Multiple sclerosis is one of the most common diseases of the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). Loss of myelin from around the nerves is accompanied by a disruption in the ability of the nerves to conduct electrical impulses to and from the brain. The symptoms can include fatigue, weakness, spasticity, balance problems, bladder and bowel problems, numbness, vision loss, tremors and depression.

There is no cure for MS and over 20-30 years about 15% of people with MS become severely disabled (i.e.having to use a wheelchair on a full-time basis). Much more research is need to understand the disease, the role of various proteins and the consequences of inhibiting their functions. Identifying small molecules which can bind to these proteins is a first step. The results of this project are being made available to Dr Ramachandran Murali of University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA who is currently a visiting academic at the Department of Pathology, University of Oxford, UK.