Charcot Multiple Sclerosis Master (M.Sc.)

In Cooperation with the European Charcot Foundation

Become a leading multiple sclerosis professional

under the academic leadership of the European Charcot Foundation and recognized active European Charcot MS researchers
for physicians with advanced training in neurology and other MS professionals with academic background
Master of Science (M.Sc. with 60 ECTS points)
the programme is fully accredited by the accredition, certification and quality assurance institute ACQUIN
based on the successfully established German master's programme
the study programme reflects the concentrated expertise of the European Charcot Foundation Board, and thus with the highest-ranking MS researches of Europe, Asia and America

In spring 2022, Prof. Dr. Giancarlo Comi, President of the European Charcot Foundation, the experienced neurologist and recognized multiple sclerosis expert Prof. Dr. med. Tjalf Ziemssen and Dresden International University have entered into a close cooperation to jointly offer the first international part-time multiple sclerosis master programme. The master's degree programme is the only comprehensive and curricular continuing education programme in the world that allows professionals to specialize in multiple sclerosis management at the master's level.

Aims of the master's progamme

to treat patients with chronic inflammatory neurological diseases comprehensively in their individual disease pattern according to current scientific knowledge and thus improve patient’s quality of life
specialization in multiple sclerosis management at a master's level
prepares the MS researchers of the future

Study format

maximum 30 international students
a cloud-based digital hub mainly virtually in the form of lectures, expert discussions, events, tutorials, case conferences and journal clubs
on-site meetings/sessions in selected clinics, MS centers and specialist congresses

The feedback from the participants and lecturers of the first German-speaking matriculation course is very positive and shows that the course concept is working well and that the course objectives are being met. The first pioneer study programme was presented in the Brain Science Paper of 2021: "Innovation in Digital Education: Lessons Learned from the Multiple Sclerosis Management Master´s Program".

The first study intake began in November 2022! The course was inaugurated and hosted at the symposium "30th Annual Meeting of the European Charcot Foundation", 17 - 19 November 2022, in Baveno, Italy. The thematic focus of the symposium was "Progressive MS from pathology to treatment".

Application information

The tuition fee is 20.000 EUR. You can apply for the international intake as well as for the scholarship programme. If you would like to apply for the program, please email to charcot-msm@di-uni.de

your curriculum vitae
Your letter of motivation
Your school and university transcripts.

Innovation in education: the course concept

The study approach of placing a single disease entity - multiple sclerosis - at the center of a master's degree programme to train MS specialists represents a novelty within the medical training landscape. This is due to fact that no structured and industry-independent continuing education program centered around MS has existed until now. Although MS as a chronic and/or episodic neurological disease with heterogeneous symptoms and courses is very complex and, moreover, significant innovations in diagnosis and treatment have been achieved in recent years.

The program is designed to give students the opportunity to become MS specialists despite having challenging full-time jobs as the predominant part of the programme is organized with the help of a cloud-based digital hub mainly virtually in the form of lectures, expert discussions, tutorials, case conferences or journal clubs. The programme consists of four semesters. Approximately 1-2 face-to-face visits are scheduled per semester, organized around important professional events such as ECTRIM or the Annual Meeting of the European Charcot Foundation. An important study component is the visits to selected MS centers, to put the course content into practice in job shadowing, practical workshops and hands-on units.

Admission requirements

The master's programme is aimed at physicians, therapists, nurses, scientists, pharmacists, psychologists and biologists who want to specialize in the field of multiple sclerosis.

The admission requirements are fulfilled by

all MS professionals with a complete university degree in human medicine or another related university degree or
all MS health professions with an acompleted vocational training and with an additional academic Bachelor's or Master's degree in the fields of neurology, therapy, care in science or health professions.

The study objectives

Students of the DIU master's programme "Charcot Multiple Sclerosis Management" gain extensive knowledge of theoretical basics, clinical and diagnostic procedures, therapy and rehabilitation, monitoring and documentation as well as studies and statistics in the field of multiple sclerosis and other neuroimmunological diseases. You will be able to treat patients with chronic inflammatory neurological diseases in their individual clinical picture comprehensively and according to current scientific current scientific findings and thus improve their quality of life. After successful participation, the title "Master of Science" (M. Sc.) is awarded.

About the Dresden International University

The DIU is associated to the excellence university "Technical University Dresden" as an associated institute and acts as the university for continuing education of Technical University Dresden, the medical faculty "Carl Gustav Carus" and the University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus. For over 20 years, Dresden International University has specialised in the development and implementation of innovative, interdisciplinary and market-orientated continuing education programmes in the national and international field as a network university. 47 bachelor and master degree programmes from six different departments with over 2000 students are accredited at the Dresden International University.

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Target group

Physicians with advanced training in neurology
Advanced MS Nurses with academic background
Therapists with academic background
MS Scientists in clinic, science and practice
MS Professionals from the pharmaceutical industry
Biologists with professional MS Focus
Psychologists

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Module overview

Module 1

Theoretical Principles

Pathology

history
Inflammatory Demyelinating Diseases
Lesion pathology of early and relapsing MS
Pathology of progressive MS
Gray matter pathology
Neuronal and axonal damage in MS
Demyelination and Remyelination
Inflammation
Pathological differential diagnosis of MS ‐ PML ‐ IRIS
MRI / Pathology Correlates
Spinal cord optic nerve pathology

Pathophysiology

Genetics (Basic Genetics, GWAS, Immunogenetics, Twin Studies)
Epidemiology (Descripted E., Infections, Mirobiota, Vit.D; Pregnancy, Environment Interactions)
Immunology (Basic, Immune surveillance of the CNS, Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, Experimental models viral, Experimental models viral/autoimmune, T-cells, B-cells, Macrphages/Microglia, Mechanisms of immune mediated brain damage, Immunological biomarkers)

Neurobiology

Oligodendroglial cells and CNS myelination
demyelination and remyelination
Mechanisms of neuronal, axonal and synaptic pathology
The nodes of Ranvier during myelination, demyelination and repair
Experimental models of demyelination and to assess remyelination
Blood and CSF biomarkers for CNS damage

Journal Club

Practical workshop Pathogenesis and Pathology

Module 2

Clinical & Diagnostic Aspects

Symptoms

Sensory symptoms
Coordination and tremor
Optic neuritis, Brainstem syndromes, Oculomotor
Pain and paroxysmal disorders
Cerebellar
Motor symptoms
Symptoms in PPMS
Cognitive symptoms
Fatigue
Urinary symptoms
Sexual dysfunction
Psychiatric disorders
Mood disorders

Diagnosis and differential diagnosis

Current diagnostic criteria according to McDonald. Concept of exclusion diagnosis
Differential diagnosis: vasculotides, collagenoses and neurosarcoidosis
Differential diagnosis: Susac syndrome, CLIPPERS syndrome and other rare diagnoses
Differential diagnosis: Leukodystrophies
Differential diagnosis: neoplasms, special mention to lymphomas
Differential diagnosis: ADEM
Differential diagnosis: infections

Special forms

Pediatric MS: Epidemiology, Etiology, Diagnosis, Differential Diagnosis
NMO I: Neuromyelitis optica (NMO, Devic syndrome). Pathogenesis and lab diagnosis
NMO II: Neuromyelitis optica (NMO, Devic-Syndrom). Symptoms
MOG spectrum disorders
Journal Club

Diagnosis: CSF and blood test

Physiology of the CSF
CSF cytology
Protein analysis in CSF (immunoglobulins, MRZ reaction, UKB)
Importance of CSF in MS diagnostics and monitoring
Neurodestruction markers in the CSF
Biomarkers in serum: NFL (diagnosis, prognosis and monitoring) and others

Diagnosis: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

MS routine protocol
MRI pathology of multiple sclerosis: cerebral, orbital and spinal
Monitoring MS disease activity
MRI in clinical trials: logistics of a clinical research organization
Quantitative MRI: magnetization transfer and susceptibility-weighted imaging
Consensus MRT Guidelines MS (MAGNIMS)
Pharmacovigilance of MS under therapy
Quantitative MR imaging
MR proton spectroscopy
functional MRI
value of MRI in the assessment of progression
Basics of OCT examination
OCT as a progression and diagnostic marker in MS

Diagnosis: Neurophysiological examinations

Visual evoked potentials (VEP incl. mfVEP), auditory evoked potentials (AEP)
Motor evoked potentials (MEP), Somatosensitive evoked potentials (SSEP)
Neuropsychological Diagnostics I: Basics and Screening Procedures
Neuropsychological Diagnostics II: detailed neuropsychological diagnostics

Practical Part l I: Hands-On Units

Gait Analysis
Neuroophthalmology
CSF Diagnostics
Neurodestructive markers
Introduction to MRI
MRI differential diagnosis and monitoring
MRI for PML assessment
OCT
neurophysiological examinations
Urodynamics incl. neurourolog. Diagnostics
Neuropsychological testing

Practical Part II: 6 case conferences

Module 3

Studies & Statistics

Essential concepts of statistics

Clinical Studies

Statistical Introduction
Application Perspective

Real World Data

Practical part: Congress participation ECTRIMS

Congress Preliminary Meeting
Congress participation
Congress review

Tutorial

Module 4

Therapy I

Therapy strategies and goals

Introduction Module 4/Treatment Strategies and goals
Immunomodulation from the immunologist's point of view
DMD therapies in guidelines

Drug development in MS therapy

From animal models to MS therapy
Phase I-IV
Learning from failed trial

Therapy of the MS and NMO relapse

MS first line treatment

Interferon
Copaxone
Dimethyl fumarate
Teriflunomide

MS second line/escalation treatment

Natalizumab
S1P modulation
Alemtuzumab
Cladibrine
B- Cell depletion
Immunosuppressants incl. Mitoxantrone
Stem cell transplantation

Treatment of progressive MS

Treatment in PPMS and SPMS
Treatment of progressive MS in practice

NMO/MOGAD treatment

Treatment algorithms and specific treatment situations

Treatment decision: Shared decision relapse/immunotherapy
Safety issues with disease-modifying treatments
Initiation of disease-modifying therapy in RRMS
Treatment monitoring/MS treatment sequences/switch in RRMS
Treatment of paediatric MS
MS Treatment and infections
MS treatment and pregnancy
MS treatment and vaccination

Future and experimental therapeutic strategies

Personalized Therapy, Digital Twin, Precision medicine
Overview of future treatments in RRMS
Overview of future treatments in progressive MS
Perspectives on neuroprotection and remyelination

Active part I: Journal Clubs

Active part III: Case conferences

Module 5

Therapy II

Symptomatic Therapy

Introduction Guidelines, Symptoms
Gait Disordernon-pharmacologic treatment: robotics, virtual reality
Fatigue
cognitive disorder
Bladder / bowel
Sexuality
Ataxia and tremor
Pain
Depression

Hands On Units Symptomatic Therapy

Complementary Therapies for Multiple Sclerosis

Non invasive Neuromodulation

Neurobiological basis of brain plasticity

Rehabilitation and Patient Coaching

Rehabilitation and Patient Coaching
E-rehabilitation
Occupational therapy / vocational therapy
Shared decision Making
Assistive devices

Palliative medical aspects

Practical part I: Hospitation

Practical part II: 5 case conferences

Practical part III: Congress participation ECTRIMS

Journal Clubs

Tutorial

Module 6

Monitoring & Documentation

Clinical documentation incl. monitoring

Patient communication

MRI monitoring

Neuropsychological monitoring

Monitoring by eHealth devices

Patient reported outcomes

methodological aspects
scientific and clinical application

Socio-medical aspects

Health economic aspects

MS Register and Real World data collection

Networks and associations

Practical part I: Hospitation

Practice part II: 5 case conferences

Journal Club

Master's thesis

Master's Thesis

Master's Thesis

Master's thesis or scientific paper in a peer-reviewed or Pubmed-listed journal (thematic review, meta-analysis, original scientific paper)
topic is submitted by the student and finalized by the scientific director of the program

It is important to have a list of the MS centres that will be involved for students’ visits, probably we will need from 5 to 8 MS centres to accommodate 2/4 students.

Timetable for modules in MSM master's programme with indication of ECTS credits

Scientific Committee

Prof. Dr. med. Giancarlo Comi

Academic leadership of the Scientific Committee of the European Charcot MS Management Master in cooperation with Prof. Dr. Tjalf Ziemssen

President of the European Charcot Foundation

European Charcot Foundation Homepage

Prof. Dr. med. Tjalf Ziemssen

Scientific director of the course Multiple Sclerosis Management M. Sc.

in cooperation with Prof. Dr. Giancarlo Comi Academic Leadership of the Scientific Committee of the European Charcot MS Management Master

Specialist in neurology, senior consultant and deputy director of the neurological clinic and head of the multiple sclerosis center at the

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