Dr. Nathalie Arbour

Professor

Nathalie Arbour obtained her Ph.D. in Virology and Immunology at INRS-Armand-Frappier in Quebec, Canada. She completed post-doctoral training at the Scripps Research Institute in the laboratory of Dr. Michael B.A. Oldstone and subsequently at the Montreal Neurological Institute with Dr. Jack Antel's team. Since 2006, she has been a professor at the Université de Montreal and a researcher at Centre de Recherche du CHUM (Université de Montreal affiliated adult hospital). Her research program aims to characterize and understand the interactions between the immune system and the central nervous system (CNS), especially the roles of T cells in the context of multiple sclerosis (MS). Her research 
strategy is first to identify molecules or mechanisms that are specifically altered in human samples obtained from people with MS. Then, her team investigates the mechanistic impact of such factors using human immune and CNS cells. Finally, using relevant animal models of MS, Dr. Arbour and her team confirm and dissect the role played by these identified mechanisms and test strategies to correct these altered factors and thus validate them as bona fide therapeutic targets. 

Learn more about Dr. Arbour

What is the focus of your research? How did you become interested in MS research?

MS is a very complex disease involving two extremely fascinating systems: the central nervous system and the immune system. I became interested in MS research when I realized that so many people are affected by this neuroinflammatory disease, especially in Canada.
In our most recent MS Canada funded project, we are examining the contribution of T cells to aging in people living with MS. Age is the most critical risk factor for disease progression. Unfortunately, as people with MS get older, disease-modifying therapies become less efficient, and they can cause more negative side effects. Therefore, it is essential to shed light on the impact of aging on MS to improve therapeutic and disease-managing options.

What inspires you to continue advancing research in this field?

Recent advances in MS research result from fruitful collaborative networks fostered between the research laboratories, the MS clinics, and the people living with MS. Building on the last decades of MS research, improved MS care is now possible. Nevertheless, there are still several unmet needs; the development of improved therapeutic and disease-managing options is essential to positively impact the lives of all people living with MS.

How do you hope to change the lives of people living with MS through your research?

The medical community recognizes that care of people with MS should integrate the effects of age. Therefore, it is essential to shed light on the impact of aging on MS to improve therapeutic and disease-managing options. Ultimately, our project will have the short-term outcome of providing new tools to track immune aging in people with MS. The long-term outcome will be to validate a potential new target for future therapeutic development to tackle age-related MS progression.

What do you enjoy most about your research? What are some of the challenges you face?

I am very proud of the quality of training we have provided to my team members (graduate students and postdoctoral fellows). These young scientists are essential contributors to research. Unfortunately, there is limited funding for biomedical research in Canada and it is challenging to obtain financial support.

How important is the support from MS Canada in your research?

The support from the MS Canada grant is essential for our team to conduct our research project on MS pathogenesis. This support will help cover for essential lab reagents, research staff, and high-quality technical services that will enable us to successfully investigate the role of our molecule of interest, specifically in samples from people living with MS.