Anthony Reder

Dr. Anthony Reder is a Professor of Neurology at the University of Chicago with over 30 years of research focus on multiple sclerosis (MS). His laboratory investigates CNS-immune system interactions and mechanisms of MS therapeutics, particularly interferon-beta. He has contributed to the development of numerous MS treatments including interferon-beta, glatiramer acetate, natalizumab, rituximab, and ocrelizumab.

• Active Principal Investigator on NIH-funded research (K24, K08 grants)
• Trained MS fellows including Adil Javed and Veronica Cipriani who now hold faculty positions
• Current clinical trials focus on neuromyelitis optica and progressive MS therapies

Dr. Reder's research centers on interferon signaling defects in progressive MS, biomarker discovery, and racial disparities in MS treatment outcomes. His lab demonstrated impaired interferon responses in progressive MS lymphocytes and identified vitamin D's synergistic effects with interferon therapy. Recent work examines immune responses to COVID-19 vaccination in MS patients and racial differences in ocrelizumab effectiveness through the CHIMES trial.

His 15 most recent publications reveal strong emphasis on progressive MS mechanisms, interferon pharmacology, racial health disparities, and B-cell depletion therapies. Key trends include biomarker validation for treatment response, real-world effectiveness studies in diverse populations, and molecular characterization of interferon resistance.

Dr. Reder has mentored numerous MS fellows funded by the National MS Society and collaborates extensively on clinical trials. His NIH-funded research has examined interferon mechanisms since the 1980s, including long-term follow-up of the original interferon-beta trial participants 21 years post-treatment.

He directs active laboratory research on MS immunopathogenesis and participates in multicenter clinical trials evaluating novel therapeutics for neuromyelitis optica and progressive MS forms.