Multiple Sclerosis Genetics Study Needs Volunteers

Researchers are looking for volunteers for a new multiple sclerosis genetics study. The two populations of individuals needed are African Americans with multiple sclerosis, and their family members, as well as individuals of Northern European descent with MS.

Although the study is being conducted by researchers at the University of California in San Francisco (UCSF), participants can live anywhere in the United States and no travel or cost is involved. To be effective, the investigators need a large number of participants.

Why this study is important
The role of genetics in multiple sclerosis is not fully understood. However, genes do play a part in who is most likely to develop the disease and may have an impact on the course of the disease as well.

If researchers can identify the exact location of genes involved with MS, this may provide critical clues to its cause, prevention, and more effective treatment strategies. By targeting these two populations—African Americans, who have a lower susceptibility to MS, and Northern Europeans, who have a higher one—experts hope to find what is common and different in their genetic makeup.