Project Overview

Canada has one of the world’s highest rates of multiple sclerosis (MS), a disease that can lead to significant disability. There is growing evidence that MS might be preventable, presenting an exciting opportunity. However, achieving this goal requires that we better understand the causes of MS and develop biomarkers that can detect the disease early, ideally before symptoms even begin. In this study, we will use cutting-edge genetic and protein analysis techniques to address these challenges, bringing us closer to predicting, and eventually preventing, MS.

This project will involve the largest genetic study of MS to date, analyzing DNA from 80,000 people with MS and over a million controls to identify genetic risk factors. A key feature is the inclusion of people from diverse ancestries, a first for large-scale MS genetic studies, which were previously limited to individuals of European descent. The genes identified will allow us to examine in depth the role of different cells in MS development, including brain cells like those producing myelin, which is crucially damaged in MS.

Building on this, we will also develop a genetic score to identify individuals at high risk for MS well before they show any symptoms. Our efforts will also include an efficient screening of over 4,000 blood proteins to identify any that might be predictive of MS, an unmet need currently. The most promising candidates will be rigorously tested in a unique cohort of US Army veterans who provided blood samples years before some of them went on to develop MS.

Our research aims to bring us closer to preventive measures against MS, which may provide a model for tackling other neurological diseases. We are committed to sharing our data openly, fueling more research and accelerating advances in understanding and managing MS.

Principal Investigator

Adil Harroud , McGill University