Consortium

University of Bergen (uib.no), Bergen, Norway

• Kjell-Morten Myhr is the Director of the Neuro-SysMed Centre for Clinical Treatment Research, Professor at the Department of Clinical Medicine at the University of Bergen (UiB) and a neurologist at the Department of Neurology at Haukeland University Hospital (HUS). The EBV-MS project is led by Kjell-Morten Myhr, and he serves as the Project Coordinator for the EBV-MS project. He is responsible for work package 1 of the project: Project Management. Learn more.
• Mona Machrouh is the Scientific Project Manager for the EBV-MS project. She will oversee the project, and is particularly involved in work package 8 of the project: communication, dissemination, and exploitation. Learn more.

Helse Bergen HF / Haukeland University Hospital (helse-bergen.no), Bergen, Norway

• Øivind F. Grytten Torkildsen is a Professor at the Department of Clinical Medicine at the University of Bergen (UiB) and a neurologist at the Department of Neurology at Haukeland University Hospital (HUS). He serves as the Deputy Project Coordinator for the EBV-MS project and leads work package 2: clinical trials. Learn more.
• Yamila Torres Cleuren is a senior advisor for research management and Scientific Project Manager for the EBV-MS project. She was pivotal in creating the EBV-MS project, leading the initiative, and continues to contribute to the management of the project together with Mona. Learn more. 

Helse Stavanger HF / Stavanger University Hospital (SUS) (helse-stavanger.no), Stavanger, Norway

• Alok Bhan is a neurologist at the Department of Neurology at Stavanger University Hospital (SUS). He is involved in work package 2 of the project: clinical trials and is responsible for clinical follow-up at SUS. Learn more. 

Karolinska Institutet - a medical university (ki.se), Stockholm, Sweden

• Fredrik Piehl is a Professor of Neurology at the Department of Clinical Neuroscience, with expertise in the clinical management of MS and biomarkers. Together with Maja Jagodic, he will be responsible for work package 4 of the project: Immunological and molecular mechanisms and biomarkers. Learn more.
• Maja Jagodic is a Professor of Neuroinflammation at the Department of Clinical Neuroscience. She has expertise in functional genetics, epigenomics, bioinformatics and experimental models of MS. Along with Fredrik Piehl, she will be responsible for work package 4 of the project: Immunological and molecular mechanisms and biomarkers. Learn more.
• Nicolas Ruffin is an Associate Professor at the Department of Clinical Neuroscience, with an expertise in cellular immunology and cytometry. He is part of work package 4 of the project: Immunological and molecular mechanisms and biomarkers. Learn more.
• Tomas Olsson is a Professor of Neurology at the Department of Clinical Neuroscience,with expertise in identifying genetic risk factors in multiple sclerosis. He is part of work package 4 of the project: Immunological and molecular mechanisms and biomarkers.  Learn more.
• Ingrid Kockum is a professor of Genetic Epidemiology with a focus on MS at the Department of Clinical Neuroscience. She is part work package 3: epidemiology analyses and will be responsible for the statistical analyses within the Swedish registries including the MS registry. Learn more.
• Olivia Thomas is an Assistant Professor Postdoctoral at the Department of Clinical Neuroscience. She is part of work package 4 of the project: Immunological and molecular mechanisms and biomarkers. Learn more.   
• Majid Pahlevan Kakhki is a senior researcher specializing in multiple sclerosis at the Department of Clinical Neuroscience. His research focuses on advancing the field of translational neuroimmunology by using innovative epi/genetic and molecular approaches, to understand the mechanisms underlying neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. He is part of work package 4 of the project: Immunological and molecular mechanisms and biomarkers. Learn more.
• Maria Needhamsen is a senior infrastructure research specialist at the Center for Molecular Medicine and the Department of Clinical Neuroscience at Karolinska Institutet. She works in the field of epigenetics and bioinformatics with a primary focus on Multiple Sclerosis. She is part of WP4: Immunological and molecular mechanisms and biomarkers. Learn more. 

Universita Degli Studi di Roma la Sapienza (uniroma1.it), Rome, Italy

• Marco Salvetti is a Professor and the Chair of Neurology at Sapienza University of Rome, with expertise in etiologic studies in MS. Marco will be responsible for coordinating the obtention and centralization of blood samples at the Sapienza University of Rome. He is part of work package 5 of the project: EBV and host genetics. Learn more.
• Rachele Bigi is a researcher at the Department of Neuroscience, Mental Health and Sensory Organs at Sapienza University of Rome. She is part of work package 5 of the project: EBV and host genetics. Learn more.
• Gianmarco Bellucci is a researcher at the Department of Neuroscience, Mental Health and Sensory Organs at Sapienza University of Rome. He is part of work package 5 of the project: EBV and host genetics. Learn more. 

IRCCS San Raffaele Roma SR (sanraffaele.it), Rome, Italy

• Rosella Mechelli is a Research Fellow from IRCCS San Raffaele Roma and Università San Raffaele Roma, with expertise in etiologic studies in MS. She is part of work package 5 of the project: EBV and host genetics. Learn more. 

Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health (hsph.harvard.edu), Boston, USA

• Kjetil Bjornevik is an Assistant Professor of Epidemiology and Nutrition from the Department of Epidemiology at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, with an expertise in epidemiological studies on MS. He is the leader of work package 3: epidemiology analyses. Learn more.
• Alberto Ascherio is a Professor of Epidemiology and Nutrition from the Department of Epidemiology at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and a Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. He has an expertise in epidemiological studies on MS and is part of work package 3 of the project: epidemiology analyses. Lear more.  
• Marianna Cortese is a senior research scientist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, with an expertise in epidemiological studies on MS. She is part of work package 3 of the project: epidemiology analyses. Learn more.  

Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF) (upf.edu), Barcelona, Spain

• Arcadi Navarro is a Professor of Genetics at Universitat Pompeu Fabra, with an expertise in EBV genetics and systems biology applied to MS. Together with Gabriel Santpere from Institut Hospital del Mar de Investigacions Mèdiques (IMIM), he leads the projects work package 5: EBV and host genetics. Arcadi is responsible for coordinating the collection and centralization of saliva samples. Learn more.
• Jordi Garcia-Ojalvo is a Professor of Systems Biology at Universitat Pompeu Fabra. He is a physicist with an expertise in dynamic modelling of complex biological processes and diseases, including MS. Together with Pablo Villoslada from Universitat Pompeu Fabra, he leads the project work package 6: prevention and prediction. Learn more.
• Pablo Villoslada is a Professor of Neurology from Universitat Pompeu Fabra, with expertise in system biology applied to the understanding of MS. Together with Jordi Garcia-Ojalvo from Universitat Pompeu Fabra, he leads the project work package 6: prevention and prediction. Learn more. 

Oslo University Hospital (oslo-universitetssykehus.no), Oslo, Norway

• Gro Owren Nygaardis a neurologist at the Department of Neurology at Oslo University Hospital (OUS). She is involved in work package 2 of the project: clinical trials and is responsible for clinical follow-up at OUS. Learn more.
• Marton König is a neurologist and Postdoctoral Fellow at the Department of Neurology at Oslo University Hospital (OUS). He is involved in work package 2 of the project: clinical trials. Learn more. 

Akershus University Hospital​ (ahus.no), Oslo, Norway

• Trygve Holmøy is a Section chief physician at Akershus University Hospital and a professor at the University of Oslo a Professor at the Institute of Clinical Medicine at the University of Oslo. He is involved in work package 2 of the project: clinical trials and is responsible for clinical follow-up at Akershus University Hospital. Learn more. 

Vestre Viken Health Trust (vestreviken.no), Drammen, Norway

• Cecilia Simonsen is a neurologist at Vestre Viken Health Trust. She is involved in work package 2 of the project: clinical trials and is responsible for clinical follow-up Vestre Viken Health Trust. Learn more.

Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) (crg.eu), Barcelona, Spain

• Jordi Rambla De Argila is the EGA Project Head, at the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG). CRG is a world leader in biomedical data management and data harmonization as well as in software development and database design for genome-phenome analysis. Together with Amy Curwin he will lead work package 7 of the project: Data management. Learn more.
• Amy Curwin is a EGA Scientific Project Manager, at the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG). CRG is a world leader in biomedical data management and data harmonization as well as in software development and database design for genome-phenome analysis. Together with Jordi Rambla De Argila, she will lead work package 7 of the project: Data management. Learn more. 

Hospital del Mar Research Institute (IMIM) (imin.cat/en), Barcelona, Spain

• Pablo Villoslada is a Professor of Neurology from Universitat Pompeu Fabra, with expertise in system biology applied to the understanding of MS. He is primarily employed at the Hospital Del Mar Research Institute. Together with Jordi Garcia-Ojalvo from Universitat Pompeu Fabra, he leads the project work package 6: prevention and prediction. Learn more.
• Gabriel Santpere Baró is a Miguel Servet group leader from Institut Hospital del Mar de Investigacions Mèdiques (IMIM), and has an expertise in EBV genetics and systems biology applied to MS. Together with Arcadi Navarro from Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), he leads the projects work package 5: EBV and host genetics, where they will be leading the bioinformatics analysis to perform the EBV-VGWAS and to test the effect of the interaction between host variants/HLA-types with EBV variants on MS risk. Learn more.  

The European MS Platform (EMSP) (emps.org), Brussels, Belgium representing MS societies from 37 European countries

• Patricia Moghames is the Programme Coordinator at the European Multiple Sclerosis Platform (EMSP). The project has been developed in close collaboration with the EMSP, which is an umbrella MS patient organisation, voicing the needs of people with MS through close coordination with its 43 members in 37 countries in Europe, working with and advocating for people MS for more than 30 years. Patricia and EMSP will be a part of work package 2: clinical trials and work package 8:  communication, dissemination, and exploitation, where they will support UiB and co-lead various aspects of these initiatives. Learn more.  

Fondazione Italiana Sclerosi Multipla - FISM ETC (FISM) (aism.it), Rome, Italy

• Paola Zaratin is the Director of Scientific Research at the Italian MS Society (FISM). She will supervise the adoption of the MULTI-ACT governance model and stakeholder engagement guidelines in the WP1. Paola is also part of work package 8:  communication, dissemination, and exploitation, and is involved in Stakeholder and Network outreach (stakeholder engagement). Learn more.
• Federica Molinari is a Patient Engagement Manager with the Scientific Research Department at the Italian MS Society (FISM). The operational execution of FISM activities in WP1 will be coordinated by her. Federica is also part of work package 8:  communication, dissemination, and exploitation, and is involved in Stakeholder and Network outreach (stakeholder engagement). Learn more.  

• Professor George M. Spyrou leads the partnership between CING and the EBV-MS project. Prof. Spyrou is the Bioinformatics ERA Chair and Head of the Bioinformatics Department at CING, where he also serves as Research Coordinator. With a background in Physics, Medical Physics, and Bioinformatics, and a PhD in computational modeling for breast imaging, Prof. Spyrou has over 20 years of experience in biomedical research. Prior to joining CING, he led the Department of Informatics and New Technologies at the Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens and conducted research in medical informatics and bioinformatics. A Senior IEEE Member and Steering Committee Member of ELIXIR-Cyprus, he also contributes to several editorial boards in the field. His research centers on systems bioinformatics, network-based analysis, biomarker discovery, and computational drug repurposing. Learn more about CING.
• Sotiroula Afxenti pursued her studies in Computer Science at the University of Cyprus, with a minor in Biomedical Engineering. From 2017 to 2019, she served as a Laboratory Scientific Officer at the Clinical Genetic Clinic of the Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, contributing to the CENSUS project (Congenital Malformations in Cyprus – A national registry) funded by the 3rd Health Programme of the European Commission under grant agreement No. PP-2-1-2016.
• Currently, she is pursuing her doctoral studies at the Bioinformatics Department and Neuroimmunology Department of the Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics and is also a part-time Laboratory Scientific Officer at the Bioinformatics Department in the EBV-MS project (HORIZON-HLTH-2023-DISEASE-03-07). Overall, her research focuses on developing a computational framework to exploit synergies between imaging data and molecular data/omics towards more precise diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. Her background in integrating heterogeneous data types, combined with her experience in network-based analysis, will be highly valuable in uncovering molecular signatures associated with Epstein-Barr virus infection and Multiple Sclerosis.
• George Michael holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Cyprus and a Master’s degree in Omics Data Analysis from the University of Vic – Central University of Catalonia, Spain. His main interests lie in the integration and analysis of multi-omics datasets—including genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and epigenomics—with a strong foundation in genetics and rare disorders. During his Master’s, he also gained hands-on experience in single-cell sequencing analysis. His expertise aligns closely with the project's goals of integrating complex, multisource biomedical data to uncover personalized molecular signatures, inform computational drug repurposing strategies, and support the development of AI-driven predictive models in the context of EBV-associated multiple sclerosis.