Principal Investigator

Mariko Kita, MD
Neurology, Virginia Mason Medical Center
Benaroya Research Institute

What is the Multiple Sclerosis - Neurological Diseases Biorepository?

The Multiple Sclerosis - Neurological Diseases Registry and Biorepository is a confidential list of people with multiple sclerosis (MS), who are willing to donate a blood sample and provide health information to support scientific research. Donated samples and personal and family health information is used by scientists in the laboratory and in analysis to help us better understand the causes and long term health effects of MS and other neurologic and immune-mediated diseases, as well as to explore better treatment options that can be used by physicians in patient care. All of the information gathered is kept confidential, and samples and health information used by scientists are coded with a number, not your name.

What are BRI scientists studying?

Researchers are working to better understand the nature of disease initiation and progression to better target therapy. BRI scientists recently discovered proteins in a certain signaling pathway may be leveraged as novel biomarkers of MS to gauge disease activity and as a target for new therapies. This research was done through a biorepository of patients with MS providing blood samples and medical histories.

To learn more about this subject, please visit the Multiple Sclerosis disease information page.

Who can participate?

We are currently enrolling individuals, age 18 and older, with a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis who are and are not receiving immune modulating treatment.

We are also looking for family members of all ages who do not have multiple sclerosis or another immune-mediated or autoimmune disease, to join our Healthy Volunteer Registry.

To learn more about this opportunity to volunteer, please visit the Healthy Volunteer Registry & Biorepository.

How can I help?

You can help scientists move multiple sclerosis research forward by donating a blood sample and answering some questions about your personal and family health history.

You can also help by encouraging friends and family members without MS or other neurologic diseases to donate to our Healthy Volunteer Registry & Biorepository.