Cross Lab
Anne Cross, MD

Left to right: Rob Naismith, MD, Anne Cross, MD, Victor Song, PhD, and Robyn Klein, MD
The goal of the Cross lab’s research is to understand the mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of inflammation and demyelination in the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). Our research primarily focuses on multiple sclerosis (MS), a very common disease affecting 1 in 1,000 people in the U.S. We study human tissues (blood, DNA, RNA, spinal fluid) and perform cutting-edge imaging of the human nervous system. Occasionally, we use an animal model for MS known as experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE).
We are currently conducting longitudinal imaging studies to develop methods to differentiate the various types of pathologies in MS, such as demyelination, inflammation with cells or edema due to blood-brain barrier breakdown, and axon damage and loss. We are funded to create better methods for measuring MS progression over time, which could be used in clinical trials. Additionally, we study the effects of diet and calorie restriction on neuro-inflammation. We have previously shown that calorie restriction ameliorates EAE, at least partly through the upregulation of adiponectin and downregulation of leptin.
Principal investigator
Recent publications
- Increased White Matter Aerobic Glycolysis in Multiple SclerosisBrier, M. R., Judge, B., Ying, C., Salter, A., An, H., Patel, A., Wang, Q., Wang, Y., Cross, A. H., Naismith, R. T., Benzinger, T. L. S. & Goyal, M. S., Apr 2025, In: Annals of neurology. 97, 4, p. 766-778 13 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers as predictors of multiple sclerosis severityTolentino, M., Pace, F., Perantie, D. C., Mikesell, R., Huecker, J., Chahin, S., Ghezzi, L., Piccio, L. & Cross, A. H., Feb 2025, In: Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders. 94, 106268.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- A single-cell compendium of human cerebrospinal fluid identifies disease-associated immune cell populationsCantoni, C., Smirnov, R. A., Firulyova, M., Andhey, P. S., Bradstreet, T. R., Esaulova, E., Terekhova, M., Schwarzkopf, E. A., Abdalla, N. M., Kleverov, M., Sabatino, J. J., Liu, K., Schwab, N., Meyer Zu Hörste, G., Cross, A. H., Artyomov, M. N., Edelson, B. T. & Wu, G. F., Jan 2 2025, In: Journal of Clinical Investigation. 135, 1, e177793.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Claustrum Volume Is Reduced in Multiple Sclerosis and Predicts DisabilityShelley, N., Judge, B., Yablonskiy, D. A., Naismith, R. T., Brier, M. R. & Cross, A. H., 2025, (Accepted/In press) In: Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
- Unraveling the major role of vascular (R2') contributions to R2* signal relaxation at ultra-high-field MRI: A comprehensive analysis with quantitative gradient recalled echo in mouse brainIm, J., Xiang, B., Levasseur, V. A., Sukstanskii, A. L., Quirk, J. D., Kothapalli, S. V. V. N., Cross, A. H. & Yablonskiy, D. A., 2025, (Accepted/In press) In: Magnetic resonance in medicine.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review