Veerle Baeklandt PhD

Hot Topic:Unraveling the role of alpha-synuclein aggregation in Multiple System Atrophy

Professor Veerle Baekelandt’s general research interest concerns the molecular pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease, Multiple System Atrophy and related disorders and the role of α-synuclein aggregation. Her overall approach consists of generating novel cellular and rodent models based on mutations involved in familial forms of PD, with the aim to better reproduce the pathogenesis of the disease than the existing models. Her current research focuses on the role of α-synuclein aggregation in PD and MSA, and on the function of LRRK2, a kinase linked to PD.

Better disease models and insights in the molecular pathogenesis are required to develop novel causal therapeutic strategies that can cure or slow down the disease. The lab is using viral vector technology, stereotactic neurosurgery and non-invasive molecular imaging as core technologies. Dr. Baekelandt is recognized internationally for the application of viral vectors in the rodent brain to model and study synucleinopathies.

Francisco Cardoso MD, PhD, FAAN

“The Diagnosis of MSA in 2022”

Dr. Cardoso is a Professor of Internal Medicine Department (Neurology Service) at the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. He is the founder and current Director of the UFMG Movement Disorders Clinic. He did his Neurology Residency at his current institution and a Movement Disorders Fellowship at the Baylor College of Medicine under the supervision of Joseph Jankovic MD. He is the President of the International Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Society (MDS). His main areas of research are choreas, particularly those of auto-immune origin; epidemiology of parkinsonism (he and his associates performed the first population-based study of prevalence of parkinsonism in Brazil) and the genetics of dystonia (one of the studies of his group led to the discovery of the DYT16 gene). He has authored more than 235 peer-reviewed papers and 120 book chapters.

Dr. Carlos Cosentino (PERU)

Sintomas motores an Atrofia Multisistémica" (Motor symptoms in MSA)

Dr Cosentino graduated from the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos in Lima, Peru and received his MD. He completed his neurology residency training at the Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Neurologicas followed by a movement disorder fellowship at the Salpetriere Hospital (Professor Yves Agid’s service). He has worked as a neurologist since 1996 at the Neurodegenerative Diseases Department – Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Neurologicas and is the Head of the Movement Disorders Unit. Dr. Cosentino is Associate Professor of Neurology at the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos and Senior lecturer on movement disorders. He was President of the Peruvian Neurological Society (2010-2012). He has been a member of the PAS-MDS Executive Committee and Officer of the International Executive Committee of the International Parkinson and Movement Disorders Society and a Fellow member of the American Academy of Neurology. He is an author and co-author of numerous scientific papers and a senior lecturer on Parkinsonism and other movement disorders.

Alberto Espay MD, MSc

Hot Topic:The Case for a Paradigm Shift in Neurodegenerative Research

Dr. Alberto Espay is Professor and Endowed Chair of the James J. and Joan A. Gardner Center for Parkinson’s disease at the University of Cincinnati. He has published over 300 peer-reviewed research articles and 8 books, including Common Movement Disorders Pitfalls, which received the Highly Commended BMA Medical Book Award in 2013 and Brain Fables, the Hidden History of Neurodegenerative Diseases and a Blueprint to Conquer them, coauthored with Parkinson patient and advocate Benjamin Stecher, selected by the Association of American Publishers for the PROSE Award honoring the best scholarly work in Neuroscience published in 2020. He has served as Chair of the Movement Disorders Section of the American Academy of Neurology, Associate Editor of the Movement Disorders journal, and on the Executive Committee of the Parkinson Study Group. Among other honors, he has received the Cincinnati Business Courier’s Health Care Hero award, the Spanish Society of Neurology’s Cotzias award, and honorary membership in the Mexican Academy of Neurology. He currently serves as President-Elect of the Pan-American Section of the International Parkinson and Movement Disorders Society. With colleagues at the University of Cincinnati, he launched the first biomarker study of aging (CCBPstudy.com), designed to match people with neurodegenerative disorders to available therapies from which they are most biologically suitable to benefit, regardless of their clinical diagnoses.

Edwin George MD, PhD

“Progress towards a Biomarker Based Diagnosis of MSA”

Dr. George is Director of the Wayne State University Movement Disorders Center and is Associate Professor of Neurology at Wayne State University. He is a member and previous chairman of the Board of Directors and the Professional Advisory Board of the Michigan Parkinson's Foundation. Dr. George's research interests include clinical management of Parkinson's disease and other parkinsonian diseases, tremor and dystonia, and he has been active in clinical trials of new medications for Parkinson's disease and dystonia. He is also involved in research on measuring the impact of neurological disease on patient function. Dr. George's laboratory research has focused on neuronal reaction to injury and neural regeneration. He has lectured and written extensively on movement disorders and has served as a consultant to U.S. and international pharmaceutical firms.

Jeffrey Kordower PhD

“Viral rodent and nonhuman primate models of MSA”

Dr. Jeffrey Kordower is the founding director of the ASU-Banner Neurodegenerative Disease Research Center and endowed chair as The Charlene and J. Orin Edson Distinguished Director at the Biodesign Institute at ASU. He has been a pioneer in the field of neural transplantation techniques and his pathbreaking investigations into the underpinnings of neurodegenerative disease have made him a leader in the field. Kordower’s interests include the study of gene and stem cell therapies, disease pathogenesis including the morphological and molecular changes during the course of neurodegeneration, learning and memory, and aging. He came to Arizona State University from Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, where he was faculty member for more than 30 years.

ANTHONY E. LANG, OC, MD, FRCPC, FAAN, FCAHS, FRSC.

Multiple System Atrophy: Approaches to Treatment

Dr. Lang is Professor and previous Director of the Division of Neurology at the University of Toronto. He holds the Jack Clark Chair for Parkinson’s Disease Research and the Lily Safra Chair in Movement Disorders. He is the Director of the Edmond J. Safra Program in Parkinson’s Disease, the Rossy Progressive Supranuclear Palsy Program and the Morton and Gloria Shulman Movement Disorders Clinic, Toronto Western Hospital and the University of Toronto. He is one of the most highly cited investigators in the field of Movement Disorders with more than 900 peer-reviewed publications and h-index of 133. His awards and distinctions include: Officer of the Order of Canada, 2010; Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences and Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, 2011; Honorary Member of the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society (MDS) 2014; the first MDS Pan-American Section Leadership Award, 2017; the Weston Brain Institute International Outstanding Achievement Award, 2018; the Dean’s Lifetime Achievement Award for global impact from University of Toronto, 2020 and the Jay Van Andel Award for Outstanding Achievement in Parkinson's Disease Research and the Margolese National Brain Disorders Prize, 2022.

Simon Lewis MD, MBBCH

“The Management of Non-Motor Features in MSA”

Professor Simon Lewis is a Consultant Neurologist and Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Sydney. He is the Clinical Director of the Ageing Brain Clinic and Director of the Parkinson's Disease Research Clinic at the Brain & Mind Centre and heads the NSW Movement Disorders Brain Donor program. He has published over 200 peer review papers, 2 books and 8 book chapters and has attracted over $10 Million in funding from various sources including the NHMRC, ARC and Michael J Fox Foundation to support his research interests targeting quality of life in neurodegenerative diseases.

Wouter Peelaerts, PhD

Dr. Peelaerts is an experienced neuroscientist with special expertise in degenerative brain diseases. He earned his Ph.D. in biomedical sciences from KU Leuven and subsequently completed a postdoctoral fellowship there focused on neurobiology and gene therapy under the mentorship of Prof. Veerle Baekelandt. His efforts helped uncover new insights that further link the abnormal protein alpha-synuclein to neurodegenerative diseases, in particular Parkinson’s and multiple system atrophy. In 2017, he joined the lab of Dr. Patrik Brundin at Van Andel Institute, MI, USA where he focused on drug repurposing of anti-diabetic drugs and studied how peripheral infections can trigger Parkinson’s and multiple system atrophy. Currently, he is senior post-doctoral fellow of the FWO Flanders and focuses on multiple system atrophy and the development of novel gene therapy strategies. He has received numerous accolades for his research, including the 2020 JiePie award for MSA research, a prestigious 2017–2019 Fulbright Fellowship, the ATCG and ID&T postdoctoral award and a Beatrix Movement Disorders award. Dr. Peelaerts serves on the research advisory committees for both Defeat MSA Alliance (US) and MSA United International Consortium.

Enrique Urrea-Mendoza, MD

Dr. Urrea-Mendoza is a clinical neurologist, movement disorders specialist and the leader of Clinical and Translational Research with 20 years of experience. He has over 7 years experience as both a movement disorders specialist and clinical researcher, including substantial experience with major pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device companies. He is a veteran in the operations of clinical trials, including trials in Phase II, III and IV for patients diagnosed with multiple neurological disorders. He has experience with the use of technology, sensors and neuromodulation and has actively advocated for federal research funding to advance new treatments and a cure for Parkinson’s Disease, MSA and other forms of Parkinsonism. Dr. Urrea-Mendoza serves on the research advisory board for both Defeat MSA Alliance and MSA United International Consortium.

Gabriel Jose Arango, MD

Diagnóstico De La Atrofia Multisistémica (Diagnosis of Multiple System Atrophy)

Dr. Arango is a licensed neurologist, graduating from the Universidad Nacional de Colombia in Bogotá, Colombia, with training in neurodegenerative diseases, specializing in Parkinson's Disease, abnormal movement disorders, dementias and other areas. He has further experience with Functional Neurosurgery.

Ann Bagchi PhD, DNP

“Multiple System Atrophy (MSA): The Nurse’s Role”

Dr. Ann Bagchi is a family nurse practitioner and an assistant professor at Rutgers University. Dr. Bagchi's research has focused on improving screening for rare and stigmatized health conditions within primary care settings. Her project for her doctor of nursing practice degree focused on improving rates of routine screening for HIV (according to recommendations published by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in 2006) among primary care clinicians. Her work in the area of MSA seeks to improve awareness of MSA among registered nurses and nurse practitioners. Nurses at every level in the healthcare system frequently serve as frontline workers and are among the first to observe the early symptoms of MSA. As such, nurses have an important role to play in recognizing MSA as a potential diagnosis. Nurse practitioners often lead primary care practices and can serve as care coordinators for multidisciplinary teams. Dr. Bagchi is currently developing a manuscript for submission to the Journal for Nurse Practitioners on the topic of MSA diagnosis and management and is working with the Rutgers University Center for Educational Research & Innovation on a continuing education credit course for nurses, Multiple System Atrophy: What Nurses Need to Know. She was recently elected to the Board of Defeat MSA Alliance and has served as the healthcare proxy for her mother, who was diagnosed with MSA in 2015.

Tomasz Brudek, PhD

(Research Funded by Defeat MSA Alliance & MSA United) Alfa-synukleina i Odpowiedź Immunologiczna w Zaniku Wieloukładowym (Alpha-Synuclein and Immune Responses in Multiple System Atrophy)

Dr Brudek is a Senior Scientist and Head of Molecular Biology Unit, Centre for Neuroscience and Stereology, at Bispebjerg Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Dr. Brudek has a MSc degree from the University of Silesia, Katowice Poland. His PhD in Medical Sciences was achieved at the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Aarhus University, Denmark.

His research achievements include: Alpha-Synuclein as a presynaptic neuronal protein that is linked genetically and neuropathologically to Parkinson’s disease (PD), Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) and Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLBs). α-Synuclein may contribute to PD and MSA pathogenesis. He has focused research work on investing the role of different α-synuclein species such as monomers, oligomers, and fibrils regulate immune response in PD, MSA and DLB. He is concentrating his research on anti-α-synuclein naturally occurring autoantibodies (NAbs) as therapeutic targets and clinical biomarkers.

He has numerous publications regarding the immune system and its role in clearance process, including the following selected publications:

Alpha-Synuclein Autoimmune Decline in Prodromal Multiple System Atrophy and Parkinson's Disease. Folke J, Bergholt E, Pakkenberg B, Aznar S, Brudek T. Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Jun 12;23(12):6554. doi: 10.3390/ijms23126554.

Passive Immunization in Alpha-Synuclein Preclinical Animal Models. Folke J, Ferreira N, Brudek T, Borghammer P, Van Den Berge N. Biomolecules. 2022 Jan 20;12(2):168. doi: 10.3390/biom12020168.

Folke J, Rydbirk R, Løkkegaard A, Hejl A, Winge K, Starhof C, Salvesen L, Østergaard Pedersen L, Aznar S Pakkenberg B, Brudek T. Cerebrospinal fluid and plasma distribution of anti-α-synuclein IgMs and IgGs in Multiple System Atrophy and Parkinson’s disease. Parkinsonism and Related Disorders 2021 May 11, doi: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2021.05.001

Folke J, Rydbirk R, Løkkegaard A, Salvesen L, Hejl AM, Starhof C, Bech S, Winge K, Christensen S, Østergaard Pedersen L, Aznar A, Pakkenberg B, Brudek T. Distinct autoimmune anti-α-synuclein antibody patterns in Multiple System Atrophy and Parkinson’s Disease. Front Immunol. 2019 Sep 24;10:2253. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.02253. eCollection 2019

Brudek T, Winge K, Folke J, Christensen S, Fog K, Pakkenberg B, Pedersen LØ. Autoimmune antibody decline in Parkinson's disease and Multiple System Atrophy; a step towards immunotherapeutic strategies. Mol Neurodegener. 2017 Jun 7;12(1):44.

Sara Brynhild Winther Bech, MD (Landsforeningen MSA)

Dr Bech is a consultant neurologist at the Clinic for Atypical Parkinsonism at the Department of Neurology, Copenhagen University Hospital Bispebjerg, since 2016. She was awarded her PhD from the University of Copenhagen in 2012 for her thesis on CSF biomarkers and molecular genetic aspects of atypical Parkinsonism.

Mackenzie Carroll, OTR/L, OTD

Occupational Therapy and MSA (Encore Presentation)

Dr. Carroll is a Doctor of Occupational Therapy. Since graduating from Belmont University in May of 2020, she has worked with many adult patients of varying diagnoses. She currently works at multiple skilled nursing facilities in the central Indiana area. She was introduced to MSA by her husband, Matt Carroll, while in graduate school. Her father-in-law, Jerry Carroll, had been diagnosed with MSA. While she had experience with other progressive neurological conditions, she had not heard of MSA before and this led her to her interest in research and treatment topics related to MSA and occupational therapy. She continues to advocate, research, and fundraise for Defeat MSA Alliance alongside her husband and mother-in-law Cindy Carroll, sons Ryan and Conner, daughter Emily and the rest of Jerry’s supportive family.

Ming-Che Kuo, MD

多系統萎縮： 最新研究 (Multiple System Atrophy: Updated Research)

Dr. Ming-Che Kuo is currently an Attending Physician at the Department of Medicine, National Taiwan University Cancer Center. His main clinical and academic interests include Parkinson’s Disease, Atypical Parkinsonism including MSA, cerebellar ataxia, neuroimage in neurodegenerative diseases and onco-neurology. His research topics include the gene environment interaction of MSA, and neuroimage and fluid biomarkers of MSA such as white and gray matter-derived brain aging and small non-coding RNA. Dr. Kuo was trained at the Department of Neurology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. He specializes in the clinical care and advanced studies of patients with movement disorders including Parkinson disease (PD) and atypical parkinsonism syndromes, particularly multiple system atrophy (MSA). He received the FutureTech Breakthrough Award (2019) by the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan. The topic of his study was “Developing novel drugs for the treatment of multiple system atrophy/ataxia: applying preclinical mouse behavioral phenotyping techniques and clinical motor assessments”

Alessio Di Fonzo, MD, PhD (Combattiamo MSA)

AMS: Novità nella Ricerca (MSA: New in Research)

Dr. Di Fonzo is a board-certified neurologist. He received his medical degree and neurology training in movement disorders at the University of Milan, Italy. He obtained his PhD from the Clinical Genetics Dept, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Currently, he is the Director of the Fresco Institute Center of Excellence for Parkinson’s Disease at Foundation I.R.C.C.S. “Ca’Granda” Maggiore Hospital. His activity comprises the in-patient clinic and emergency service, and is a Principal Investigator of the out-patient clinic for Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders at Policlinic Hospital of Milan, Italy. Since 2009 Principal Investigator of the Movement Disorder Group. His principal research subjects are: 1) Genetics of Movement disorders; 2) Molecular Mechanisms of Parkinson’s disease (PD); 3) Study of cell-mediated therapeutic strategies for PD and MSA.

Victor Dieriks, PhD (Defeat MSA AU/NZ)

Alpha-Synuclein in Parkinson’s Disease and Multiple System Atrophy. Where Lies the Difference?

Dr Victor Dieriks is a Sir Charles Hercus Senior Research Fellow and Head Alpha-Synuclein lab at Centre for Brain Research at University of Auckland, - studying the early effects of Parkinson’s disease and multiple system atrophy and focuses on treatments that delay the onset of symptoms. Dr Dieriks obtained his PhD at the University Ghent, Belgium and moved to New Zealand in 2011. He received a Master in Commercialisation in 2015 at the University of Auckland. In 2021 he started an independent research group on alpha-synuclein. Dr Dieriks is an emerging researcher supported by national and international funding agencies raising over one million since 2018.

Alessandra Fanciulli, MD, PhD (Combattiamo MSA)

Trattamento Personalizzato dei Sintomi Motori e Non-motori dell’Atrofia Multisistemica (Personalized Care of MSA Motor and Non-motor Symptoms)

Dr Fanciulli is a consultant in Neurology and Deputy Director of the Dysautonomia Center at the Department of Neurology of the Medical University of Innsbruck. She received her MD in 2010 and her PhD in 2015 from Sapienza University of Rome. Her research focuses on autonomic failure in multiple system atrophy and other neurodegenerative disorders.

Dr Fanciulli has lectured at multiple international conferences and has co-authored 66 peer-reviewed publications, including high impact journals such as The New England Journal of Medicine, Lancet Neurology, Annals of Neurology, Movement Disorders and Neurology. She co-authored the first monography on Multiple System Atrophy with Gregor K. Wenning and was a member of the Task Force of the Movement Disorders Society for the revision of the diagnostic criteria for multiple system atrophy. She is the Co-Chair of the Scientific Panel for Autonomic Nervous System Disorders of the European Academy of Neurology, Secretary of the European Federation of Autonomic Societies and of the Austrian Autonomic Society.

Jonas Folke, PhD

(Landsforeningen MSA, Research Funded by Defeat MSA Alliance & MSA United) Alpha-synuclein og Immun Responset i Multipel System Atrofi (Alpha-synuclein and the Immune Response in Multiple System Atrophy)

Dr. Folke received his MSc degree and PhD in Clinical Immunology from the University of Copenhagen. He then received the prestigious International Fellowship from The Danish Independent Research Fund and is currently working at the Centre for Neuroscience and Stereology at Bispebjerg Hospital, University Hospital of Copenhagen.

His current research focus is degenerative neurological disorders and therapeutic targeting, with primary focus on MSA and Parkinson’s Disease (PD). His current research is concentrating on the interplay between the immune system and the etiology of MSA and PD with focus on the anti-α-synuclein naturally occurring antibodies (nAbs) producing cells, B cells. Currently, he is working both at the Medical University Hospital Essen, Germany and Bispebjerg Hospital, Copenhagen University Hospital, Denmark on single-cell sequencing platforms to resolve the recognition of α-syn by the immune system.

A second line on his research interest is to characterize the aggregation processes in MSA and PD. He is currently working combining the two research topics to inhibit α-syn aggregation in MSA and PD.

Henrique Ferraz, MD, PhD

Atrofia de Múltiplos Sistemas - Trtamentos Disponíveis (Multiple System Atrophy - Available Treatments)

Dr. Ferraz is currently Professor of the Department of Neurology at Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo (UNIFESP-EPM) and Head of the Movement Disorders Unit at the University Hospital of Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo. Dr. Ferraz received his medical degree from Universidade Estadual de Londrina in Londrina, Brazil. He completed his Residence in Neurology and also received his PhD from UNIFESP-EPM. He has published 110 papers in ISI Journals, mainly in Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders. In addition, he has edited 3 books.

Dr. Ziv Gan-Or (CA)

Hot Topic: Current status and future directions in the genetics of MSA (Encore Presentation)

Dr. Gan-Or is an Assistant Professor at the Neuro (Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital), the Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery and the Department of Human Genetics at McGill University. He leads the Neurogenomics and Precision Medicine (NAP-Med) lab, and serves as the Director of the Neurodegenerative Disorders Research Group at the Neuro. Dr. Gan-Or’s research is focused on understanding the genetic basis of neurodegenerative disorders, including Parkinson’s disease, dementia, multiple system atrophy, REM-sleep behavior disorder and others. His lab is using advanced genetic, genomic and computational methods to identify genes that are involved in these disorders and that can serve as future targets for therapeutic development. Dr. Gan-Or leads large-scale genetic initiatives, including at the Canadian Consortium for Neurodegeneration in Aging, the Quebec Parkinson Network, The Canadian Open Parkinson Network, CanHSP and the International RBD Genomics Consortium. Dr. Ziv is currently leading a Genomic Wide Association Study (GWAS) with Multiple System Atrophy diagnosed patients in Canada. Dr Gan-Or serves on the research advisory board of both Defeat MSA/Vaincre AMS Canada and MSA United International Consortium. If you are a Canadian diagnosed with MSA, and you are interested in this GWAS study, please contact Defeat MSA/Vaincre AMS Canada (director@msacanada.ca)

Giulia Giannini, MD (Combattiamo MSA)

Disturbi del Sistema Nervoso Vegetativo e del Sonno nell’ Atrofia Multisistemica (Sleep Disorders and Dysautonomia in Multiple System Atrophy)

Dr. Giannini is a researcher with the Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Italy. Her interests include movement disorders, in particular the non-motor symptoms such as sleep disorders in early and late stage Parkinson’s. She has conducted research on the quality of life, cognitive functions, sleep disturbances and vegetative symptoms in patients with Parkinson's disease and Multiple System Atrophy. She has experience with the polygraphic characterization of sleep in patients with Multiple System Atrophy, Isolated vegetative insufficiency and dystonia. She is the author of numerous publications in these areas.

Chien-Tai Hong, MD, PhD

Chien-Tai Hong is currently an Associate Professor, Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan. He received his Medical degree from Taipei Medical University and his Ph.D from Institute of Neurology, University College London. His research interests include Parkinsons’s Disease including atypical Parkinson’s such as MSA, Alzheimer Disease, Mitochondria, Apoptosis, Neuroprotection, Glucose Metabolism, Population-based cohort, and Meta-analysis. He is the author of 14 publications related to movement disorders, is a member of numerous neurological association, and is the current Director of the Taiwan Movement Disorder Society.

Anna Kaur (Precision Med, LLC)

Brain Research: Shortening the Path to the MSA Drug Development and Clinical Trials

Anna Kaur is the Clinical Research Manager of the Neurology Department at PrecisionMed. PrecisionMed is a leading biobank that maintains the largest commercially available biorepository of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) on the planet. Along with CSF, PrecisionMed provides blood and tissue samples, including brain material, to neurology and cancer researchers, wherever they are in the world. Customers include household pharma names as well as a growing number of biotechs and universities in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.

Anna developed a passion for neurosciences while taking a cognitive psychology class in her undergraduate courses, her curiosity grew as she completed her psychology degree and went on to pursue her Master of Public Health degree, taking a keen interest in neurodegenerative disorders. Today, Anna runs neuro protocols in multiple indications at PrecisionMed. Given her academic background and interests, she is an avid supporter of patient empowerment and diversity and inclusion in the clinical research space.

Mukhlisa Khanova, MD

Современные методы диагностики мультисистемной атрофии (Up-to-date Methods for Diagnosing Multiple System Atrophy)

Dr. Khanova is currently the Assistant of the Department of Neurology, Child Neurology and Medical Genetics at Tashkent Pediatric Medical Institute in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. She received a Master in Neurology from Tashkent Pediatric Medical Institute, Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Dr.Katie Komploti, MD

Neurogenic Orthostatic Hypotension

Dr. Kompoliti was born in Greece and completed her early education there, including Medical School. After graduating from the University of Patras, College of Medicine, Greece, she pursued her interest in neuroscience by completing a residency in Neurology at Northwestern University, Chicago, IL. After the completion of her residency she held a fellowship in Movement Disorders at Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL. Following her fellowship, she became faculty in Movement Disorders, Department of Neurology at Rush University Medical Center where she is currently Professor of Neurology. She is the author and coauthor of numerous publications. Her clinical interests as a principal investigator have focused on several therapeutic areas including studies to evaluate the safety and efficacy of new compounds to treat Parkinson’s disease and other Parkinsonian syndromes, such as MSA, Tourette syndrome, and Functional Movement Disorders. Furthermore, she is the educational director of the section of Movement Disorders and the director of the Movement Disorders fellowship at Rush University Medical Center.

Vanessa Leschak

"Nutrition and Diet for MSA"

Vanessa Leschak is an educator, chef and certified nutritionist who helps people with Parkinson’s related diseases and their caregivers live healthier through a plant-based diet. Before starting Parkinson’s Disease Nutrition, a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit, Vanessa worked 10 years as a personal chef providing plant-based meals to people who wanted to implement healthier eating into their lives. She also worked as a Manager of education programs for a local nonprofit providing exercise for people with Parkinson’s Disease. After a successful career helping spread Parkinson-specific exercise around the globe, Vanessa now educates people in the community on the research of plant-based eating to help manage disease symptoms.

Maria Chiara Malaguti, MD (Combattiamo MSA)

I Sintomi Motori della Atrofia Multisistemica (Motor Symptoms of Multiple System Atrophy)

Dr. Malaguti is currently a consultant neurologist with a specialty in movement disorders at Santa Chiara Hospital in Trento, Italy. She received her medical degree from University of Bologna Medical School and received her Specialist Postgraduate Diploma in Neurology with honors from the University Vita-Salute San Raffaele in Milan, Italy. She has a special interest in atypical Parkinson’s, including MSA and has treated multiple MSA patients over the years. Her research interests include neurodegenerative diseases with particular interest in hyperkinetic and hypokinetic movement disorders; movement disorders, merging clinical, electrophysiological and genetic methods to study conditions like dystonia and Parkinson’s disease; genetics of Parkinson’s disease; and deep brain stimulation for Parkinson’s disease.

Dr. Wassilios Meissner (FR)

Hot Topic: New Criteria for the Diagnosis of MSA (Encore Presentation)

Professor Meissner is a neurologist, with subspecialty expertise in Movement Disorders and particular interest in Parkinson’s disease (PD) and atypical parkinsonian disorders such as Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) and Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP). He is affiliated with the University of Bordeaux where he has been a professor of Neurology since 2012. He is the director of the PD Expert Centre of Bordeaux and co-chairs the French Reference Centre for MSA. His research focuses on biological and clinical markers of disease progression in PD and MSA, as well as the development of new preclinical models and treatments for PD and MSA in a translational approach. His current research activities include work with two innovative vaccines directed against alpha-synuclein in patients with MSA and coordination with the European ARTEMIS research consortium.

Anne-Mette Hejl, MD (Landsforeningen MSA)

MSA Behandling (Treatment of MSA)

clinic for atypical parkinsonism at Copenhagen University Hospital Bispebjerg since 2017. She received her medical degree in 1996 at Copenhagen University and Board Certification in Neurology in 2009. In 2004, she was awarded her PhD in Medicine at the Copenhagen University. Since 2013, she has been appointed as associate professor at the University. She is a board member of Danish MSA foundation.

Anne Pavy-Le Traon, MD, PhD

Présentation Clinique et Prise en Charge des Symptomes dans l’Atrophie MultiSystématisée (Clinical Presentation and Management of Symptoms in Multiple System Atrophy - Encore Presentation)

Professor Pavy-Le Traon is Associate Professor of Neurology at the Medicine Faculty of University of Toulouse. She has been working as a Medical Practitioner in the Neurology Department at the University Hospital of Toulouse since September 2010. She is also Head of the Autonomic Laboratory which she implemented in the Neurology Department, and manages the Toulouse reference center for Multiple System Atrophy (MSA). Her particular field of expertise and research is the autonomic nervous system. Besides her position in the hospital, she directs the teaching of the Aerospace Medicine Diploma and works as a Scientific Advisor in the Institute of Space Physiology and Medicine (MEDES) in Toulouse. She was nominated as a member of the ESA Medical Board in May 2018. She is a member of the European Federation of Autonomic Societies (EFAS as treasurer) as well as the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) and the MODIMSA group.

Alexandra Perez Soriano, MD, PhD (Asociación de AMS España)

Lo que Sabemos y no de la AMS, Actualidad y Perspectivas (What We Know and Don’t Know about MSA, News and Perspectives)

Dr. Soriano is an early-stage research investigator and neurologist with specific training and interest in Parkinson's disease, atypical parkinsonisms and Multiple System Atrophy (MSA). Her training began during residency at the Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, Spain. After residency, she completed a two-year movement disorder clinical-research fellowship in Vancouver, Canada under the direction of Dr. Jon Stoessl, during which she focused on PET imaging research into a novel Tau PET tracer (C11-PBB3. She was awarded the PHD4MD three year doctoral grant, completing her doctorate in July 2021. For the past three years, she has been the principal coordinator and co-investigator for the MSA clinical and biosample registry (CMSAR), coordinating follow-up visits, collecting clinical data and biosamples, and studying different biosamples in the search for diagnostic biomarkers. She has worked with genomic experts at both IDIBAPS and CRG.

Yury Seliverstov, MD, PhD

Что нового в диагностике мультисистемной атрофии? (What's New in the Diagnosis of MSA?)

Dr. Seliverstov is a neurologist and senior researcher at the Research Center of Neurology (Moscow, Russia). He is also a current member of the Education Committee of the European Section in the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society (MDS). In 2012, he completed a clinical research fellowship in the Research Center of Neurology (Moscow, Russia). Thereafter. He has been actively involved in the national and international research and clinical activities in movement disorders and neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s disease, dystonia, Huntington’s disease, and ataxias. In 2018, Dr. Seliverstov trained in an observership in the Movement Disorders Clinic at the Toronto Western Hospital under the supervision of Dr. Anthony Lang. Dr. Seliverstov is also a member of the American Academy of Neurology and European Huntington’s Disease Network.

Jigna Shah MD

Hot Topic: Mindfulness for Wellness and Resilience

Dr. Jigna Shah is a retired board-certified psychiatrist based in the USA. She graduated from the Government Medical College, Surat, India. After immigrating to the United States, she completed her Psychiatry residency training followed by a fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry from Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, where she is currently appointed as a Clinical Assistant Professor. Jigna has over 25 years of varied experiences in Psychiatry. She has worked with children and adults in the inner city, suburbs and with US veterans. During her journey as a psychiatrist, she became fascinated by the mind body connection, witnessing it first-hand and treating young and old. She incorporated mindfulness and other complementary alternative medicine approaches in her practice. She is a certified mindfulness teacher and is currently focusing on teaching mindfulness to empower and achieve wellness and resilience.

Hélio Ghizoni Teive, MD

Distúrbios do Sono na Atrofia de Múltiplos Sistemas Tipo C (Sleep Sisorders in Multiple System Atrophy Type C)

Bio Coming Soon

Beatriz Tijero, MD, PhD (Asociación de AMS España)

Actualización en AMS (Update on MSA)

Dr. Beatriz Tijero is a Neurologist with extensive experience in the clinical practice of Parkinson disease, movement disorders and autonomic disorders. She is a member of the movement disorders unit in Hospital Cruces Bizkaia and Biocruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute.

She completed her medical training at NYU, Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York and the Mayo Clinic. She has published numerous articles in the field of the autonomic system, Parkinson's disease and other Parkinsonisms. Additionally, she has participated in several clinical trials and research studies in these fields.

Oybek Turgunkhujaev, MD (Defeat MSA Alliance)

Что нового в мире ортостатической гипотензии? (What is the Latest in the Treatment of Orthostatic Hypotension?)

Dr. Turgunkhujaev (“Dr Teo”) leads a neurology service at the Semeynaya Clinic in Moscow, Russia. He heads the outpatient clinic and consults in-patient clinics in Moscow. Dr. Teo graduated from Tashkent Medical Academy (Tashkent, Uzbekistan), the Peoples' Friendship University of Russia (Moscow, Russia) and the Malaya University Medical Center (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia). He completed a fellowship under the direction of Professor Lim Shen-Yang, medical advisor to the Malaysian Parkinson’s Disease Association, and a founding member (and current Chair) of the Malaysian Movement Disorder Council. During his fellowship, Dr. Teo practiced procedures such as Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS), botulinum therapy and apomorphine pumps. Dr. Teo is an active member of the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society (MDS). He is a consultant for multiple patient organizations and the founder of the SYNAPSUS (@thesynapsus), a Telegram community which currently has approximately 4000 active users. He has contributed and co-authored several scientific publications in domestic and foreign journals and has also co-authored lectures in video form on YouTube. Dr. Teo serves on the research advisory committees for both Defeat MSA Alliance (US) and MSA United International Consortium.

Dr. Amber Van Laar (USA)

Hot Topic: GDNF - Gene Therapy for MSA

Dr. Van Laar obtained her MD from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in 2009, with subsequent residency training in Neurology and clinical-research fellowship training in Movement Disorders at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Upon completion of training, she continued her academic research in the Pittsburgh Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases as an Assistant Professor in Neurology. Dr. Van Laar has also completed a Certificate in Clinical Research from the Institute of Clinical Research Education at the University of Pittsburgh. In her clinical practice, Dr. Van Laar has cared for a variety of movement disorders, including Multiple System Atrophy, providing holistic management for patients and families living with neurodegenerative diseases. Dr. Van Laar focused on neuromodulatory aspects of Movement Disorders providing specialty care for patients with deep brain stimulation (DBS) implanted for Parkinson’s disease, dystonia, and tremors. She has also contributed to the Parkinson’s disease community through local support groups and a leadership role within the Parkinson’s Foundation of Western PA. Dr. Van Laar has been involved in preclinical gene therapy approaches in parkinsonian models since 2002, later continuing gene therapy focused research after completing fellowship. Her laboratory research focused on gene-environment interactions and mechanisms that cause neurodegenerative diseases, like Parkinson’s disease and Multiple System Atrophy. It was for this work that she received the Clinician-Scientist Development Award from the Parkinson’s Foundation and the American Academy of Neurology in 2014 to investigate the therapeutic potential of gene therapy in parkinsonian models. As a physician-scientist, Dr. Van Laar has also been an investigator in clinical trials for neurodegenerative diseases, including work on gene therapy approaches to enhance dopamine levels in patients with advanced Parkinson’s disease. Dr. Van Laar continued her work with gene therapy as VP of Clinical Development for Brain Neurotherapy Bio, Inc, now a part of Asklepios BioPharmacetuical (AskBio). She is presently the VP of Clinical Development for CNS Gene Therapy and brings a unique amalgamation of preclinical, clinical, and clinical-trial development experience to the advancement of gene therapy studies for Multiple System Atrophy and other brain diseases.