The hunt for biomarkers gives hope for MS
Protein analysis performed at the Proteomics-unit (PROBE) at the Department of Biomedicine is central to scientists in Bergen in their hunt for a solution to MS.
Main content
The leader of the PROBE-unit at the University of Bergen, Frode Berven, is among a group of scientists in Bergen that uses protein analysis (proteomics) to gain an understanding of the mechanisms underlying MS, and if possible prevent or develop a better form of treatment of the disease. MS is a chronic inflammatory disease in the central nervous system that can result in different degrees of invalidity. The disease affects 250-300 Norwegians every year, and there are currently about 8000 patients in the country suffering from the disease. Proteomics is the study of proteins in large scale including determination of their sequence, performing quantitation and understanding their functions. Together with Kjell Morten Myhr, leader of the national competancy centre for MS at Haukeland University Hospital, which recently received 16 million NOK from Stiftelsen Kristian Gerhard Jebsen, he has extremely high expectations regarding the project. In an interview in ”Dagens Medisin” he said the following regarding future perspectives : ”In many ways MS research in Bergen is already at the forefront internationally. Necessary expertise and new technology is already in place. The hope is that our results can lead to the development of highly improved methods of diagnosis and prediction of the progress of the disease, and, furthermore, that the overall picture of MS will become apparent and we will gain a better understanding of the mechanisms leading to the occurrence of the disease.”
