Research Focus

Neurology

Area of Research

The goal of my research is to understand the mechanisms underlying disease progression in multiple sclerosis and to investigate the effect of multiple sclerosis disease modifying treatment. To answer these questions, we use data from two large databases, the Swiss Multiple Sclerosis Treatment Registry governed by the Swiss association for joint tasks of health insurers and the Swiss Multiple Sclerosis Cohort Study, the largest multicenter observational study on multiple sclerosis and related neuroinflammatory diseases in Switzerland. 

• Comparative analysis of Dimethyl Fumarate and Teriflunomide in relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis 
• Deep learning to harmonize the MRI contrast over a scanner change in a longitudinal multiple sclerosis cohort study
• Balance during stance and gait: Clinical relevance for multiple sclerosis patients.
• The effect of 2 weeks of vibrotactile biofeedback of trunk sway on balance control in multiple sclerosis: a pilot study 
• The dynamics of cortical grey matter lesion and non-lesional abnormalities, and their clinical relevance in multiple sclerosis: a serial magnetic resonance imaging study.

National Collaborations

Kantonsspital Aarau (Dr Lutz Achtnichts)
University of Berne (Prof Andrew Chan)
University of Geneva (Prof Patrice Lalive)
CHUV (Prof Caroline Pot, Prof Renaud Du Pasquier)
CEO (Prof Claudio Gobbi, Dr Chiara Zecca)
Kantonsspital St. Gallen (Dr Stefanie Müller)
Department of Biomedical Engineering (Prof. C. Granziera, Basel)
Medical Image Analysis Centre Basel (Dr. J. Wuerfel)
University of Zurich (Dr Viktor von Wyl)

International Collaborations

Charite, Berlin (Prof Friedemann Paul)
Kyushu University Hospital (Prof Watanabe, Dr Shoko Fukumoto)
University College London (Dr Declan Chard, Dr Rosa Cortese)
Universita di Genova (Dr Matteo Pardini)

• Brain MRI T1 weighted gray matter/ normal appearing white matter contrast to differentiate multiple sclerosis from migraine
• Brain atrophy measurement over a scanner change in a large multiple sclerosis cohort
• Diffusion mri to predict progression independent of relapses in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients
• Brain Choroid Plexus is larger in Multiple Sclerosis than Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder
• Interrupting disease modifying treatment for pregnancy in multiple sclerosis – effect on disease activity and serum neurofilament light chain
• Value of serum neurofilament light chain levels as a biomarker of suboptimal treatment response in MS clinical practice
• Comparative analysis of Dimethyl Fumarate and Teriflunomide in relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis
• Association between serum NfL and cognitive deficits in multiple sclerosis