A researcher at the University of Alabama at Birmingham has received a grant of more than $500,000 from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society for his study of the neurological disease, the organization announced this week.

Gordon Meares, a postdoctoral fellow in UAB's Department of Cell Biology, will study how cells in the brain and spinal cord may influence the immune system in MS for clues to stopping immune attacks, the organization said. The society this month committed up to $18.4 million to support 52 new research projects and training fellowships.

"Without the support of the National MS Society, we would not be able to pursue these critical leads," Meares said in a statement.

Multiple sclerosis is a disease in which the nerves of the central nervous system degenerate. MS interrupts the flow of information within the brain and between the brain and the body. There are theories on the causes of multiple sclerosis. MS may be an autoimmune disease, which happens when the body attacks itself. The disease often begins between the ages of 20 and 50.

Usually, the disease is mild, but some people lose the ability to write, speak or walk. There is no cure for MS, but medicines may slow it down and help control symptoms. Physical and occupational therapy may also help.

In Alabama, MS affects more than 4,200 families. More than 2.1 million people live worldwide with the challenges of the disease, according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Jan Bell, president of the society's Alabama-Mississippi chapter, said the society's research program constantly strives to find a cure for MS.

"Our long-standing investment has resulted in new treatments and better methods of diagnosis and disease management for people with MS, and we will continue to pursue all promising paths that lead to solutions for everyone affected by MS," Bell said in a statement.

The national organization reports there are therapies approved by the Food and Drug Administration that can affect the underlying disease in people with the more common forms of MS. Those therapies cannot stop the progression or reverse the damage to restore function.

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UAB biologist Gordon Meares given National Multiple Sclerosis Society grant