MS Society Fellows Gear Up to Take On MS

Farris Taha, who received a Sylvia Lawry Physician fellowship, enjoys a challenge, and for him, there’s no bigger code to crack than MS. “I was immediately drawn to MS mainly because of the complexity of the disease and the incredible advancements of the past decade,” says the 30-year-old neurology fellow at Washington University in St. Louis.The biggest puzzle, he discovered through clinical care, is progressive MS. “Our treatment options are unfortunately limited, as is their efficacy at halting progression,” he says. Taha, who is working with mentors at the Washington University in St. Louis, is seeking to find better markers of progression using MRI.“MRIs are useful for capturing lesions in the brain in patients with active or relapsing disease,” he explains. “But in progressive forms of the disease, there is often a mismatch between what you see on the MRI and how severe the symptoms are. We’re not sure why.”To figure it out, Taha is exploring ways MRI can show additional structures, like the cortex or gray matter surrounding the brain. “Many advanced newer MRI methods being studied by others do require expensive, high-powered scanners to see fine details, but we’re finding ways to work with the MRI machines commonly available in clinics throughout the country,” Taha says. “This approach aims to help MS providers better understand and predict the course of progressive MS, making these insights more accessible to patients nationwide and potentially opening new treatment avenues.”Through the fellowship, Taha is providing care for MS patients and assisting with clinical trials for new treatments, while also pursuing a master’s degree in clinical investigation. “I’m learning the finer details of designing clinical trials so I can run them on my own and meaningfully contribute to MS research,” he says.Taha draws inspiration from the very people he’s trying to help. “I’m so impressed by the resiliency and courage of the MS patients I work with,” he says. “I find it so motivating — it pushes me further.”