Molecular and immunological MS studies

Tone Berge (left) and Hanne Flinstad Harbo
Tone Berge (left) and Hanne Flinstad Harbo

Molecular and immunological MS studies research group at Oslo University Hospital aims to identify and characterize genes and biological pathways important for MS disease onset, progression and treatment response. By performing molecular studies in selected immune cells, we aim at contributing to understand the biological significance behind MS susceptibility genes identified through global “omics” approaches. Additionally, we aim at identifying novel biomarkers, which in the future will guide the clinicians in the follow-up of people with MS, being an important step towards precision medicine.

Group leaders are Prof. Tone Berge (MS, PhD) and Prof Hanne F. Harbo (MD, PhD). Berge is Head of section for the Neuroscience Research Unit (OUH - Neuroscience Research Unit (ous-research.no)) at the Department of Research and Innovation at the Division of Clinical Neuroscience and Professor in Biotechnology at Oslo Metropolitan University (Tone Berge - OsloMet). Harbo is Professor in Neurology and Dean at the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Oslo (Hanne-Cathrin Flinstad Harbo - Institutt for klinisk medisin (uio.no))

We have several ongoing projects where we collaborate extensively with local and international partners. We are furthermore active members of the International MS Genetics Consortium (International Multiple Sclerosis Genetics Consortium – IMSGC) and partners and work package leader (Harbo) in Multiple MS (Home - MultipleMS), an EU Horizon 2020 project.