Questions about multiple sclerosis research? Ask the experts

The public are invited to a webinar to ask questions of leading specialists about the latest research into multiple sclerosis.

The free event will be presented by Dr Agne Straukiene, Consultant Neurologist at Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust and Lead for the South West MS Research Network, who will be putting your questions to Professor Klaus Schmierer of Queen Mary University of London, Consultant Neurologist at The Royal London Hospital, Barts Health NHS Trust.

The webinar, which is part of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Ask the Expert series, is taking place on Thursday 16^th May from 5-6pm BST.

Guests must sign up in advance using this form, where they can enter their question. There may also be the opportunity to ask a question during the event. Those registered will receive instructions by email on how to access the webinar, which will be hosted on video conferencing service MS Teams.  

Anyone unable to attend on the day can provide their email address using the form, to be sent a link to a recording of the event.

NIHR is a Department of Health and Social Care-funded organisation that works to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research. Participating in health research helps develop new treatments, improve the NHS, public health and social care and save lives.

The NHS, public health and social care supports research by giving patients opportunities to take part in trials. Healthy people can also take part so results can be compared to those with a medical condition.

Patients are also encouraged to ask their doctor or health professional about research opportunities and to view trials seeking volunteers at the Be Part of Research website.

To find out more about the South West MS Research Network and its work to promote MS research in the region, visit the microsite.

For queries about this event, contact rduh.swpmsresearch@nhs.net

Klaus Schmierer, MB BS PhD FRCP

Is a Professor of Neurology at The Blizard Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine & Dentistry (Queen Mary University of London, QMUL), and a Consultant Neurologist at The Royal London Hospital, Barts Health NHS Trust. He is a Director of Clinical Research across QMUL and Barts Health, the Research Lead for Neurology, and the Clinical Lead of the Neuroscience Day Case Unit & BartsMS.

After completing his training in neurology at the Charité Hospital (Humboldt University Berlin), he moved to London to pursue a career in academic neurology, initially as a Research Fellow & Clinical Associate, and from 2005 as a Wellcome Intermediate Clinical Fellow at the UCL Institute of Neurology, and Consultant Neurologist at The National Hospital, Queen Square. Following appointments in 2009 at QMUL and Barts Health he moved to his current position in east London.

Ever since starting his career in neurology, Dr Schmierer has maintained a focus on inflammatory demyelination, including research into the pathology, pathophysiology, MRI detection & measurement, and disease control in people with MS, the (differential) diagnosis & monitoring of MS, and investigator-led and commercial clinical trials.

Dr Schmierer is the Lead for MS at the NIHR North Thames CRN and serves on the Scientific Strategy Committee of the UK MS Register. He is co-chairing the ABN’s Special interest group Neuroinflammation & MS, the MS section of CONy, and the annual ‘MS at the Limits’ conference. He is also a member of the MS International Foundation’s Working Group on improved Access to treatment and healthcare.

Dr Schmierer is the CI of ChariotMS (NCT04695080), AttackMS (NCT05418010), and AssistMS (https://www.qmul.ac.uk/blizard/about/news/items/queen-mary-university-of-london-and-icometrix-receive-prestigious-ai-award.html), and a member of the steering committee of MAGNIFY-MS (NCTs 03364036 & 04783935).

His research has been supported by Barts Charity, HEFCE, Wellcome Trust, MRC/NIHR-EME, NIHR-AAC, National MS Society (US), Royal College of Radiologists, UK MS Society, and collaborations with industry.

Dr Agne Straukiene 

Dr. Agne Straukiene is a trailblazing neurologist with a passion for improving the lives of people living with multiple sclerosis (MS) and other inflammatory disorders of the central nervous system. Her commitment to patient-centred care and service improvement has earned her a reputation as a leading consultant neurologist in the UK.

After completing her specialist training in Neurology in Lithuania in 2013, Dr. Straukiene honed her expertise working as a clinical and research fellow in general neurology and MS under the guidance of Professors Jeremy Hobart and John Zajicek at Plymouth Hospital NHS Trust. In 2016, she was appointed as a consultant neurologist at Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, where she leads the MS service with innovative, patient-focused approaches.

Dr. Straukiene has developed numerous pioneering tools to support day-to-day MS management, including the MS Infoflex management tool, MS Patient Knows Best platform, Connect plus app, real-time automated alert system for abnormal blood tests in multiple sclerosis patients, and a mechanism for monthly graphical representation of clinical reports.

A champion for advancing MS research and care, Dr. Straukiene is an esteemed Chief and Principal Investigator for various commercial and non-commercial clinical studies at Torbay and Southern Devon Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. In 2022, she was awarded the International MS Brain Health Team award for her pioneering work setting up healthy lifestyle MS group clinics.

Dr. Straukiene's dedication to improving the lives of those with MS extends beyond her clinical practice. She is also the founder and host of the #BeewellwithMS healthcare podcast, where she shares her expertise and insights to empower and educate patients and healthcare professionals alike.