# Episode 451: Meet the 2026 Winner of the John Dystel Prize for MS Research with Dr. Ludwig Kappos

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Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/realtalk-ms-779631/episode-451-meet-the-2026-winner-of-the-john-dystel-prize-for-ms-research-with-dr-ludwig-kappos.md
Podcast: [RealTalk MS](https://stenobird.com/podcast/realtalk-ms-779631)
Published: 2026-04-20T22:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://realtalkms.com/451
Audio file: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/realtalkms/Episode_451_Meet_the_2026_Winner_of_the_John_Dystel_Prize_for_MS_Resarch_with_Dr._Ludwig_Kappos.mp3?dest-id=570470
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## Resource

The annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology is underway in Chicago this week, and one of the highlights is the presentation of the John Dystel Prize for Research in Multiple Sclerosis, awarded jointly by the National MS Society and the American Academy of Neurology. This year's winner of the Dystel Prize is Dr. Ludwig Kappos, a physician-scientist at the University Hospital Basel in Basel, Switzerland, and the director of the Research Center for Clinical Neuroimmunology and Neuroscience Basel. Dr. Kappos has played a major role in how clinical trials in MS are conducted. He helped establish the Expanded Disability Status Scale, or EDSS, which is the gold standard for measuring disability in people with MS, and Dr. Kappos and his team have advanced our current understanding of a key driver of disability in MS, known as progression independent of relapse activity, or PIRA. Dr. Kappos will be delivering the Dystel Prize lecture at the American Academy of Neurology meeting this week, and he's joining us to share a preview of that lecture in a conversation you won't want to miss. We're also sharing news about a blood test used to monitor MS disease activity that has just been approved by the European Union. We'll give you the details of a study focused on whether disease-modifying therapies can impact neurodevelopmental birth defects in children born to mothers with MS. We'll explain why yaks and Tibetan antelope may have opened a door to neuroprotection and myelin repair for people living with MS. And we'll tell you where healthcare providers and patients may differ when it comes to defining high-quality MS care. We have a lot to talk about! Are you ready for RealTalk MS??! This Week: The John Dystel Prize for Multiple Sclerosis Research is awarded :22 A blood…

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