The Edinburgh Centre for MS Research

The translation of research findings addressing neurodegeneration in MS into promising drug targets has been slow. One reason for this is that animal models cannot, on their own, model the full range of human disease. A much better understanding of the human biology and pathology that underpins inflammation, axon damage and remyelination is essential if we are to deliver meaningful therapies. This represents our goal for the second phase of the Edinburgh Centre for Translational Research, with our animal-based research programmes initiated during the first phase having made the transition to sustainability with funding from the Wellcome Trust, MRC and others. Specifically we will (1) develop human pluripotent stem cell-based cellular systems to provide a solution to a long-standing problem – the lack of suitable models for human disease modelling and drug discovery; and (2) combine clinical phenotyping with structural, molecular and imaging annotation in a regenerative neuropathological programme of research defining the extent of variability in the regenerative response that underpins human remyelination. Together these programmes will deliver a step-change in the clinically relevant research of the Centre, leading to new targets, technologies and small-molecule leads for the treatment of progressive disease.