
• Aim III | Determine the association between vascular risk factors and other MRI findings
• Funds Awarded | $25,000
• Grant Type | SPARK Grant

• Principal Investigator | May Han, MD
• Institution | Stanford Medicine
• Aim I | Define the cellular immunopathogenesis of CI in NMOSD
• Aim II | Define the molecular immunopathogenesis of CI in NMOSD
• Aim III | Define how immune homeostasis reverses CI in NMOSD
• Funds Awarded | $25,000
• Grant Type | SPARK Grant
• Poster | Pattern of Cognitive Dysfunction Associated with NMOSD & MOGAD (ACTRIMS Forum 2023 – San Diego, CA)

• Principal Investigator | Nusrat Ahsan, MD
• Institution | Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles
• Aim I | To determine the presence of HLA association in pediatric onset MOGAD, NMOSD and ADEM
• Aim II | To determine HLA association’s role in relapse
• Funds Awarded | $25,000
• Grant Type | UNICORN Grant

• Principal Investigator | Elias S. Sotirchos, MD
• Institution | Johns Hopkins Medicine
• Aim I | To compare retinal vascular plexus densities between eyes with a history of optic neuritis from people with NMOSD, MOGAD, MS and controls
• Aim II | To compare retinal vascular plexus densities between eyes without a history of optic neuritis from patients with NMOSD, MOGAD, MS and controls
• Aim III | To assess correlations of retinal vascular plexus densities with visual function in NMOSD, MOGAD and MS eyes
• Funds Awarded | $25,000
• Grant Type | SPARK Grant

• Principal Investigator | Farrah Mateen, MD, PhD
• Institution | Massachusetts General Hospital
• Aim | To depict the impact of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) on employment, job loss, and work hours in a multi-country prospective survey-based study of people living with NMOSD
• Funds Awarded | $25,000
• Grant Type | SPARK Grant
• Poster | Impact of NMOSD on Employment: A Global Survey (ACTRIMS Forum 2023 – San Diego, CA)
• Publication | Understanding the employment impact of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder in the USA: Mixed methods
• Article | Identifying Reasons, Barriers to Low Employment Rates in NMOSD: Farrah Mateen, MD, PhD (NeurologyLive)
• Award | 2023 Elselvier Best Clinical Paper of the 26th World Federation of Neurology (WCN23)

• Principal Investigator | Jamie McDonald, MD, MSc
• Institution | Stanford Medicine
• Aim I | Develop longitudinal database and biorepository for MOG Antibody Disease (MOGAD) patients at the Stanford Neuroimmunology Center, including multi-center collaboration. Demographic, clinical outcomes, biochemical (including MOG-IgG serial titers, presence of co-neuronal antibodies), neuroimaging and neuropsychological outcomes, when available.
• Aim II | To determine if MOG IgG positivity or titer predicts index event severity or relapse
• Aim III | To correlate MOG IgG serostatus with serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) immune profiles (pleocytosis, oligoclonal bands, paired serum/CSF IL-6, TNF-alpha, T and B lymphocyte profiles) to inform immunopathogenesis and treatment
• Funds Awarded | $25,000
• Grant Type | SPARK Grant

• Principal Investigator | Mary Rensel, MD
• Institution | Cleveland Clinic Mellen Center
• Aim | The overall goals of this study are to better understand the effects of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and COVID-19 in our population of patients with NMOSD.
• Funds Awarded | $15,000
• Grant Type | Legacy CBJF Grant
• Publication | P050, Goldschmidt C et al, A survey-based study of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in patient with Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder, ECTRIMS 2021

• Principal Investigator | Eyal Lotan, MD, PhD
• Co-Investigators | Itay Lotan, PhD and Ilya Kister, MD
• Institution | NYU Langone Health
• Aim | To analyze the different patterns of central nervous system atrophy in MOGAD, NMOSD and MS Patients
• Funds Awarded | $25,000
• Grant Type | Light the Way Forward Grant
• Publication | Volumetric brain changes in MOGAD: A cross-sectional and longitudinal comparative analysis

• Principal Investigator | Stacey Clardy, MD, PhD & Jonathan Galli, MD
• Institution | University of Utah Health
• Aim I | To describe the epidemiologic characteristics of all patients who carry a diagnosis of NMOSD within the Department of Defense/Defense Medical Surveillance System (DMSS).
• Aim II | To confirm the presence of Aquaporin-4 and MOG autoantibodies in pre-symptomatic NMO samples.
• Funds Awarded | $25,000
• Grant Type | SPARK Grant

• Principal Investigator | Farrah Mateen, MD, PhD
• Institution | Massachusetts General Hospital
• Aim | To pilot a novel point-of-care dry blood spot diagnostic test for patients with aquaporin 4-antibody (AQP4) seropositive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD).
• Funds Awarded | $25,000
• Grant Type | SPARK Grant
• Publication | A point-of-care diagnostic test for aquaporin-4 antibody seropositive neuromyelitis optica

• Principal Investigator | Tanuja Chitnis, MD
• Institution | Brigham and Women’s Hospital
• Aim I | To evaluate dynamics of TNFAIP3 as a relapse biomarker in adults and children with MOGAD.
• Aim II | To evaluate the effects endogenous and exogenous steroids on levels of TNFAIP3 in patients with MOGAD.
• Funds Awarded | $25,000
• Grant Type | SPARK Grant

• Principal Investigator | Michael Levy, MD, PhD
• Institution | Massachusetts General Hospital
• Aim | To repurpose existing medications to stop the inflammatory process in patients with MOG antibody disease
• Funds Awarded | $25,000
• Grant Type | SPARK Grant

• Principal Investigator | Paul Tesar, PhD
• Institution | Case Western Reserve University
• Aim | To develop a registry for NMOSD patients affected by the COVID-19 pandemic
• Funds Awarded | $40,000
• Grant Type | Legacy CBJF Grant
• Publication | Induction of Myelinating Oligodendrocytes in Human Cortical Spheroids

• Principal Investigator | Kristin Galetta, MD
• Institution | Massachusetts General Hospital
• Aim | To address how to best treat patients with attacks of severe optic neuritis.
• Funds Awarded | $10,000
• Grant Type | SPARK Grant
• Publication | Treatment outcomes of first-ever episode of severe optic neuritis

• Principal Investigator | Tanuja Chitnis, MD
• Institution | Brigham and Women’s Hospital
• Aim | To evaluate the effect of different disease modifying treatments on attack and disability prevention in children with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder.
• Funds Awarded | $10,000
• Grant Type | Joannie’s Unicorn Grant
• Publication | Therapeutic Response in Pediatric Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder

• Principal Investigator | Farrah Mateen, MD, PhD
• Institution | Massachusetts General Hospital
• Aim | To understand availability and affordability of NMOSD testing and treatments in developing countries.
• Funds Awarded | $10,000
• Grant Type | SPARK Grant
• Publication | Neuromyelitis optica testing and treatment: Availability and affordability in 60 countries (published in Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders journal – May 2019 Edition)

• Principal Investigator | Tanuja Chitnis, MD
• Institution | Brigham and Women’s Hospital
• Aim | To use Immune Tolerance as a method to prevent NMOSD attacks while retraining the immune system to no longer attack the brain and spinal cord.
• Funds Awarded | $8,000
• Grant Type | SPARK Grant
• Publication | Clostridium bolteae is elevated in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder in India and shares sequence similarity with AQP4 (published in Neurology: Neuroimmunology & NeuroInflammation peer-reviewed journal – November 2020)