Search for super early biomarker of multiple sclerosis using mass spectrometry imaging

Abstract

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease that affects the central nervous system. It is a lifelong condition with no cure, but it can be managed with treatments and specialists. For example, treatment can focus on accelerating recovery from attacks, slowing disease progression and managing symptoms. Symptoms caused by MS include fatigue, visual problems, muscle spasms and stiffness, mobility problems, neuropathic pain and problems with thinking, learning and memory, among others. Professor Masaya Ikegawa is a researcher based in the Department of Medical Life Systems at Doshisha University, Japan. His latest research project (‘Search for super early biomarker of multiple sclerosis using mass spectrometry imaging’) involves identifying biomarkers and therapeutic targets of MS through imaging mass spectrometry. His research also encompasses a broader spectrum of intractable diseases, which are those that have mostly arisen through unidentifiable causes and lack established or curable treatments, including Alzheimer’s disease, diabetic neuropathy and cancer, among others.