INTERNATIONAL WOMEN IN MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS
A supportive and inspirational community for women and minorities
working in the field of Multiple Sclerosis.
Facilitate and foster scientific collaborations through iWiMS Scientific & Clinical Interest Groups
IWIMS SYMPOSIUM AT LACTRIMS2026
Winner of the 2026 Rachel Horne Prize for Women's Research in MS
French neurologist Professor Sandra Vukusic has been awarded the 2026 Rachel Horne Prize for Women’s Research in Multiple Sclerosis.
This prestigious recognition honors Professor Vukusic’s groundbreaking scientific contributions to our understanding of women’s health, pregnancy, and sex-based treatment differences in multiple sclerosis (MS).
This recording from Thursday, 27 November 2025 features leading international experts who discuss the importance of accurate assays for diagnosing AQP4-NMOSD and MOGAD, explore regional assay availability, and share innovative approaches for sample testing and disease monitoring.
Agenda:
Welcome and introduction – The importance of having accurate assays for the diagnosis of AQP4-NMOSD and MOGAD - Sara Samadzadeh (Germany/Denmark)
Current assays available for testing (assay availability survey) - Patrick Waters (UK)
Q&A – Regional perspectives on assay availability- Adriana Casallas Vanegas (Colombia/Spain) & Sanja Glucevic (Montenegro)
Sample types and testing approaches: CSF vs. serum for AQP4-NMOSD and MOGAD - Sara Mariotto (Italy) - Other approaches and experiences (Rapid IDOT)
Other approaches and experiences (Rapid IDOT) - Rui Li (China)
Limited availability of Live CBA for AQP4-IgG testing in LATAM countries - Vinícius Boldrini (Brazil)
Closing and wrap-up