Race to Erase MS Presents Center Without Walls MS FORUM Saturday, May 4, 2013, 10:00 am Hyatt Century Plaza Hotel Doctors and Researchers: Peter Calebresi, M.D. Peter A. Calabresi, MD is a Professor of Neurology at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and Director of the Johns Hopkins Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Center and the Division of Neuroimmunology and Neuroinfectious. He attended Yale College and Brown Medical School, and trained in Neurology at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, NY and Neuroimmunology at the NIH in Bethesda, Md. As director of the MS Center Diseases at Johns Hopkins, Dr. Calabresi is the principal investigator on several clinical trials. He has designed and directed several clinical trials investigating combination drug therapies in MS and is on the advisory board for three national multi-center clinical trials. Dr. Calabresi also mentors trainees and also oversees translational laboratory research projects within the Division. His specific laboratory research interest lies in understanding how to more specifically target the disease causing effector memory T cells in MS without compromising healthy immune responses. Dr. Calabresi is also the recipient of a new five-year National MS Society collaborative center grant to study mechanisms to promote remyelination. Adam Kaplin Dr. Adam Kaplin graduated magna cum laude from Yale University before receiving his medical degree and Ph.D. from The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, where he was a Medical Science Training Program awardee. He went on to complete an internship in internal medicine at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center and a residency in psychiatry at Johns Hopkins Hospital, where he served as the chief resident of psychiatry. Now an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Johns Hopkins, Dr. Kaplin focuses on the psychiatric complications of neurological diseases. He researches the immune-mediated mechanisms of depression and cognitive impairment in transverse myelitis, multiple sclerosis and related autoimmune neurologic disorders, and the role of cytokines in these processes. Dr. Kaplin is on the board of medical advisors to the Transverse Myelitis Association (TMA) and the Montel Williams MS Foundation. Daniel Pelletier, MD Dr. Pelletier is an Associate Professor of Neurology and Diagnostic Radiology Chief, Neuro-Immunology Division and Yale Multiple Sclerosis Center Director, Advanced Imaging in Multiple Sclerosis Laboratory Yale University School of Medicine. Dr. Pelletier is a clinician-scientist born and educated in the Province of Quebec, Canada. He is a recipient of a National Multiple Sclerosis Physician Fellowship Award Grant for his work in molecular imaging. Dr. Pelletier joined Yale University in January 2011 to lead the MS Program as Chief of the Neuro-Immunology Division and Yale Multiple Sclerosis Center. He holds dual appointment in the Neurology and Diagnostic Radiology Departments. Emmanuelle L. Waubant, M.D., Ph.D Dr. Emmanuelle Waubant is a Professor of Neurology at UCSF. She is a specialist in the treatment of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). A native of France, she earned her medical degree at the University of Medicine in Lille, France, and completed her residency and chief residency at Toulouse University Hospital. Waubant completed fellowships in neuroimmunology at UCSF Medical Center and in clinical neuroimmunology at UCSF's Multiple Sclerosis Center. She then returned to France to head a clinical research center at the Pitie- Salpetriere University Hospital. She has joined the faculty at UCSF MS Center in 2001. Dr. Waubant is also one of the leading Neurologist in Pediatric MS and serves as the Medical Director for the Nancy Davis Foundation. Howard Weiner, MD Dr. Weiner is Director of the Multiple Sclerosis Program and Co-Director of the Center for Neurological Diseases at the Brigham and Women's Hospital. He holds the Robert L. Kroc Chair in Neurological Diseases at the Harvard Medical School for his work in multiple sclerosis. His major research interests include the immunology and immunotherapy of multiple sclerosis, Dr. Howard Weiner has spent nearly three decades trying to find answers to the mysteries of multiple sclerosis, a disease that afflicts almost half a million Americans. Curing MS is his moving, personal account of the long-term scientific quest to pinpoint the origins of the disease and to find a breakthrough treatment for its victims. Leslie Weiner, MD Dr. Leslie Weiner is Chairman of the Department of neurology at USC and former Visiting Associate of Biology at California Institute of Technology. He has been involved in many areas of MS research. Newer work has been concentrated on the molecular and genetic mechanisms of degenerative disease of the nervous system. His most recent effort is in restoring tolerance to myelin antigens in human and mouse models. We are administering a USC T cell vaccine to multiple sclerosis patients and studying the induction of tolerance by gene therapy. Vijayshree Yadav, MD Dr Yadav is a board-certified neurologist who is fellowship trained in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Neuro- immunology and honored with a Masters degree in Clinical Research. She serves as the Clinical Director of the MS Center of Oregon and is an Assistant Professor of Neurology at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, Oregon. As a clinician-scientist, she is very interested in improving health using complementary therapies such as dietary modification. She is the Principal Investigator of a clinical research investigating effects of low fat diet intervention in MS. Her research has been funded by National Institute of Health and National MS Society and has been involved in clinical trials investigating role of oral lipoic acid in MS for last several years. Dr Yadav has published several articles and book chapters and is a regular presenter at the local and national meetings. MS Center of Oregon at OHSU has been involved in conducting clinical trials in MS more than two decades and is supported by clinicians, nurses and research assistants who take pride in providing the finest care for MS and being the leaders in the innovative research in MS. Dr. Yadav's research interests include complementary and alternative treatment options for multiple sclerosis including dietary and life style changes as well as supplements such as lipoic acid. She has published several peer reviewed journal articles and presented her research at national and international meetings. Panellists with MS: Nancy Davis Nancy Davis, one of five children, was born and raised in Denver, Colorado. In 1987 she moved to California and now resides in Los Angeles. Nancy is an active individual with an incredible zest for life. She skis, plays tennis, has a black belt in karate, exercises, and travels – living her life to the fullest. She is an extremely dedicated philanthropist, author of Lean On Me and most importantly, she is a full-time mother who is devoted to her five children. Nancy was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at the young age of 33. She decided that she was too young and too busy to let the disease slow her down. After being told by doctors that she was “lucky” that she could afford live-in assistance when the disease progressed and she became homebound – she was determined to devote her time, relationships and resources to finding a cure. Nancy’s hope, courage and strength continue to inspire her to maintain a vibrant quality of life despite this chronic disease, but most of all, she remains positive, continues to live her life to the fullest and is tireless in her efforts to finding the cure for MS. Claudia Curry Hill (Moderator) Claudia Curry Hill was diagnosed with progressive MS 28 years ago. An activist for women’s health and the disabled, she is very active in founding and serving on non- profit boards, including the Nancy Davis Foundation for MS and the Colorado, Wyoming Chapter of the MS Society and is a spokesperson for Breast Cancer, Multiple Sclerosis and Bioness. Claudia is married, the mother of three and the owner of CCH Connections, a non profit and event consulting group in Colorado. She believes that exercise, a positive attitude and empowering yourself with all the information you can find will improve your quality of life until a cure is found. Jack Osbourne Already a TV veteran at 26, everyone knows Jack Osbourne as the co-star of "The Osbournes" on MTV, the highest-rated series in MTV history. Most recently, Jack is currently hosting the new TV series "Haunted Highway" premiering on July 3rd on the SyFy channel. Jack's production company Schweet Entertainment is currently producing a 16-episode TV docu- series for National Geographic called "Alpha Dogs." Last year, Osbourne had ambitiously taken on producer and director roles. He produced a documentary about his father, Ozzy Osbourne, titled "God Bless Ozzy Osbourne." The film premiered in 2011 at the Tribeca Film Festival and is the first to tell the story of Ozzy's tortured and emotionally fraught journey to sobriety. In addition, Jack directed a music video for Ozzy's song, "Life Won't Wait" from the album Scream which debuted in August 2010. Jack released his autobiography, "Twenty One Years Gone" in October 2006. He was incredibly honest about his life throughout as he discussed the highs, the lows, his descent into addiction, his redemption and his passion for extreme sports. Jack continued to follow his passion while filming his hit TV show "Adrenaline Junkie" as he traveled the world to conquer the most challenging sports. Throughout the five seasons, Jack ran with bulls in Pamplona, climbed sea cliffs without ropes or harnesses, and fought and defeated a Thai martial arts expert and more. The series appeared in over one hundred countries and six continents. Jack has appeared on television shows such as "Dawson's Creek" and "That 70's Show." In addition, Jack had a cameo in the motion picture "Austin Powers: Goldmember" and a featuring role in the film "New York Minute." Jack has also tried his hand in TV presenting; co-hosting Celebrity Wrestling, CD; UK and Ministry Of Mayhem and the MTV EMA'S in Rome.