Scientific Collaborators

OFAMS

Originally a randomized placebo-controlled trial of omega-3 fatty acids combined with immunotherapy in Multiple Sclerosis, now a ten year follow-up on all available patients from the original study. The aim is to identify early prognostic markers for long-term therapy response and prognosis in multiple sclerosis. A total of 85 out of 92 original patients were included. Collaboration with all four health-regions in Norway. 

CO-MS

A cooperative effort to uncover links between MS and other illnesses, risk factors for MS, and to look into the distribution of comorbid states. This is a registry-based project. Collaborators are: 

• Kjetil Bjørnevik, Harvard University
• Espen Benjaminsen, Nordland Hospital, Bodø
• Elisaabeth G. Celius, Oslo University Hospital
• Margitta T. Kampman, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø 
• Rune Midgaard, Molde Hospital
• Anita Vatne, Sørlandet Hospital

Insidens Vestnorge 

An epidemiological cooperative project in Western-Norway (from Rogaland to Møre and Romsdal) collecting a cohort of data from patients with MS-debute in the period between 1953 - 2013.

• John Sverre Willumsen, Molde Hospital.
• Rune Midgaard, Molde Hospital. 

Single Collaborative Projects

• Validation of MS data from the National Patient Registry, Espen Benjaminsen, University of Tromsø.

Partners

Dept. of Internal Medicine, Section for Hematology Haukeland University Hospital

Contact: Anne Kristine LehmannE-mail: anne.kristine.lehmann@helse-bergen.no

Read more on the dept. homepage (site in norwegian)

Dept. of Radiology Haukeland University Hospital

Contact: Gesche NeckelmannE-mail: gesche.frederike.neckelmann@helse-bergen.no

Read more on the dept.homepage

Dept. of Immunology and Transfusion medicine Haukeland University Hospital

Contact: Einar KristoffersenE-mail: einar.kleboe.kristoffersen@helse-bergen.no

Read more on the dept. homepage (site in norwegian)

Dept. of Ophthalmology Haukeland University Hospital

Contact: Eyvind RødahlE-mail: eyvind.rødahl@helse-bergen.no

Read more on the dept. homepage (site in norwegian)

PROBE - The Proteomics Unit University of Bergen

Contact: Frode BervenE-mail: Frode.Berven@uib.no

Read more on the PROBE homepage

Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care University of Bergen

Contact:E-mail: post@igs.uib.no

Read more on the dept. homepage

Department of Clinical Dentistry University of Bergen

Contact: Kamal Babikeir Eln MustafaE-mail: kamal.mustafa@uib.no

Read more on the dept. homepage

EuRIMS

Rehabilitation in Mutiple Sclerosis, a european network for best practice and research. EuRIMS represent and bring together health care professionals, researchers and patient organisations from different settings with the aim to enhance activity, participation and autonomy of people with MS. 

Read more on the EuRIMS homepage. 

EnvIMS-Study

An international case-control study of environmental risk factors in Multiple Sclerosis. The use of a common methodology to study MS etiology across several continents enhances the comparability of results in different geographic regions and research settings, reduces the resources required for study deisgn and enhances the opportunity for data harmonization. 

For further information, the following article describes the methodology and design of the study:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25967369

RAM-MS-Study

A Randomized Autologous heMatopoietic stem cell transplantation study that compares HSCT to other high-efficacy treatment options for MS. The goal is to include 100 patients in the study. The RAM-MS study is run from Haukeland University Hospital, with three other study-centres in Norway: at St. Olavs Hospital in Trondheim, at Akershus University Hospital and at the University Hospital of Northern Norway in Tromsø. Internationally there is one study centre at Uppsala University Hospital in Sweden, one at Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg, Sweden, another at Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen, Denmark and one located at Amsterdam UMC, the Netherlands. 

Read more on the RAM-MS homepage (site in Norwegian) or at ClinicalTrials.gov.

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

The purpose of this research group is to identify causes, risk factors (positive and negative), and biomarkers of susceptibility and early diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson’s disease (PD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The Norwegian MS Competence Centre and Research Group has a long standing cooperation with Professor Alberto Ascherio, MD, DrPH, and two former Ph.D.-Candidates from our research group, Marianna Cortese, MD, Ph.D., and Kjetil Lauvland Bjørnevik, MD, Ph.D., are currently working with prof. Ascherio at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. 

SMART-MS

A Study of Mesenchymal stem cells as Regenerative Treatment for Multiple Sclerosis. The objective of this project is to investigate the potential of regenerative stem cell treatment with MSCs in MS and to increase the understanding of the underlying mechanisms action. The project involves collaboration with Prof. Dr.med Hubert Schrezenmeier at the Institute for Clinical Transfusion Medicine and Immunogenetics at Ulm University, Germany.