Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a complex disease in which genetic, environmental and stochastic factors all play a part to induce aberrant interactions between the immune system and neural cells, ultimately transforming into progressive neurological disability. Our understanding of MS is rapidly evolving and multiple areas of research are showing great promise of future treatment or cure. However, further progress will depend on establishing a deep understanding of the underlying disease mechanisms. 

   With this in mind, this meeting aims to: 

1) define integrated approaches by which to study disease pathogenesis, which represents a critical barrier to progress in the field; 

) provide an up to date perspective on molecular pathogenesis and how this might be used to optimize patient management; 

3) define state of the art technologies by which to quantitate disease burden; 

4) discuss key elements concerning the concept of disease heterogeneity and how emergent approaches to disease stratification can optimize management strategies; 

and 5) provide perspectives concerning the potential therapeutic applications of neuroprotective, regenerative and bioengineering based strategies, and how these might complement immunotherapy. 

    Speakers have been carefully selected on the basis that, independent of whether they are basic scientists or clinician researchers, they each have a track record in adopting a multi-disciplinary approach that has enabled the application of discoveries in one area of endeavor to seed advances in another. We anticipate that participants will gain an understanding of how a systems biology based approach can accelerate our knowledge base of multiple sclerosis and how that knowledge base can be successfully applied to novel clinical research and development, as well as potentiated patient care.