Assistant Professor Sarah Simmons, MD, PhD, received a Weill Neurohub Clinician-Scientist Award. The competitive program, a partnership of the Weill Neurohub, the UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences, and the Washington Research Foundation, supports early-career clinician-scientists working in brain disease research. The one-year award provides $75,000 in funding and mentorship, beginning July 1, 2026.
Dr. Simmons’ project, Combating age-related failure of (re)myelination in multiple sclerosis: an exploratory study, examines how physical activity and other modifiable lifestyle factors may influence myelination in older adults with multiple sclerosis. The study will use advanced MRI techniques to measure myelin changes over time, along with wearable activity monitors and clinical assessments.
This observational, longitudinal study aims to identify factors associated with improved myelination, with the goal of informing future clinical trials and strategies to slow disease progression and support recovery.