SOUTHFIELD – Jeffery Kocsis has been named to receive the da Vinci Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Michigan Chapter for his work with new treatment strategies for people with MS.
Kocsis received his Ph.D. in 1976 from Wayne State University and has a long history of research and publications on transplantation-based approaches for protecting and repairing nerve functions in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients.
In multiple sclerosis, an immune attack is launched against the central nervous system, damaging nerve-insulating myelin and nerve fibers (axons) in the brain and spinal cord. These interrupted connections create a myriad of problems with vision, mobility and stamina. Kocsis and his team from the Yale University School of Medicine have shown that injecting cells that form myelin including human bone marrow stem cells directly into the brain or spinal cord, or intravenously can repair myelin damage in rats. They hope to translate those findings into similarly effective treatment for humans.
Recipients of the da Vinci Lifetime Achievement Award have dedicated their careers to resolving the issues faced by people with disabilities and disabling diseases like multiple sclerosis.
The 2008 da Vinci Awards, presented by the UAW-GM, will be held September 20 at The Ritz-Carlton in Dearborn. The gala event (black tie optional) features a cocktail reception, gourmet dinner, entertainment, awards program and an afterglow with the da Vinci Awardees.
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