Samira Ghorbani

Age is one of the most important factors associated with accumulating disability and progression of multiple sclerosis (MS). MS is a condition in which the body's immune system mistakenly attacks the protective covering of nerves, known as myelin, in the brain and spinal cord. However, the body has a natural repair process called remyelination, which rebuilds the myelin and restores physical function. This process is vital for protecting nerve fibers from further damage. The age-related decline in remyelination promotes axonal degeneration, which facilitate the transition to the progressive phase of MS from an earlier relapsing-remitting course. Most therapies in MS are based on immunomodulatory approaches with low efficacy in promoting repair. How to improve remyelination during MS is an active area of research with important health implications, particularly in the context of aging. 

Research in our lab aims to 1) advance our knowledge about the impediments to remyelination during aging , and 2) overcome these inhibitors to enhance repair and neuroprotection. The extracellular matrix molecules deposited into lesions provide both an altered microenvironment that inhibits remyelination, and a fuel that exacerbates inflammatory responses.  Our research focuses on the  intricate relationship between extracellular matrix, immune and glial cell of the central nervous system to discover new therapeutic targets to promote remyelination. We hope that our findings will lead to drugs that slow progression in MS.