Multiple Sclerosis
In 2008 the Multiple Sclerosis programmes founder, Assoc Prof Thomas Bäckström, left the Malaghan Institute to take up the position of Director of the T Cell Biology Department at Novo Nordisk, Denmark. Dr Anne La Flamme, a senior immunologist from Victoria University of Wellington, now oversees the Malaghan Institute's Multiple Sclerosis research programme.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the most common diseases of the central nervous system (CNS), affecting one in every 1,100 New Zealanders. Although knowledge of this disease dates back to the 19th century, its cause and prevention still eludes us. What is known is that it usually first reveals itself in a sufferer between the ages of 20 and 40; it is more prevalent in caucasians than any other race; affects a much greater number of women than it does men and is more frequent in countries the further away they are from the equator.
The myelin sheath surrounds and protects the nerve fibres of the central nervous system, which helps nerve fibres conduct electrical impulses to and from the brain. In MS, myelin is lost in multiple areas leaving scar tissue, which disrupts the flow of messages controlling functions such as seeing, walking and talking.
Although the exact cause of MS is unknown, the damage to myelin is most likely the result of a malfunctioning immune system. Normally, the immune system protects us against harmful foreign invaders such as viruses or bacteria. In autoimmune diseases such as MS, the body attacks its own tissue.
The focus of our research is to better understand the cause of MS and to use that insight to develop therapeutic treatments that can be used to inhibit its progression.
