Introducing our ECTRIMS 2019 Local Chair

What is your current position and how long have you been working in the field of MS?

“Professor of Neurology since 2001 and Consultant in Neurology since 1996”

How did you get to specialise on Multiple Sclerosis?

“As a young neurologist I joined a research project on MS to aim for a PhD.”

Why should researchers, scientists, neurologists, doctors and other likeminded participants be attending the ECTRIMS Congress?

“To get updated on the rapid development of the MS field and also to contribute with their knowledge and research results."

Jan Hillert, Local Chair

What is the difference from face-to-face exchange to digital participation (e.g. watching live broadcasts or webcasts after congress)?

“Personal communication in a face-to-face encounter is a much richer way of communicating and a better basis for future contacts, collaborations, transfer of knowledge and deeper insights.”

How would you describe this year’s ECTRIMS scientific programme? What can the visitors expect? What are some of the highlights?

“This year’s ECTRIMS will cover wide topics in which there has been recent developments, such as genetics and epigenetics, environmental factors, stem cells, viral pathogenesis, antigen specific and anti B-cell treatments, biomarkers, outcomes research and real world evidence.”

Which are the newest research fields of MS? What’s a topic every neurologist is currently talking about?

“It may seem a bit clinical, and although it is less likely to deliver new therapeutic principles, the field of real world evidence, offering clinical course analyses and pharmacoepidemiology, has entered a new phase when data and methodology has improved enough to deliver clinically highly relevant and also robust results. I think the MS community has yet to realize the potential in this formerly “soft science”. We should be talking even more about these results.”

 

We would like to thank Prof. Jan Hillert for his valuable time

 

Click here to see more news.