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Webinar on Neuroinfection & -inflammation

Speakers: Marianna Bugiani & Zoé van Kempen

Recorded on february 17, 2022

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COVID-19 and the brain: during and after the disease

Marianna Bugiani, MD, PhD, neuropathologist, Department of Pathology, Amsterdam UMC

A short introduction:
Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemics, Marianna has implemented the SARS-CoV2 patients’ autopsies in order to collect the tissue that now is used for circa 20 different research projects aiming at unravelling the disease mechanism, the association with other pathologies, and the response to treatment.

Interview Mediator ZonMw: https://mediator.zonmw.nl/mediator-45/ook-in-de-nederlandse-wetenschap-is-er-vriendjespolitiek/

A short bio:
Child neurologist and neuropathologist, since 15 years neuropathologist in the AUMC, PhD in neuroscience. Worldwide expert in the neuropathology of genetic white matter disorders, the leukodystrophies. Research focusses on astrocyte heterogeneity, how these cells lose their physiologic functions and acquire pathologic functions and how this impacts on disease onset and progression and on endogenous repair. Expert in Europe in the neuropathology of COVID-19 (we were the first to publish a consistent case series in 2020).

Short Abstract

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemics, Marianna has implemented the SARS-CoV2 patients’ autopsies in order to collect the tissue that now is used for circa 20 different research projects aiming at unravelling the disease mechanism, the association with other pathologies, and the response to treatment. 

Multiple sclerosis during the COVID-19 pandemic: what have we learnt so far?

Zoé van Kempen, MD, PhD neurologist MS Center Amsterdam, Department of Neurology, Amsterdam UMC

A short bio:
Amsterdam OLVG residency neurology but since 2016 working at the MS Center Amsterdam for specialization and research in MS with a PhD in 2020. Since 2019 working as an MS specialized neurologist in the MS Center Amsterdam and focusing on personalized MS care. 

Short Abstract

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) can experience neurological exacerbations that we can suppress with immunomodulatory or immunosuppressive medication. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, patients and carers worried about the effects of COVID-19 on MS and the extra risks MS patients would have regarding COVID-19 severity and immunity after infection or vaccination. Researchers and physicians all around the world worked and are still working together to answer the most important questions regarding risks and immunity in this patient group. I will summarize the most important findings and discuss the questions that remain to be answered.