ACTRIMS Recognizes Young Investigators at Forum 2018

Newswise — The Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS) recognized the research contributions of five young investigators during the recent ACTRIMS Forum 2018, held Feb. 1-3 in San Diego, Calif.

Adil Harroud, McGill University, was recognized as Best Young Investigator Oral Presenter, for his research titled Effect of Age at Puberty on Risk of Multiple Sclerosis: A Mendelian Randomization Study.

Two young investigators were awarded second place for their oral presentations:

• Kirsten Evonuk, Cleveland Clinic Selective Deletion of AMPA Receptors on Oligodendrocytes Prevents Demyelination and Axonal Injury in Autoimmune Demyelination
• Patrick Duncker, University of Michigan CCL6 Is Induced in CNS-Infiltrating Myeloid Cells By a GM-CSF Dependent Pathway, Driving Chronic Disability during EAE

In addition, two young investigators were recognized as the best poster presenters:

• Poster Session 1 - Elias Sotirchos, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Effects of Disease-Modifying Therapy on Brain Compartment Atrophy Rates - a 5-Year Study
• Poster Session 2 - Marc Charabati, Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Universite de Montreal (CR-CHUM) Mcam on the BBB Contributes to Neuroinflammation by Promoting the Recruitment of Encephalitogenic T Lymphocytes into the Central Nervous System

The opportunity for young investigators to present their findings and consult with established researchers and clinicians is one of the primary goals of the ACTRIMS Forum. The 2018 event drew almost 1,000 participants to San Diego. Abstracts and posters can be found in the ACTRIMS Forum online program, and will be published in the MS Journal.

ACTRIMS Forum brings together researchers and clinicians to share developments in the rapidly changing field of MS. ACTRIMS Forum 2019 will be held Feb. 28 – March 2 in Dallas, Texas. More information will be posted as it becomes available on the event’s website, www.actrims.org/forum2019.