ACTRIMS 2026: Scientists, at ‘crossroads,’ look at MS research
Talks at 3-day event to focus on current, future research priorities
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ACTRIMS 2026 focuses on MS research, care, and future priorities.
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Discussions include new scientific discoveries and advances in MS treatment.
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Key topics include stem-cell transplants and emerging diagnostic technologies.
Researchers and clinicians are gathering in San Diego and online for the 11th annual Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS) Forum, a three-day meeting focused on multiple sclerosis (MS) research and care.
ACTRIMS 2026, being held Feb. 5-7 at the Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina, features more than 400 poster presentations, numerous scientific talks, networking opportunities for young investigators, and an industry hub. Researchers will discuss new scientific discoveries and advances in MS treatment.
The theme of this year’s event is “MS at a Crossroads.” The idea is that while major advances have been made in understanding MS causes, mechanisms, clinical presentation, and treatments, scientists now need to carefully review this progress and consider how research priorities should be adjusted going forward.
Scientific talks will summarize the current state of MS research and outline ways the field could move forward over the next decade. Panel discussions after each session are intended to stimulate debate among participants, “all toward the goal of bringing clarity of purpose and direction to the field,” the organization says on the forum’s webpage.
Multiple Sclerosis News Today will have a team covering ACTRIMS 2026 virtually, providing in-depth coverage of the latest news from the meeting. Readers can find coverage from the meeting here.
Cleveland Clinic’s Cohen to discuss stem-cell transplant
As in past years, the meeting will open with the Kenneth P. Johnson Memorial Lecture, an annual talk named in honor of the neurologist who helped establish ACTRIMS. The annual lecture is given by a prestigious clinician or researcher recognized for their significant contributions to MS research or care.
This year’s lecturer is Jeffrey Cohen, MD, a neurology professor at the Cleveland Clinic and a past ACTRIMS president. Cohen has led numerous MS research studies and clinical trials and has served on international expert panels focused on improving MS clinical trials and diagnosis.
Cohen will discuss the current status and remaining questions related to the use of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplants (AHSCT) for MS. This procedure, though not formally approved for MS in the U.S., is sometimes used for people with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) who have very active disease.
Also among this year’s speakers is Manuel Friese, MD, clinician-scientist at the Institute of Neuroimmunology and Multiple Sclerosis at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf in Germany. Friese, who won the 2025 Barancik Prize from the National MS Society for his work on understanding how nerve cells respond to inflammation in MS and how this can be leveraged to develop new treatments, will discuss his research.
Other meeting sessions will focus on topics ranging from cellular discoveries in mouse models to results from clinical trials in MS patients.
A number of talks will discuss emerging technologies that advance the diagnosis, monitoring, and understanding of MS in research and clinical settings.
Meeting updates will be posted on social media using the hashtag #ACTRIMSForum.
The Multiple Sclerosis News Today team is providing virtual coverage of the ACTRIMS Forum 2026 from Feb. 5-7. Go here to see the latest stories from the conference.
