[S-02] Genetic and neuropathological approach decipher the molecular mechanism of idiopathic central nervous system demyelinating diseases

[S-02-3] Genetic study on Chinese patients with demyelinating disorders

Qiu Wei (The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China)

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) on multiple sclerosis (MS) in Caucasians have identified various risk genes, which are mainly related to immune functions. Molecular pathways leading to inflammatory demyelination are now becoming clearer. The first Japanese GWAS, enrolling more than 1,000 MS and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) patients, has revealed the distinct risk genes from those in Caucasians, many of which are related to neuroglial functions. Molecular-immunopathological studies have also identified critical changes of glial cells in these conditions. Therefore, the aim of this symposium is to decipher the mechanisms of the MS and NMOSD by integrating the functions of the discovered genetic risk factors and the pathologically-proven molecular changes, with special attention on the demyelinating disorders more frequently encountered in Asians, such as NMOSD and Baló’s concentric sclerosis.

Dr.Qiuwei was awarded PhD from the University of Western Australia in 2012 for the thesis entitled “Characterization of multiple sclerosis in Western Australia: clinical, radiological, and serological studies and HLA-DRB1 associations”，under supervisors Professor Allan Kermode, Frank Mastaglia and William Carroll in Perth. Whilst there Dr.Qiuwei expanded the clinical research program to encompass the characterization of multiple sclerosis in a large cohort of multiple sclerosis in Western Australia from clinical and laboratory factors to the genetic background. His primary research is focusing on the genetic epidemiology and genetic mechanisms of multiple sclerosis, to identify the major genetic factors that associate with this disabling disease. His research also involved immunological study on the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis, MRI and clinical characteristics in patients with multiple sclerosis and allied nueroimmunological disorders. As the first or corresponding author, Dr.Qiuwei have published 35 peer-reviewed papers in international journals including 《JNNP》《Multiple Sclerosis》《Frontiers in Immunoogy》《European Journal of Neurology》《Journal of Neuroimunology》et, al in the last ten years. He is also member of the editorial board in《Current Neurology and Neuroscience Reports》