Understanding the Cellular Drivers of MS Progression and Treatment Response: Amit Bar-Or, MD, FRCPC, FAAN, FANA

WATCH TIME: 4 minutes

“There's nothing more gratifying than when your peers basically are saying, ‘You seem to be on the right track.’ I think that's the main message—that all of us work hard, passionately—and so it's really humbling and very rewarding to have that recognition.”

The John Dystel Prize for Multiple Sclerosis Research, a notable honor, is jointly awarded by the National MS Society and the American Academy of Neurology. Established in 1994 by Oscar and Marion Dystel in honor of their son, John Jay Dystel—an attorney whose life and career were cut short by multiple sclerosis (MS)—the prize recognizes outstanding contributions to MS research. This year’s recipient, Amit Bar-Or, MD, FRCPC, FAAN, FANA, is being honored for his groundbreaking work in neuroimmunology, precision medicine, and biomarker discovery. He delivered the Dystel Lecture and received the award at the 2025 American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Annual Meeting, held April 5-9, in San Diego, California.^1,2

Bar-Or’s research has transformed the understanding of immune system involvement in MS, particularly the role of B cells in disease progression—insights that have supported the development of several high-efficacy therapies. His work continues to push boundaries, from advancing experimental treatments like BTK inhibitors to exploring how MS therapies interact with immune responses, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic. A key focus of his lab is precision medicine, identifying patient subgroups through immune profiling to better guide treatment decisions. Through his leadership in biomarker development, Bar-Or is helping shape a future where MS care is more personalized and proactive.

At the 2025 AAN Annual Meeting, Bar-Or, Melissa and Paul Anderson President’s Distinguished Professor of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, sat down with NeurologyLive^® to share recent advances in understanding the cellular immunology of MS, emphasizing the importance of immune cell balance in disease onset and progression. He highlighted the heterogeneity among patients and the need for biological markers that can detect underlying processes driving both relapsing and progressive MS. Or-Bar also discussed the progress made in treating relapsing MS and the promise of next-generation therapies in targeting progressive forms of the disease. Furthermore, he reflected on the importance of repair-focused research and the recognition of scientific contributions by the MS community.

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REFERENCES
1. Dr. Amit Bar-Or, Penn Medicine Neuroimmunologist, Awarded the 2025 John Dystel Prize for Multiple Sclerosis Research. News Release. National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Published March 20, 2025. Accessed April 8, 2025. https://www.nationalmssociety.org/news-and-magazine/news/bar-or-wins-2025-dystel-prize
2. Bar-Or A. 2025 John Dystel Prize for Multiple Sclerosis Research. Presented at: 2025 AAN Annual Meeting; April 5-9; San Diego, CA. Multiple Sclerosis: Biomarkers in MS.

Editor’s Note: Bar-Or has disclosed that he has received personal compensation for serving as a Consultant for Roche Genentech, Novartis, Biogen, Merk/EMD Serono, Sanofi-Genzyme, cabaletta. He also has received personal compensation for serving on a Scientific Advisory or Data Safety Monitoring board for Roche/Genentech, Novartis, Merck/EMD Serono, and Sanofi/Genzyme. The institution of Bar-Or has received research support from Novartis, Biogen, and Roche/Genentech.