Multiple sclerosis

The Multiple Sclerosis Center was formally established in 2008 as an “interdepartmental research center” (centro di ricerca interdipartmentale, CRISM). It was founded with the aim of integrating the clinical and research activities carried out, in this field, by the Foundation’s research units, centers and laboratories.

The Center offers a range of expertise covering all aspects of potential research interest. Its main roles include:

• implementation of “Current Research” (Ricerca Corrente) and “Targeted Research” (Ricerca Finalizzata)” programs within the Foundation
• participation in studies, both Italian and international, of epidemiological, clinical, neuroimmunological, neuroradiological and therapeutic interest (currently 15 spontaneous studies: 8 independent, 7 collaborative; numerous studies in collaboration with the MSBase international network)
• participation in international multicenter clinical studies (currently 10 clinical trials in progress and 6 in the start-up phase);
• research (ongoing) funded by FISM, the Italian MS Foundation
• research into environmental factors (environmental pollutants, diet, work and sporting activities)
• development of electronic devices for medical data collection and analysis
• organization of conferences and training activities on MS
• organization of events in which the activities of various centers are coordinated and knowledge on topics of common interest is shared
• implementation of the Italian national MS Registry’s ad hoc database (around 1,300 records)
• development of integrated care pathways in collaboration with the Lombardy regional government

The Center is part of the Neuroscience and Neurorehabilitation Network of “IRCCS” institutes (research hospitals) and it publishes extensively in scientific journals (13 publications in peer-reviewed journals in 2019, and 20 in 2020).