The annual ECTRIMS Winter School supports early-career neurologists, clinicians, researchers, and other MS experts in providing specialised educational opportunities on a range of topics related to multiple sclerosis and related neurological conditions.
The Winter School is a key ECTRIMS initiative that supports our mission to facilitate communication, create synergies, and promote and enhance research and learning among professionals for the ultimate benefit of people affected by MS.
The 5th ECTRIMS Winter School will focus on Concepts in Neuro-Immunology. There will be six scientific sessions during which world-renowned faculty will provide an overview of key aspects and novel developments in the field, followed by open discussion and Q&A.
Six thematic Working Groups, facilitated by established clinicians and scientists, will support the assimilation of knowledge by the participants, which will be summarized by each Working Group in a 20-minute presentation. The key knowledge participants are expected to acquire is an understanding of the role of infection in MS, the state of the art of biomarkers, brain-body immune communication, and novel therapeutic approaches in MS.
The participants should be clinician scientists, senior PhD students, and Post-docs who already have some experience in translational neuroimmunology as evidenced by relevant publications. This requirement is absolute due to the in-depth discussion anticipated in the sessions and Working Groups.
Results about acceptance will be sent out by the beginning of October 2027 at the latest.
View the programme (tentative)
The 4th ECTRIMS Winter School addressed young clinicians and investigators with an interest in the diagnosis and management of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD).
Organised in collaboration with the MOGAD Eugène Devic European Network (MEDEN), the programme provided a comprehensive overview of these rare yet distinct inflammatory disorders of the central nervous system, covering key aspects from pathology and etiopathogenesis to diagnosis, differential diagnosis, and treatment. Through expert-led lectures, interactive working groups, and practical workshops, participants gained in-depth insights into the latest advances in disease mechanisms, clinical presentation, imaging features, and body fluid biomarker utilisation.
A special focus was placed on seronegative cases and distinguishing NMOSD and MOGAD from multiple sclerosis and other mimicking conditions, as well as on optimising treatment strategies, including immunotherapies and long-term management considerations. At the end of the course, attendees were equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to enhance their clinical practice and research in these evolving fields.
The 2nd ECTRIMS Winter School was directed towards young clinicians specialising in multiple sclerosis – neurologists, researchers, residents, and fellows – who are eager to deepen their understanding of biomarkers and their applications in MS.
The Winter School provided a comprehensive understanding of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood biomarkers for MS differential diagnosis, for monitoring disease activity as well as progression, and for predicting treatment response. Participants gained insights from renowned experts in the field of MS research and biomarkers to broaden their understanding of biomarker discovery, validation, and clinical applications in MS.
The Winter School also included practical workshops, including on statistics, to help better identify, analyse, and interpret biomarkers in MS. These sessions provided a unique opportunity to collaborate and learn from fellow young clinicians and experts in the field.
The first annual ECTRIMS Winter School – jointly organised with Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Multiple Sclerosis (MAGNIMS) – was directed towards young MS clinicians and investigators with an interest in diagnosis and management of multiple sclerosis, as well as MS research including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques. MRI plays a key role in the diagnosis and management of people with multiple sclerosis. Appropriate knowledge and expertise in the use of MRI for MS clinical assessment as well as research is central in the career development of any MS expert.
The course aimed to equip participants with the knowledge and expertise needed to diagnose MS, evaluate the effectiveness of drugs in MS, understand the value of non-conventional and quantitative MRI for assessing structural, metabolic and functional damage in MS, and become familiar with the different techniques used for imaging analysis.