The UCSF MS Center is an internationally recognized leader in multiple sclerosis clinical research. Under the direction of Dr. Bruce Cree and his colleagues, the Research Center conducts clinical trials involving the use of experimental treatments, as well as observational studies that help better understand the natural history of the disease. We are trying to understand what role genes, the environment and the immune system have in multiple sclerosis and other neuroimmunological diseases. Although our primary clinical research focus is on MS, we also study other diseases such as neuromyelitis optica (NMO), optic neuritis, transverse myelitis, encephalitis and sarcoidosis.
Clinical research studies include only individuals who choose to participate in them. If you are interested in research conducted at our Center, please inform your neurologist or nurse. If you are currently a patient of the UCSF MS Center, some of these studies may be completed during your clinic visits. Some research studies are open for enrollment even if you do not receive your neurological care at UCSF.
Should you be interested in a research study, you can be given an unsigned copy of the study consent form to think about and discuss with anyone before making your decision about entering the study. Please take your time to decide whether you would like to participate, and ask the study doctor or study staff to explain any words or information in the consent form that you do not clearly understand.
Our research is being conducted at the UCSF Neurosciences Clinical Research Unit located on the first floor in Suite 130 at the Sandler Neurosciences Center, 675 Nelson Rising Lane in San Francisco. (downloadable map).
As of March 2013, the UCSF MS Research Center is conducting the following experimental studies (downloadable version):
Clinical Trials of Disease Modifying Treatments
Open to enrollment for patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis
Vitamin D - RCT Study- A randomized controlled trial of vitamin D in multiple sclerosis
Open to enrollment for patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis
ASCEND- A Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study of the Efficacy of Natalizumab on Reducing Disability Progression in Subjects with Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis
Clinical Trials for Symptom Management
Open to enrollment for patients with relapsing or secondary progressive multiple sclerosis
Avanir Pain Study-A Phase 2, Double-blind, Randomized, Placebo-controlled, Four-arm, Multicenter, Dose-finding Study to Assess the Safety and Efficacy of Three Dose Levels of AVP- 923 (Dextromethorphan/Quinidine) in the Treatment of Central Neuropathic Pain in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis
Observational Studies
Open to enrollment for MS patients
EPIC Study
Visual Evoked Poternials (VEP) in the evaluation of Neurological Disease
Neuroimmunology Banking Studies
Genetic Susceptibility to Develop MS
Open to enrollment for patients with neuromyelitis optica or neurosarcoidosis
Neuromyelitis Optica-T Cell Recognition of CNS Autoantigens in Multiple Sclerosis and Neuromyelitis Optica
Sarcoid-Neurological Manifestations of Sarcoidosis and Ways to Distinguish Sarcoidosis from other Causes of Nervous System Inflammation
Ongoing studies that are closed to enrollment
Riluzole
STRATIFY
ORATORIO
OPERA
Vitamin D - Pilot Study - Pharmacodynamic and immunologic effects of Vitamin D supplementation in patients with multiple sclerosis and healthy controls
