Walter Royal

Dr. Walter Royal is an Adjunct Professor of Neurology and Anatomy and Neurobiology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. He serves as Director of the Department of Neurology's Program in Neuroimmunology, Director of the Center for Multiple Sclerosis Treatment and Research, and Associate Director for Research at the Veterans Administration Multiple Sclerosis Center of Excellence – East.

Dr. Royal's clinical expertise includes multiple sclerosis, neurosarcoidosis, and other CNS inflammatory/infectious disorders. His research examines disease risk and progression mechanisms in MS, neurosarcoidosis, and HIV-related neurological conditions, focusing on environmental/dietary factors and virological pathways.

Key research areas include:

• Environmental triggers for CNS inflammation
• Immune-virology interactions in neuro-AIDS
• Mechanisms of neurodegeneration in transgenic models
• Vitamin A/D metabolism in autoimmune diseases
• Drug trials for neurosarcoidosis and MS

His recent publications highlight studies on:

• Monocyte activation and cognition in Nigerian HIV cohorts
• Cigarette smoke-induced oxidative stress in animal models
• Immune tolerance engineering via polyelectrolyte layers
• Vitamin D-regulated T cell responses in MS
• Morphine's impact on retinoid receptor signaling

Dr. Royal's work is supported by NIH, VA, National MS Society, and private industry. He has served on advisory committees for NIH, VA, FDA, and pharmaceutical firms.