In 2020, Belgians donated more than half a million euros to research on multiple sclerosis, thus confirming their confidence in research and progress. Basic research requires proactive support and time to get results. For a currently incurable disease such as multiple sclerosis, this is the only way to find solutions. Once again this year, the Charcot Foundation is translating its promise into concrete actions. Ten Belgian university teams will be financed in 2021 by the Charcot Fund for first-rate, innovative and very concrete projects.                                                                                                                       

The research themes concern:

• The subjects covered by this research include:

• The interactions between the immune and nervous-system cells, including those in the brain’s blood vessels,

• The impact of some MS treatments on the immune system,

• The impact of gut microbes (microbiome) on susceptibility to the disease,

• The use of immune cells to repair demyelination lesions,

• The biochemistry of the fats released by myelin destruction,

• The use of an extra-powerful MRI machine to improve analysis of the micro-damage caused by the disease to nerve  cells (neurons). 

Discover our winners and their projects in this newsletter and their videos here.