Neurologist Recognized for Pioneering MS Research and Treatment Strategies

Renowned neurologist Dr Rhonda Voskuhl wins the prestigious 2024 John Dystel Prize for groundbreaking research on sex differences in multiple sclerosis (MS) and advancing women's health.

Rhonda Voskuhl, MD, is an internationally recognized neurologist and investigator at the University of California, Los Angeles. Dr Voskuhl is Director of the University of California, Los Angeles Multiple Sclerosis Program, holds the Jack H. Skirball Chair in MS, is a neurology professor, and serves as faculty neurologist of the UCLA Comprehensive Menopause Care Program.

Dr Voskuhl's research has shown that women are more likely to develop MS than men, leading her to investigate the role of sex hormones and sex chromosomes in the disease. Her work has included groundbreaking discoveries in laboratory models, which she then translated to clinical trials to study treatments for MS patients. 

One key finding was that a gene on female sex chromosomes promotes inflammation, while she also explored the potential brain-protective effects of estrogen and estrogen receptor molecules. These findings could pave the way for new treatment approaches to protect the nervous system and combat MS.

“I am thankful to the National MS Society for their pivotal support of my work since its inception,” commented Dr Voskuhl. “Their stature as an organization that supports MS researchers and patients through critical programs for discovery of new treatments and supportive care strategies is unsurpassed and has been essential over the decades.

Together, our mission is to improve lives. Now is a time of hope and exponential progress in the MS field.”

Dr Voskuhl will receive the award at the American Academy of Neurology 2024 Annual Meeting in Denver, CO, on April 14, and deliver the Dystel Prize lecture. 

Reference
National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Noted UCLA neurologist Dr. Rhonda Voskuhl wins 2024 John Dystel Prize for multiple sclerosis research. April 2, 2024. Accessed April 23, 2024. https://www.nationalmssociety.org/news-and-magazine/news/dr-rhonda-voskuhl-wins-2024-dystel-prize