Seronegative CNS Demyelination — Help Solve a Diagnostic Puzzle

Project Title: Characterising Seronegative CNS Demyelination — Building a Clinical Registry The Opportunity: Seronegative CNS demyelination affects patients with inflammatory brain, spinal cord, or optic nerve disease who test negative for multiple sclerosis (MS) and both AQP4‑IgG and MOG‑IgG — the two antibodies typically used to diagnose neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) and myelin oligodendrocyte antibody associated disease (MOGAD). Because most research effort has gone into multiple sclerosis and seropositive disease, this seronegative group remains poorly understood, leaving clinicians and patients with real diagnostic and treatment uncertainty. This project offers a student the chance to help close that gap by building a structured clinical registry — the foundation for future biomarker discovery in an under-studied but clinically important condition. What You'll Be Doing: - Characterising clinical, radiological, and laboratory features of seronegative CNS demyelination - Analysing relapse rates, disability progression, and treatment response - Identifying predictors of prognosis and healthcare utilisation - Contributing to a well-phenotyped cohort that will underpin future ethically approved biomarker studies Why This Project: - Work on a genuine, underexplored gap in neuroimmunology - Gain hands-on experience in clinical data collection, cohort characterisation, and registry design - Contribute to research with direct translational relevance to patient diagnosis and care - Suited to students interested in neurology, immunology, or clinical research methodology Who We're Looking For: Medical or university students with an interest in neurology/neuroimmunology, attention to detail for clinical data work, and enthusiasm for contributing to a foundational research resource. No prior registry experience required — training and supervision provided.