#053: EBV Insights. Shedding Light on Its Impact on MS with Prof. Dr. Christian Münz

MS-Perspektive - The Multiple Sclerosis Podcast

Discover Prof. Christian Münz's research on the connection between EBV and MS, including theories, mechanisms, and potential treatments.

You can find the transcript of the interview on my blog: https://ms-perspektive.com/52-christian-muenz

EBV, the Epstein-Barr virus, and its influence and impact on multiple sclerosis has long been a subject of interest to Dr. Christian Münz. As Professor of Viral Immunobiology at the Institute of Experimental Immunology at the University of Zurich, he has contributed to the latest studies and research findings that show a strong link between EBV infection and the subsequent development of MS. We talk about how certain the theory is, what mechanisms of action are suspected and what future treatment strategies could result from it. After all, EBV is extremely widespread and only a small proportion of the population suffers from MS.

Table of Contents

• Introduction – Who is Prof. Dr. Christian Münz?
• EBV and its significance
• Relationship between EBV and MS
• Treatment strategies and progress
• Research and challenges
• Quickfire Q&A Session
• Farewell

Introduction – Who is Prof. Dr. Christian Münz?

My name is Christian Münz, I’m co-director of the Institute of Experimental Immunology at the University of Zürich. I studied originally biochemistry in Tübingen and then did a long period of research in New York at The Rockefeller University before, in 2008, I returned to Europe to my current position in Zürich. And I’m married, I have two children and a cat. And my hobbies are sailing and anything outdoors that Switzerland offers.

Finally, what message of hope or encouragement would you like to share with the listeners?

As one has seen in the past years or decade, there are more and more treatments that were developed against multiple sclerosis. This has shown that indeed it is a disease that disease modifying treatments can be developed. And the better we understand that the more we identify the factors that are involved in the disease, that will allow to develop new therapies. So, I think the message of hope is that indeed we might be able to be a little bit more specific in our treatments and more refined in our treatments so that quality of life stays high, but suppression of disease is still quite efficient.

How and where can interested people follow your research activities?

So mostly on the website of our institute. Unfortunately, I’m not that much into LinkedIn and Instagram, so therefore I have to point towards mostly the website of our institute where we publish our new findings and have links more or less to our new research studies.

Christian Münz on PubMed

---

See you soon and try to make the best out of your life, Nele

For more information and positive thoughts, subscribe to my newsletter for free.

Click here for an overview of all podcast episodes published so far.