Mellen Center Update in Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

About the Symposium

Welcome to the 2023 Mellen Center Update in Multiple Sclerosis (MS). This is our 15th symposium and we are excited to welcome our attendees back for an in-person event. Our hope is that this year’s program will have something for everyone, from the practical day-to-day management of MS patients to the newest research developments in the field.

I am excited to announce that Dr. Darin Okuda from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center will be our keynote speaker. Dr. Okuda has had a distinguished career in the field of MS and has been a thought leader in the area of radiologically isolated syndrome. These patients can pose a special dilemma to clinicians and his talk will help us to identify and manage them. Additionally, Dr. Susan Linder will be talking to us about the role of exercise for MS patients and Dr. Robert Fox will give an update on the emergence of Bruton’s tyrosine kinase inhibitors for the treatment of multiple sclerosis.

We will have three tracks in the afternoon designed to appeal to a wide range of interests. The first is a clinical track on the management of MS and will include talks from Dr. Amy Sullivan on the use of biofeedback in managing mood disorders in MS patients and Dr. Marisa McGinley will be giving an update on the emerging fields of neuroprotection and remyelination. The second track will focus on the role of rehabilitation in MS care. Dr. Mary Rensel and one of our most experienced occupational therapists, Alyssa Leonard, will speak on a multi-disciplinary approach to wellness in MS patients. There will also be a case report on the multi-disciplinary approach and a talk on specialty rehab services. Finally, we are excited to offer a track on imaging and pathology research in MS. Dr. Emmanuel Obusez will talk about clinical applications of 7 Tesla imaging, Dr. Kedar Mahajan will discuss the spinal cord and progression in MS, and Dr. Daniel Ontaneda will give an update on the CAVS MS study and the use of the central vein sign in distinguishing MS from other central nervous system pathologies.

A number of other fascinating talks will also be given at the symposium. We welcome you to join us for the Mellen Center Update and believe you will find the program stimulating and educational. I look forward to seeing everybody in-person this year!

Best Regards,

Devon Conway, MD, MS, Symposium Director

Objectives

At the completion of this activity, the participant will be able to:

Describe and critically appraise the updates, clinical implications and pathophysiology of MS and other neuroinflammatory diseases.
Describe the role of wellness in MS, including the benefits of exercise, stress management, biofeedback and rehabilitation services.
Summarize how management strategies for multiple sclerosis are affected by socioeconomic factors.
Outline steps for treating breakthrough disease after highly effective therapy.
Detail developments in neuroprotection and remyelination in multiple sclerosis.
Describe recent updates in imaging, including applications of 7-Tesla MRI, and use of the central vein sign, which can help in the evaluation of MS mimics, thereby reducing misdiagnosis.

Target Audience

This update is intended for health care practitioners engaged in the care of patients with MS and related disorders. We will cover a broad range of topics of value to health care professionals from a wide array of backgrounds including, physicians, nurses, physician assistants, physical, occupational, and speech therapists, psychologists, neuropsychologists, social workers, and other health care practitioners who treat patients with MS.