The ECTRIMS Podcast

What role does the gut microbiome play in multiple sclerosis — and how close are we to translating microbiome research into meaningful clinical interventions? In this episode of the ECTRIMS Podcast, host Brett Drummond is joined by Mahesh Desai (Luxembourg Institute of Health) and Ashutosh Mangalam (University of Iowa), two internationally recognised leaders in microbiome and MS research, to explore how gut microbes influence disease susceptibility, progression, and immune regulation in MS. The discussion moves beyond simple "good vs bad bacteria" narratives, highlighting why microbial function, community structure, and host–microbiome dialogue are far more informative than individual taxa alone. The speakers examine evidence from animal models and human studies, including twin studies, microbial networks, and immune markers such as IgA coating, to understand whether microbiome changes are drivers or consequences of disease. They also explore the potential of the gut microbiome as a predictive biomarker, the challenges of causality, and why diet and personalised approaches may be key to restoring immune balance in MS.

Cognitive change is one of the most common—and most misunderstood—symptoms of multiple sclerosis. In this episode, host Brett Drummond speaks with Dr. Vicki Levitt (Columbia University) and Dr. Tom Fuchs (MS Center Amsterdam) about the state of cognition research, why measurement still lags behind clinical need, and how new tools may change the field forever.

At every stage of the MS journey, nurses are the steady link between patients, families, and the healthcare team. In this episode, host Brett Drummond speaks with Amy Perrin Ross, MS Specialist Nurse and Program Coordinator at Loyola University Chicago (USA), and Miguel Ángel Cortés-Vicente, Multiple Sclerosis Consultant Nurse at CEMCAT – Centre d'Esclerosi Múltiple de Catalunya (Spain), about the evolving role of MS nurses — from care coordination and patient engagement to leadership in research and innovation. They share insights from the 2025 ECTRIMS Congress Nurse Sessions, exploring how nurses are advancing health literacy, supporting shared decision-making, and integrating AI to improve patient care.

While much of MS care focuses on physical symptoms, mental health challenges—like depression, anxiety, loneliness, and stigma—often go under-recognised. In this episode, host Brett Drummond speaks with Dr. Rebecca MaGuire, psychologist and MS researcher at Maynooth University, who also lives with MS herself. Together they discuss why mental health must become a core part of MS care, what the latest research reveals, and how clinicians and communities can better support emotional wellbeing throughout the MS journey.

Patient Community Day 2025 set a new attendance record, highlighting the growing desire among people living with MS to connect with experts leading the charge in understanding the disease and advancing effective treatments. After the event wrapped up in Barcelona, host Brett Drummond caught up with Julie Petrin, Director of Impact and Evaluation at MS Canada and a person living with MS, and Non Helena Smit, CEO of MS South Africa, to reflect on key takeaways and share what they're looking forward to at next year's event in Toronto.

At the late breaking abstracts session at ECTRIMS 2025 in Barcelona, the CCMR-Two trial revealed promising results for myelin repair in MS using the diabetes drug metformin and the antihistamine clemastine. Straight from his presentation, trial lead Dr. Nick Cunniffe of the University of Cambridge sat down with host Brett Drummond of MStranslate to discuss the full results of CCMR-Two, our current understanding of myelin repair biology, and the next steps for remyelination clinical trials and potential future MS therapies.

On the final day of ECTRIMS 2025 in Barcelona, the spotlight turned to MS treatment, including long-awaited clinical trial results. Dr. Sharmilee Gnanapavan, Consultant Neurologist at Barts Health and Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (UK), joins host Brett Drummond to reflect on key takeaways from the 41st Congress and what the MS community might look forward to at MSToronto 2026.

Dr. Barry Singer, Director and Founder of The MS Center for Innovations in Care, joins host Brett Drummond to discuss the key takeaways unveiled on the second day of ECTRIMS 2025 in Barcelona.

The 41st Congress of ECTRIMS opened in Barcelona with Professor Maria Pia Amato of the University of Florence delivering the ECTRIMS Lecture. In this conversation with host Brett Drummond, she highlights the key takeaways from Day One of ECTRIMS 2025 and shares insights on cognition and what's shaping the future of multiple sclerosis research and care.

Direct from Barcelona, listen to Alvaro Cobo Calvo from the Multiple Sclerosis Center of Catalonia (Cemcat) and host Brett Drummond discuss the highlights of ECTRIMS 2025 Pre-Day, which is focused on specialised topics in MS and related neuroinflammatory autoimmune diseases such as MOGAD and NMOSD.

The 2024 Revisions of the McDonald Diagnostic Criteria for MS have been published in The Lancet Neurology. What do these changes mean for clinical practice? In this episode, we are joined by two authors of the paper: Prof. Xavier Montalban, Chair of the International Advisory Committee on Clinical Trials in MS (IACCTMS), and Dr. Jiwon Oh of the University of Toronto. Together with host Brett Drummond of MStranslate, they discuss the significance of the updates, how these changes could expedite diagnosis and reduce misdiagnosis, and what they mean for the future of MS care globally. Reference: Montalban, X. et al. Diagnosis of multiple sclerosis: 2024 revisions of the McDonald criteria. Lancet Neurol. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1474-4422(25)00270-4 (2025).

Genetics not only influence the risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS), but also affect how the disease progresses and how patients respond to different treatments. Professor Philip De Jager, Chief of Neuroimmunology at Columbia University Irving Medical Center joins host Brett Drummond of MStranslate to discuss recent discoveries in MS genetics. They explore what these findings mean for patients and their families, and how these could shape primary prevention and personalised therapies for MS.

Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) have become a critical tool for capturing the lived experience of multiple sclerosis (MS), offering a perspective that extends beyond traditional clinical and imaging metrics. As research increasingly prioritises real-world relevance and individualised care, PROs provide valuable insights into symptoms such as fatigue, mood changes, and cognitive decline—factors that often evade objective measurement but have a profound impact on quality of life. Professor Jan Hillert of Karolinska Institute in Sweden and chair of the Swedish MS Registry joins host Brett Drummond of MStranslate to discuss how patient reported data are being integrated into clinical trial design and observational studies. They also explore current limitations to their use and highlight best practices for validation and interpretation.

Biomarkers are one of the most exciting and fast-evolving areas in multiple sclerosis research, offering promise for earlier diagnosis, accurate prognosis, and truly personalised treatment. Yet despite their potential, there is still significant debate that limits their widespread application in clinical and research settings. In this episode, host Brett Drummond is joined by two leading voices in this field, Professor Charlotte Teunissen of Amsterdam UMC in The Netherlands and Associate Professor Michael Khalil of Medical University of Graz in Austria to explore the most promising biomarker candidates and when and how they might be implemented.

Over the past few years, the MS research community has been following developments in a new class of therapies called Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitors (BTKis). At ECTRIMS 2024, the results of two tolebrutinib trials were presented as late-breaking abstracts by Dr. Robert Fox, Neurologist at the Mellen Center for Multiple Sclerosis at Cleveland Clinic in the US, and Dr. Jiwon Oh, Neurologist at St. Michael's Hospital at the University of Toronto. The full results were recently published in The New England Journal of Medicine. In this episode, host Brett Drummond of MStranslate spoke with Drs. Oh and Fox about the outcomes and what they mean for people with MS.

What do the latest research findings tell us about the role diet can play in the management of multiple sclerosis (MS)? How should neurologists talk about diet with their patients? While people living with MS may view their food choices as a way to exert some control over the disease, the concept of an "ideal diet" remains hotly contested. Dr. Brigit de Jong, Neurologist at MS Center Amsterdam, investigates non-pharmacological interventions, including diet, that determine the clinical outcome and pathogenesis of MS. She joins host Brett Drummond of MSTranslate to discuss the latest evidence on dietary modifications and how they should be communicated and implemented by neurologists.

Autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) has gained considerable attention in recent years as a treatment option for multiple sclerosis (MS). As long-term clinical trial data on AHSCT continues to grow, there is increasing debate about where it fits in the current MS therapeutic landscape. Dr. Joachim Burman, Neurologist and Associate Professor at Uppsala University in Sweden, and Dr. Jennifer Massey, Neurologist at St. Vincent's Hospital and a Senior Lecturer at the University of New South Wales in Australia, discuss the latest research and insights on this hot topic with host Brett Drummond of MStranslate.

The rise of multiple sclerosis (MS) registries worldwide has transformed MS research, providing access to vast clinical data spanning years. This development also triggers critical conversations about how best to use real-world data to answer questions over the treatment of people with MS and the potential shift towards personalised medicine. In this episode, guests Professor Tomas Kalincik, Head of the Clinical Outcomes Research (CORe) Unit at the University of Melbourne and the MS Centre at the Royal Melbourne Hospital in Australia, and Maria Pia Sormani, Professor of Biostatistics at the University of Genoa in Italy, share their expert insights on harnessing real-world data with host Brett Drummond of MStranslate.

Fatigue is a common symptom of multiple sclerosis, significantly impacting the quality of life of people living with the disease. In this episode, Dr. Anne-Laure Dubessy of Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière in Paris and Professor Iris-Katharina Penner of the University Hospital of Bern in Switzerland join host Brett Drummond of MSTranslate to discuss the causes of MS-related fatigue, strategies for managing it, and the latest research developments in this area.

Nearly three million people worldwide are living with multiple sclerosis (MS), affecting individuals from diverse geographical, ethnic, racial, and socio-economic backgrounds. This diversity raises important questions about how these factors may influence the experiences and outcomes of those with MS, as well as whether research studies and clinical trials have sufficiently addressed this variability. To answer these questions and more, host Brett Drummond of MSTranslate speaks with two leading researchers in this field: Dr. Léorah Freeman, assistant professor at the Dell Medical School Department of Neurology, The University of Texas at Austin; and Dr. Lilyana Amezcua, Associate Professor of Clinical Neurology at the University of Southern California's Keck School of Medicine.