Advertise on podcast: Conference Coverage

Guest: Mark Freedman, HBSc, MSc, MD, CSPQ, FAAN, FRCPC The role of cell-based therapies in multiple sclerosis (MS) is evolving, with immune system replacement via autologous stem cells, investigational mesenchymal repair strategies, and CAR T-cell approaches changing the treatment landscape. Hear from Dr. Mark Freedman as he dives into current and emerging mechanisms of action, which he also discussed at the 2026 Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) Annual Meeting. Dr. Freedman is a Professor of Medicine in Neurology at the University of Ottawa and a Senior Scientist at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute.

Guest: Jeffrey Hsu, MD, PhD The field of sports cardiology has experienced remarkable growth, with new guidelines, expanding programs, and increasing recognition of cardiovascular risk in athletes. Hear from Dr. Jeffrey Hsu as he shares current and emerging approaches to risk assessment, prevention, and management of cardiac conditions in this population. Dr. Hsu is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, and he spoke about this topic at the 2026 American College of Cardiology (ACC) Scientific Sessions.

Guest: Aaron Miller, MD Early real-world experience with the 2024 McDonald criteria suggests a meaningful increase in multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnoses, driven largely by recognition of optic nerve involvement and reclassification of radiologically isolated syndrome. Hear from Dr. Aaron Miller as he reviews emerging evidence, explains how these updates are reshaping diagnostic pathways, and addresses practical challenges in implementation. Dr. Miller is the Medical Director of the Corinne Goldsmith Dickinson Center for Multiple Sclerosis and a Professor of Neurology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York. He also spoke about this topic at the 2026 American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Annual Meeting.

Guest: Riley Bove, MD, MMSc Multiple sclerosis (MS) is often diagnosed during peak reproductive years, making proactive, informed care essential across the lifespan. Hear from Dr. Riley Bove as she discusses the importance of early, ongoing conversations about fertility, pregnancy, and menopause in this population. Dr. Bove is an Associate Professor at UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, and she discussed this topic at the 2026 American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Annual Meeting.

Guest: Elizabeth Wilson, MD At the 2026 American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Annual Meeting, experts are sharing the latest developments in pediatric multiple sclerosis (MS). Dr. Elizabeth Wilson is here to share insights on how new adult MS research, neuro-ophthalmology collaboration, and emerging clinical data are shaping the future of care. Dr. Wilson is the Director of the Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology Center at Cincinnati Children's Hospital.

Guest: Aaron Miller, MD Hear from Dr. Aaron Miller as he shares important updates in multiple sclerosis (MS) at the 2026 American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Annual Meeting. Dr. Miller is the Medical Director of the Corinne Goldsmith Dickinson Center for Multiple Sclerosis and a Professor of Neurology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York.

Presenter: Mustafa Ozcam, PhD Emerging research is redefining the role of the gut microbiome in food allergy and immune tolerance. Here to share some of the most groundbreaking findings is Dr. Mustafa Ozcam. He discusses how gut microbes metabolize allergenic proteins, shape immune development, and serve as potential biomarkers to predict oral immunotherapy success in food allergy patients. Dr. Ozcam is an Assistant Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, and he spoke about this topic at the 2026 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology Annual Meeting.

Presenter: Marcus Shaker, MD, MSc, FAAP, FACAAI, FAAAAI Financial and space limitations are two of the most pressing issues facing allergists and immunologists in academic practice. Fortunately, negotiation principles, like BATNA and ZOPA, and disruptive innovation tactics can help address these common issues. To learn more, we recently spoke with Dr. Marcus Shaker. Not only is he a Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine at the Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine in New Hampshire, but he also spoke about this topic at the 2026 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology Annual Meeting.

Presenter: Sally E. Wenzel, MD, ATSF Given that severe asthma management is entering a new era of biologically driven precision, Dr. Sally Wenzel joins us to discuss the complexity within Type 2 inflammation and the limitations of relying on a single biomarker assessment. She also differentiates childhood-onset allergic asthma from adult-onset disease, underscoring how age of onset—along with underlying biology—can inform therapeutic strategy. Dr. Wenzel serves as the Director of the Asthma Institute at UPMC, and she spoke about this topic at the 2026 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology Annual Meeting.

Presenter: Scott Sicherer, MD Based on a randomized study, children with higher baseline thresholds of peanut reactivity achieved markedly higher rates of sustained unresponsiveness after oral immunotherapy compared with untreated peers. Learn more about this study and its clinical implications with Dr. Scott H. Sicherer. Not only is he a Professor of Pediatrics and the Director of the Jaffe Food Allergy Institute at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, but he also spoke about this topic at the 2026 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology Annual Meeting.

Guest: Adil Harroud, MD Guest: Dylan Hamitouche Host: Ryan Quigley Multimodal aging signatures are reshaping our understanding of progression and prognosis in multiple sclerosis (MS). Host Ryan Quigley sits down with Dr. Adil Harroud and Mr. Dylan Hamitouche to learn more about implications for the future of risk stratification and personalized treatment in MS, a topic they presented on at the 2026 ACTRIMS Forum. Dr. Harroud is a neurologist and the co-leader of the Neuroimmunology Diseases Research Group at the Montreal Neurological Institute at McGill University. Mr. Hamitouche is a medical student at McGill University.

Guest: Raphael Schneider, MD, PhD, FRCPC, CIP Multiplex proteomic biomarker panels are redefining how we understand and monitor multiple sclerosis (MS) by capturing interconnected pathways in a single sample. Hear from Dr. Raphael Schneider as he explores how these tools could inform prognosis, risk stratification, and clinical trial design, which he spoke about at the 2026 ACTRIMS Forum. Dr. Schneider is a neurologist and researcher at the BARLO MS Centre at St. Michael’s Hospital as well as an Assistant Professor and the Elizabeth S. Barford Early Career Professor in Multiple Sclerosis in the Department of Medicine at the University of Toronto.

Guest: Jennifer Yang, MD Emerging evidence shows that children with multiple sclerosis exhibit accelerated biological aging. Learn more about the potential implications with Dr. Jennifer Yang, who spoke about this topic at the 2026 ACTRIMS Forum. She's an Assistant Professor of Neurosciences at the UC San Diego School of Medicine and the Division of Pediatric Neurology at Rady Children's Hospital.

Presenter: Ryan Quigley Can real-time transepidermal water loss (TEWL) monitoring reduce the risk of anaphylaxis during oral food challenges in young children with peanut allergy? A pilot trial suggests it may. TEWL-guided stopping significantly lowered anaphylaxis rates and reaction severity without delaying treatment. This benefit was linked to earlier discontinuation of allergen exposure based on physiologic changes, rather than faster intervention. While larger studies are needed, these findings support TEWL monitoring as a promising tool to enhance safety and decision-making during food challenges. Learn more in this episode of AudioAbstracts.

Host: Brian P. McDonough, MD, FAAFP Guest: Christopher T. Chen, MD What if a simple blood draw could reveal whether a patient is responding to treatment before surgery? That question is at the heart of a study presented at the 2025 ESMO Congress, which investigated neoadjuvant immune checkpoint blockade in mismatch-repair-proficient (MMR-p) colon cancer. In addition to confirming that combination immunotherapy prior to surgery is a safe and feasible approach, the study also found that circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) levels correlated with both tumor burden and early treatment response. Joining Dr. Brian McDonough to unpack these insights is Dr. Christopher Chen, Assistant Professor in the Division of Oncology in the Department of Medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine.