28 2026 RNDS Willekens T Cell Targets брендированный

In this session from the 2026 Rare Neuroimmune Disorders Symposium (RNDS), Barbara Willekens, MD, PhD, of Antwerp University Hospital and the University of Antwerp, presenting remotely, spoke about how scientists look for the targets that T cells attack in autoimmunity [00:00:05]. She described what T cells do and what is known about their targets in aquaporin-4 antibody-positive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) and MOG antibody disease (MOGAD) [00:00:40]. She explained epitopes, peptides and immune display molecules, and why T cell targets are much harder to find than antibodies [00:04:05]. Dr. Willekens reviewed newer research tools, including methods that read the molecules presenting protein pieces, ELISpot, and single T cell analysis [00:08:52]. She closed with what this work could mean for diagnosis, monitoring and more precise treatments, and answered an audience question about the path toward a cure [00:13:15]. Barbara Willekens, MD, PhD, is a neurologist at Antwerp University Hospital (UZA) and a part-time professor at the University of Antwerp, appointed in 2023. She studied medicine at the University of Antwerp, trained as a neurologist in Antwerp and Utrecht, and joined UZA in 2007 to build up clinical and research work on multiple sclerosis. Her research focuses on inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system, including cell immunotherapy and biomarkers, with main areas of multiple sclerosis, MOGAD, NMOSD, autoimmune encephalitis and Susac syndrome. She is chief investigator of the MACSiMiSE-BRAIN trial of metformin in progressive MS. 00:00 Finding the Target of the Immune System 00:40 What T Cells Do 01:54 T Cell Targets in NMOSD and MOGAD 04:05 Epitopes and Peptides Explained 05:05 Why T Cells Are Hard to Find 07:53 Three Families of Methods 08:52 Newer Research Tools 10:29 ELISpot 12:15 Single Cell Analysis 13:15 Why This Matters 15:25 Audience Question 17:03 Closing Thanks