ACTRIMS Forum 2026 (Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis) (Videos + Slides)

ACTRIMS Forum 2026 (Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis) (Videos + Slides)

Multiple Sclerosis • Neuroimmunology • Demyelinating Disease • MS Research • Disease-Modifying Therapy • Biomarkers • Translational Neuroscience

Explore major advances shaping the future of multiple sclerosis research and clinical care with ACTRIMS Forum 2026 (Videos + Slides), the 11th annual scientific meeting of the Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ACTRIMS).

Held February 5–7, 2026, at the Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina in San Diego, California, the meeting was organized around the theme:

“MS at a Crossroads”

The theme reflects a pivotal period in multiple sclerosis, as advances in disease biology, genetics, immunology, imaging, biomarkers, therapeutics, and emerging technologies challenge clinicians and researchers to reassess established concepts and identify priorities for the next generation of MS research and patient care.

Unlike many larger medical congresses, ACTRIMS Forum 2026 uses a primarily single-track scientific and clinical program, allowing participants to engage with the same major scientific themes and multidisciplinary discussions across the meeting.

Course Details

• Meeting: ACTRIMS Forum 2026
• Full Organization Name: Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis – ACTRIMS
• Edition: 11th Annual ACTRIMS Forum
• Theme: MS at a Crossroads
• Year: 2026
• Dates: February 5–7, 2026
• Venue: Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina
• Location: San Diego, California, USA
• Specialty: Neurology
• Primary Focus: Multiple Sclerosis / Neuroimmunology
• MedicalAmboss Format: Videos + Slides
• Scientific Format: Single-Track Scientific & Clinical Program
• Poster Presentations: 400+
• Language: English

ACTRIMS describes the Forum as a translational science meeting focused on rigorous discoveries in multiple sclerosis that advance both research and clinical care.

Forum Overview

Multiple sclerosis research has undergone substantial changes in recent years.

Important developments involve:

• Disease mechanisms
• Immune biology
• Neurodegeneration
• Genetics
• Environmental risk
• Biomarkers
• MRI and advanced imaging
• Disease-modifying therapies
• Treatment sequencing
• Disease progression
• Clinical-trial design
• Digital technologies
• Personalized treatment
• Patient-centered outcomes

The ACTRIMS Forum 2026 examines how these developments should influence future priorities in MS research and clinical practice.

The central concept can be summarized as:

Scientific Discovery → Disease Mechanism → Biomarkers → Clinical Phenotype → Treatment Strategy → Long-Term Outcomes

The 2026 meeting specifically challenges the field to consider where previous assumptions remain useful and where new evidence requires changes in thinking.

Theme – MS at a Crossroads

The theme “MS at a Crossroads” reflects the rapid evolution of multiple sclerosis science.

ACTRIMS notes that major advances in understanding:

• Causes of MS
• Disease biology
• Clinical presentation
• Disease course
• Treatment
• Related inflammatory and demyelinating CNS disorders

have been driven partly by new technologies and require the field to reconsider existing priorities.

The program therefore looks not only at:

Where MS research is now

but also:

Where MS research and clinical care should move during the next 5–10 years.

Scientific & Clinical Program

ACTRIMS Forum 2026 uses a single-track model of scientific and clinical presentations.

This format allows the meeting to integrate:

• Basic science
• Translational neuroscience
• Clinical research
• MS therapeutics
• Biomarkers
• Imaging
• Clinical trials
• Epidemiology
• Patient care
• Emerging technologies

rather than dividing participants into many simultaneous subspecialty sessions.

Invited presentations are followed by panel discussions designed to encourage debate between speakers, moderators, and attendees.

Multiple Sclerosis Biology

Understanding the biological mechanisms responsible for MS remains essential for developing more precise treatments.

Major areas of contemporary investigation include:

• Adaptive immunity
• Innate immunity
• B cells
• T cells
• Microglia
• Neuroinflammation
• Demyelination
• Axonal injury
• Neurodegeneration
• Remyelination

Disease biology can be considered through the progression:

Immune Dysregulation → CNS Inflammation → Demyelination → Axonal Injury → Neurodegeneration → Clinical Disability

ACTRIMS Forum provides a setting for researchers to examine how newer biological insights may alter this traditional disease framework.

MS Disease Mechanisms

The Forum explores mechanisms responsible for both inflammatory activity and long-term disability.

Relevant research areas include:

• Immune-cell trafficking
• CNS-compartmentalized inflammation
• Neurodegeneration
• Chronic active lesions
• Smoldering disease
• Remyelination
• Neural repair
• Disease progression independent of relapse activity

A major challenge for modern MS research is determining how inflammatory and neurodegenerative mechanisms interact throughout the disease course.

MS Diagnosis

Accurate diagnosis of multiple sclerosis requires integration of:

Clinical Syndrome + Neurological Examination + MRI + Laboratory Testing + Disease Course

The continued evolution of diagnostic criteria and biomarkers raises important questions regarding:

• Earlier diagnosis
• Diagnostic specificity
• Radiologically isolated syndromes
• Differential diagnosis
• Avoiding MS misdiagnosis
• Appropriate application of biomarkers

Scientific meetings such as ACTRIMS provide opportunities to evaluate how emerging evidence should influence diagnostic practice.

Biomarkers in Multiple Sclerosis

Biomarkers are increasingly important for determining:

• Disease activity
• Prognosis
• Treatment response
• Treatment safety
• Disease progression
• Therapeutic selection

Potential biomarker categories include:

• Imaging biomarkers
• Blood biomarkers
• CSF biomarkers
• Molecular biomarkers
• Digital biomarkers

A modern MS monitoring framework may evolve toward:

Clinical Assessment + MRI + Biological Biomarkers + Digital Measures

rather than relying exclusively on clinical relapse counts.

MRI & Advanced Imaging

MRI remains central to MS diagnosis and monitoring.

Important applications include:

• Lesion detection
• Disease dissemination
• Treatment monitoring
• Brain volume
• Spinal cord involvement
• Chronic active lesions
• Advanced structural and functional imaging

Emerging imaging approaches may help provide information not captured by conventional lesion counts alone.

MS Therapeutics

Multiple sclerosis now has a broad range of disease-modifying therapies.

Treatment strategy requires consideration of:

• Disease activity
• Prognostic factors
• Patient age
• Comorbidities
• Pregnancy considerations
• Infection risk
• Treatment safety
• Treatment efficacy
• Patient preferences
• Long-term disease trajectory

Clinical decisions may follow:

Assess Disease Risk → Select Therapy → Monitor Response → Evaluate Safety → Escalate / Switch / De-escalate When Appropriate

Disease-Modifying Therapies

The expanding therapeutic landscape creates both opportunities and challenges.

Major clinical questions include:

• Early high-efficacy therapy versus escalation
• Treatment sequencing
• Switching therapy
• Treatment discontinuation
• De-escalation
• Long-term immunosuppression
• Infection risk
• Vaccination
• Pregnancy
• Aging with MS

ACTRIMS provides a scientific forum for evaluating these strategies through both clinical-trial and real-world evidence.

Progressive Multiple Sclerosis

Progressive disability remains one of the most important unmet needs in MS.

Research increasingly examines:

• Progression independent of relapse activity
• Chronic inflammation
• Neurodegeneration
• Biomarkers of progression
• Imaging markers
• Treatment targets
• Neural repair
• Rehabilitation

The ultimate objective is not simply reducing inflammatory lesions but preserving neurological function over decades.

Neuroprotection & Remyelination

Future MS therapy may need to extend beyond immune modulation.

Important research areas include:

• Neuroprotection
• Remyelination
• Oligodendrocyte biology
• Axonal preservation
• CNS repair
• Restoration of neurological function

These approaches may complement traditional anti-inflammatory disease-modifying therapy.

Clinical Trials in Multiple Sclerosis

The Forum integrates new clinical-trial results and emerging therapeutic targets.

Clinical research may involve:

• Novel therapies
• New treatment mechanisms
• Biomarker-guided trials
• Progressive MS
• Remyelination
• Neuroprotection
• Treatment sequencing
• Real-world outcomes

ACTRIMS specifically highlights new clinical-trial findings that clarify the relevance of emerging therapeutic targets and modalities.

Cutting-Edge Developments

The conference includes Cutting-Edge Development abstracts representing particularly timely scientific work.

Full Cutting-Edge abstracts were officially released on February 5, 2026, the opening day of the conference.

These presentations allow new findings to be incorporated rapidly into the scientific program.

Late-Breaking Research

ACTRIMS Forum 2026 also includes Late-Breaking Abstracts.

Full Late-Breaking abstracts were released on February 7, 2026.

Late-breaking research enables the meeting to include high-impact data that became available after the regular abstract deadline.

Young Investigators

Supporting early-career researchers is an important ACTRIMS priority.

The first Forum session includes platform presentations by Young Investigators selected from submitted abstracts.

Young investigators may include:

• Residents
• Fellows
• Graduate students
• Postdoctoral researchers
• Junior faculty
• Early-career clinician-scientists

This provides a platform for presenting emerging research and building careers in MS and neuroimmunology.

Early Career Clinician & Scientist Summit

ACTRIMS Forum 2026 was also associated with the Early Career Clinician & Scientist Summit.

The program brings together two educational pathways:

• Neurology Resident Summit in Multiple Sclerosis
• Young Scientist Summit in Clinical Neuroimmunology

Programming began before the main Forum and continued into the February 5–7 meeting.

The initiative supports future specialists interested in:

• Multiple sclerosis
• Neuroimmunology
• Clinical research
• Translational neuroscience
• Academic neurology

Kenneth P. Johnson Memorial Lecture

A major annual highlight is the:

Kenneth P. Johnson Memorial Lecture

The lecture honors Dr. Kenneth P. Johnson, who played a major role in the foundation of ACTRIMS.

2026 Lecturer

Jeffrey Cohen, MD
Cleveland Clinic

Dr. Cohen has contributed extensively to research involving:

• MS clinical trials
• Neuroimmunology
• Imaging
• MS therapeutics
• Outcome measures
• Diagnostic criteria

He also co-chaired the International Panel responsible for the 2017 revision of the McDonald Diagnostic Criteria.

Barancik Prize for Innovation in MS Research

Another major scientific highlight is the:

National Multiple Sclerosis Society Barancik Prize for Innovation in MS Research Lecture

The prize recognizes innovation and significant contributions to multiple sclerosis research.

Its inclusion within ACTRIMS Forum reflects the meeting’s emphasis on transformative research and new scientific directions.

Scientific Abstracts

Accepted abstracts for ACTRIMS Forum 2026 were published in the official ACTRIMS Forum 2026 Abstract Catalog and in the Multiple Sclerosis Journal online.

Abstract categories included:

• Regular Abstracts
• Cutting-Edge Development Abstracts
• Late-Breaking Abstracts

Research can be searched by:

• Day
• Session type
• Topic
• Keyword
• Author

This provides broad access to current investigative work across MS and neuroimmunology.

Scientific Posters

ACTRIMS reported more than 400 poster presentations during Forum 2026.

Two official poster sessions were held:

• Poster Session 1: February 5, 2026
• Poster Session 2: February 6, 2026

Poster materials were also made available electronically through the Forum Event App.

Research presented through posters can cover:

• Clinical trials
• Translational research
• Immunology
• Genetics
• Imaging
• Biomarkers
• Epidemiology
• Patient outcomes
• Treatment safety
• Disease progression
• Neurodegeneration

Virtual Participation & Recorded Sessions

ACTRIMS offered a Virtual Pass for Forum 2026.

All educational sessions were:

• Live streamed
• Recorded
• Made available through the official Event App after the meeting

Virtual attendees also had access to:

• Full agenda
• Abstracts
• ePosters
• Speakers
• Live stream
• Q&A

The live stream supported closed captions and translations in more than 30 languages.

ACTRIMS LearnMS On-Demand Recordings

Forum registrants received exclusive access to recorded sessions for three months through the Forum 2026 Event App.

ACTRIMS states that beginning May 9, 2026, conference recordings became available through the ACTRIMS LearnMS Online Library.

The MedicalAmboss product is provided as:

Videos + Slides

allowing independent review of the recorded scientific and clinical education.

Program Schedule

The official program ran from Thursday, February 5 through Saturday, February 7, 2026, with all program times listed in Pacific Standard Time (PST).

Major program components included:

• Young Investigator platform presentations
• Scientific and clinical sessions
• Kenneth P. Johnson Memorial Lecture
• Barancik Prize for Innovation in MS Research Lecture
• Regular abstract presentations
• Cutting-Edge Development presentations
• Late-Breaking Research
• Panel discussions
• Poster Sessions
• Industry Supported Satellite Symposia
• Industry Hub
• Networking activities

Single-Track Scientific Program

A distinguishing characteristic of ACTRIMS Forum is the single-track program.

Rather than dividing participants among many competing rooms, this model allows clinicians and scientists to engage with a shared sequence of MS topics.

This can support interdisciplinary discussion between:

Basic Scientists + Translational Researchers + Clinical Researchers + Neurologists + MS Specialists

and allows emerging findings to be considered from multiple perspectives.

Program Committee

The 2026 Program Committee was chaired by:

Daniel Reich, MD, PhD
National Institutes of Health / National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

with:

Jiwon Oh, MD
University of Toronto
Vice-Chair

Committee members represented institutions including:

• Cleveland Clinic
• University of Toronto
• NIH
• Johns Hopkins University
• McGill University
• Université de Montréal
• Mayo Clinic
• UCSF
• Ohio State University
• University of Vermont
• National MS Society

Target Audience

ACTRIMS states that Forum 2026 is valuable for:

• Researchers
• Clinicians
• Residents
• Students
• Postdoctoral Fellows

with interests in the:

• Cellular networks of MS
• Molecular mechanisms of MS
• Neural mechanisms
• Social dimensions of MS
• MS research
• MS treatment

The program is particularly relevant for:

• Neurologists
• Multiple Sclerosis Specialists
• Neuroimmunologists
• Neuroscientists
• Clinical Researchers
• Translational Researchers
• Neurology Residents
• Neurology Fellows
• Postdoctoral Researchers
• Immunologists
• Rehabilitation Researchers
• Professionals involved in MS clinical trials

Who Should Take This Course?

ACTRIMS Forum 2026 (Videos + Slides) is particularly useful for professionals seeking advanced updates in:

• Multiple sclerosis
• Neuroimmunology
• CNS inflammatory disease
• MS pathogenesis
• MS genetics
• Biomarkers
• MRI
• Disease progression
• Disease-modifying therapies
• Progressive MS
• Neuroprotection
• Remyelination
• MS clinical trials
• Personalized MS care
• Translational neuroscience

Why This Course Is Useful

The strength of ACTRIMS Forum 2026 is its concentrated focus on multiple sclerosis and related inflammatory CNS disorders.

The scientific program connects:

Disease Mechanisms → New Technologies → Biomarkers → Diagnosis → Therapeutics → Clinical Trials → Long-Term MS Care

The theme “MS at a Crossroads” encourages clinicians and researchers not only to review recent progress but also to consider which scientific assumptions, clinical strategies, and research priorities should define the next decade of MS care.

Delivery and Accreditation Notice

The downloadable videos and slides do not include conference registration, CME credit, continuing-certification credit or an official certificate.

Short Description

ACTRIMS Forum 2026 (Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis) (Videos + Slides) provides advanced education and scientific research focused on multiple sclerosis and related inflammatory and demyelinating disorders of the central nervous system.

The 11th annual Forum was held February 5–7, 2026, at the Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina in San Diego, California, under the theme “MS at a Crossroads.”

The single-track scientific program covers MS pathogenesis, neuroimmunology, disease mechanisms, biomarkers, imaging, disease-modifying therapies, progressive MS, clinical trials, emerging technologies, neuroprotection, remyelination, and future directions in MS research and clinical care.

The meeting also featured more than 400 scientific poster presentations, Cutting-Edge and Late-Breaking research, the Kenneth P. Johnson Memorial Lecture, and the National MS Society Barancik Prize for Innovation in MS Research Lecture.

Provider: Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis – ACTRIMS
Dates: February 5–7, 2026
Venue: Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina
Location: San Diego, California
Theme: MS at a Crossroads
Format: Videos + Slides
Specialty: Multiple Sclerosis / Neuroimmunology
Poster Presentations: 400+
Delivery: Videos and slides supplied as downloadable files; no CME credit or certificate is included.

Major Topics Covered

• Multiple Sclerosis
• Neuroimmunology
• CNS Inflammatory Disease
• Demyelinating Disorders
• MS Pathogenesis
• MS Immunology
• Disease Mechanisms
• Neuroinflammation
• B-Cell Biology
• T-Cell Biology
• Microglia
• Neurodegeneration
• Demyelination
• Axonal Injury
• MS Genetics
• Environmental Risk Factors
• MS Biomarkers
• Blood Biomarkers
• CSF Biomarkers
• MRI Biomarkers
• Advanced Neuroimaging
• MS Diagnosis
• Disease Progression
• Progression Independent of Relapse Activity
• Progressive Multiple Sclerosis
• Disease-Modifying Therapies
• High-Efficacy Therapy
• Treatment Sequencing
• Treatment Switching
• Treatment De-escalation
• MS Treatment Safety
• Personalized MS Therapy
• MS Clinical Trials
• New Therapeutic Targets
• Neuroprotection
• Remyelination
• Neural Repair
• Translational Neuroscience
• Cutting-Edge Research
• Late-Breaking Research
• Young Investigator Research
• Scientific Posters
• Future Directions in Multiple Sclerosis

Thu, Feb 5, 2026

• 7:30 AM9:00 AM Breakfast in the Hub
• 8:00 AM9:00 AM SS1. Industry Supported Satellite Symposium 1 – Disease and Disability Progression in Relapsing MS: Unpacking Efficacy Data to Advance Treatment Decisions
• 9:00 AM9:15 AM Break
• 9:15 AM10:15 AM Welcome & Kenneth P. Johnson Memorial Lecture
• 10:15 AM10:30 AM Break
• 10:30 AM12:05 PM S1. Session 1 – Emerging Concepts in MS
• 12:05 PM1:30 PM Lunch in the Hub
• 12:30 PM1:15 PM Brain Exchange Community Discussion 1 – Cell Therapy
• 1:30 PM2:30 PM AP1. Partner Symposium – NAIMS: Is Brain Atrophy at a Crossroads for Use as Outcome Measure in Clinical Trials?
• 2:30 PM2:45 PM Break
• 2:45 PM4:15 PM S2. Session 2 – From Susceptibility to Symptoms: Rethinking MS Intervention
• 4:15 PM4:30 PM Break
• 4:30 PM5:35 PM CE1. Cutting Edge Developments 1
• 5:45 PM7:30 PM Poster Session 1
• 7:45 PM9:00 PM iWiMS Event

Fri, Feb 6, 2026

• 7:00 AM7:45 AM ACTRIMS Forum 2026 Wellness Walk
• 7:30 AM9:00 AM Breakfast in the Hub
• 8:00 AM9:00 AM SS2. Industry Supported Satellite Symposium 2 – Neuroinflammation in Focus: Interpreting the Latest Evidence for BTK Inhibition in Multiple Sclerosis
• 8:15 AM9:00 AM Brain Exchange Community Discussion 2 – National MS Brain Bank Cases
• 9:00 AM9:15 AM Break
• 9:15 AM10:15 AM BP1. National MS Society Barancik Award Presentation & Talk
• 10:15 AM10:30 AM Break
• 10:30 AM12:00 PM S3. Session 3 – Emerging Biologies: Charting New Directions
• 12:00 PM1:30 PM Lunch in the Hub
• 12:20 PM1:20 PM SS3. Industry Supported Satellite Symposium 3 – How Do I Identify MOGAD?
• 12:30 PM1:15 PM Brain Exchange Community Discussion 3 – Funding Landscapes
• 1:30 PM2:30 PM AP2. Partner Symposium – IMSVISUAL: AI-Driven Diagnostics and Pathways of Neurodegeneration Using the Visual Pathway in Demyelinating Disease
• 2:30 PM2:45 PM Break
• 2:45 PM4:15 PM S4. Session 4 – New Technologies: Shifting the Paradigm?
• 4:15 PM4:30 PM Break
• 4:30 PM5:35 PM CE2. Cutting Edge Developments 2
• 5:45 PM7:30 PM Poster Session 2

Sat, Feb 7, 2026

• 7:30 AM9:00 AM Breakfast
• 8:00 AM9:00 AM AP3. Partner Symposium – European Charcot Foundation – Dynamics in MS Across the Lifespan
• 9:00 AM9:30 AM AP4. Partner Invited Lecture – LACTRIMS – Menopause, MS and Progression
• 9:30 AM9:40 AM Break
• 9:40 AM11:10 AM S5. Session 5 – Rethinking MS Clinical Course Descriptors
• 11:10 AM11:20 AM Break
• 11:20 AM11:30 AM Awards Presentation
• 11:30 AM12:40 PM LB1. Late-Breaking Research & Clinical Trials
• 12:40 PM12:45 PM Closing