The ECTRIMS Podcast

Can clinicians identify MS progression as it happens, or does confirming meaningful disability worsening require months of observation? Early recognition of multiple sclerosis (MS) progression is critical to informing clinical decisions. Yet distinguishing genuine disease progression from temporary fluctuations remains one of the challenges in routine MS care. In this episode of the ECTRIMS Podcas...

Prof. Sandra Vukusic has been named the 2026 recipient of the Rachel Horne Prize for Women's Research in MS. In this special episode of the ECTRIMS Podcast, Sandra joins prize founder Rachel Horne and host Brett Drummond to mark the announcement and explore the research behind the recognition. Sandra reflects on a career dedicated to improving the health and care of women living with multiple scle...

What if clinical trials could evaluate multiple treatment approaches at the same time and adapt as evidence emerges? In this episode of the ECTRIMS Podcast, host Brett Drummond speaks with Prof. Jeremy Chataway of University College London and Prof. Daniel Ontaneda of Cleveland Clinic about multi-arm, multi-stage clinical trials and their potential to make MS research more efficient and responsive...

The blood–brain barrier is a highly specialised interface that regulates the movement of cells, molecules and nutrients between the circulation and the central nervous system. But what happens when this critical barrier becomes dysfunctional in multiple sclerosis? In this episode of the ECTRIMS Podcast, host Brett Drummond speaks with Prof. Elga de Vries of Amsterdam UMC and MS Center Amsterdam ab...

Can growing amounts of real-world MS data help clinicians predict disease progression and make more personalised treatment decisions? In this episode of the ECTRIMS Podcast, host Brett Drummond speaks with Dr. Will Brown from Cambridge University and Dr. Carmen Tur from CEMCAT about the rapidly evolving field of predictive modelling in multiple sclerosis. They explore why MS is particularly diffic...

Technology is opening new possibilities for how multiple sclerosis is monitored, treated and managed. In this episode of the ECTRIMS Podcast, host Brett Drummond speaks with Prof. Ellen Mowry of Johns Hopkins University and Prof. Letizia Leocani of Vita-Salute San Raffaele University about how innovative medical technologies could transform MS research and clinical care. Together, they explore: Ho...

Could multiple sclerosis one day be detected before symptoms appear? And if so, should we be actively screening people who are at higher risk? In this episode of the ECTRIMS–MS Journal collaboration series, host Prof. Anneke van der Walt , Controversies Editor at the Multiple Sclerosis Journal , is joined by Prof. Helen Tremlett (University of British Columbia) and Prof. Ruth Ann Marrie (Dalhousie...

Where someone lives can profoundly influence their multiple sclerosis journey. While advances in diagnosis and treatment have transformed MS care in many parts of the world, millions of people still face significant barriers to diagnosis, specialist care and life-changing therapies. In this episode of the ECTRIMS Podcast, host Brett Drummond speaks with Dr. Fiifi D u odu and Prof. Alfredo Damascen...

Welcome to MS Research Briefs, a new ECTRIMS podcast series delivering an expert guided tour of important new studies in multiple sclerosis research. In each episode, leading MS experts will take a small number of recently published studies and go beyond the headline findings – exploring what the research shows and how it may influence clinical practice and future discovery. In this inaugural epis...

Vitamin D and multiple sclerosis have been linked for decades, but how strong is the evidence – and what does it mean for clinical practice? In this episode of the ECTRIMS Podcast, host Brett Drummond speaks with Prof. Eric Thouvenot from University Hospital of Nimes and Dr. Deborah Mason f rom Christchurch Hospital about the evolving science behind vitamin D and MS. Together, they explore: Why vi...

In this episode of the ECTRIMS Podcast, recorded in collaboration with the Multiple Sclerosis Journal "Controversies in MS" series, host Prof. Anneke van der Walt moderates a discussion between Prof. Andy Solomon and Prof. Enrique Gómez on one of the most debated developments in modern multiple sclerosis diagnosis. Together, they explore: • Why misdiagnosis remains a major challenge in MS care • T...

Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) has become one of the most intensely studied topics in multiple sclerosis research. But how strong is the evidence linking EBV to MS, and could targeting the virus change the future of treatment and prevention? In this episode of the ECTRIMS Podcast, host Brett Drummond speaks with Prof. Gavin Giovannoni and Prof. Tomas Olsson about the evolving science connecting infectio...

New Phase 3 data presented at the AAN conference 2026 provide compelling evidence that fenebrutinib may represent a high-efficacy oral treatment option for people living with relapsing multiple sclerosis. In this exclusive episode, leading experts Prof. Ludwig Kappos from University of Basel  and Dr. Jiwon Oh from  Barlo MS Centre  join host Brett Drummond to unpack the full FENhance 1 & 2 trial r...

Imaging techniques in multiple sclerosis are evolving rapidly, with MRI and emerging biomarkers playing a central role in diagnosis, prognosis and disease monitoring. In this episode of the ECTRIMS Podcast, neurologist Gabriel Bsteh and host Brett Drummond explore how MRI, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and imaging biomarkers are reshaping the way clinicians diagnose and manage MS. They discu...

How much do the labels used to describe multiple sclerosis actually reflect the lived experience of people affected by the disease? In this first episode of the new ECTRIMS–MS Journal collaboration series , host Dr. Anneke van der Walt , Controversies Editor at the Multiple Sclerosis Journal , speaks with Jon Strum , MS caregiver and host of the RealTalk MS podcast, and Kathryn Smith , patient adv...

Rehabilitation is more than exercise  – it is a personalised process of learning and adaptation that empowers people living with MS to maximise independence, participation and quality of life. In this episode –   recorded at ECTRIMS 2025 in Barcelona during the joint ECTRIMS–RIMS meeting – host Brett Drummond speaks with Prof. Roshan das Nair from SINTEF and Dr. Blanca de Dios Pérez from Universit...

Clinical trial results unveiled today at ACTRIMS Forum 2026 suggest that fenebrutinib may be a novel and effective treatment option for people living with primary progressive multiple sclerosis.  In this exclusive episode providing the first expert discussion of the complete dataset, FENtrepid trial leads Prof. Amit Bar-Or (University of Pennsylvania) and Dr. Stephen Hauser (University of Californ...

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 explo...

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) , abo...

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 late...

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 He...

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...

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.