Accelerated Cure Project

The Accelerated Cure Project is dedicated to determining the causes and accelerating research into finding the cures for NMO, MS, TM, ADEM, and ON.  One of ACP’s primary initiatives is the building of a repository of blood samples and data from people with these disorders.  There are currently 2,101 subjects enrolled in the repository.  Samples are distributed to researchers studying the causes of these diseases, thereby accelerating research.  The repository provides a common population of samples useful for a wide variety of studies that enables results from different research perspectives to be easily combined and correlated. The repository contains various types of samples and data that can support scientists working in many fields, such as genetics, nutrition, virology, and more. Researchers gaining access to the repository must return their results to the database to be shared with other researchers; this allows for cross-correlation of their results with all other studies performed using the same samples.

While samples continue to come into the repository through increased enrollment, they also continue to be distributed in support of research into the causes of MS, TM, NMO, ADEM, and ON.  You can learn more about the research being supported by the Accelerated Cure Project repository samples and data by visiting: www.acceleratedcure.org/repository/research.php

In addition to expanding the breadth of the repository through greater collection site access, ACP is also expanding the depth of it through the collection of updated data and samples from already enrolled participants.  One of the particularly valuable aspects of the ACP repository is that it is a longitudinal study, meaning that participants are asked to return over the course of their lifetime for follow-up visits.  These visits allow for the collection of updated health information, replenishment of blood samples, and provide the opportunity to ask new questions on topics that were not addressed during the first visit.  Having participants return for follow-up visits means that ACP can provide valuable samples and data to researchers in support of the study of disease course, the impact of medications on progression, among other critical areas.

If you are a repository participant with a demyelinating disease and you enrolled more than a year ago into the repository, you may be getting a phone call or postcard soon asking you to return and continue your involvement.  Your continued involvement enhances the value of the repository and accelerates research into the causes of ADEM, MS, NMO, ON and TM.

ACP, in partnership with the Guthy-Jackson Charitable Foundation, is seeking to enroll people with NMO into our repository.  If you have been diagnosed with NMO and have not already enrolled in the ACP repository, we welcome your participation.  Participation consists of a blood draw and an interview.  This is not a treatment study.  There are no drugs involved.  If you do not live in close proximity to a collection site, funds may be available to offset travel expenses.  Additionally, if you are unable to travel to one of ACP’s collection sites, a nurse may be available to travel to your home or office to conduct the study visit on location.  If you have been diagnosed with NMO, have not previously participated in the ACP repository, and have an interest in learning more, please contact the repository director as soon as possible for more information. 

We also continue to enroll new subjects at all of our collection sites.  To learn more about participating in the repository, contact the study coordinator at the site of interest; call ACP’s repository director, Sara Loud, at (781)487-0032, or visit the repository section of the ACP website at www.acceleratedcure.org/repository. 

Repository Collection Sites

University of Massachusetts Medical School
Multiple Sclerosis Center
Memorial Campus, 119 Belmont St
Jacquith Ground
Worcester, MA 01605
Janice Weaver (Study Coordinator)
508-793-6562 
weaveJ01@ummhc.org

Johns Hopkins
600 North Wolfe Street
Pathology #627
Baltimore, MD 21287
Gita Byraiah (Study Coordinator)
410-502-6160
gbyraia1@jhmi.edu

Multiple Sclerosis Clinical Center University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas
5323 Harry Hines Blvd.
Dallas, TX 76051
Devetta Acklin (Study Coordinator - ALL)
Devetta.Acklin@UTSouthwestern.edu
Martha Mann (Study Coordinator - NMO only)
Martha.Mann@UTSouthwestern.edu
214-645-0543

Shepherd Center, Inc.
2020 Peachtree Road NW
Atlanta, GA 30309
Elizabeth Iski (Study Coordinator)
Elizabeth_Iski@shepherd.org
Erica Sutton (Study Coordinator)
Erica_Sutton@shepherd.org
404-350-3116

The International Multiple Sclerosis Management Practice
Multiple Sclerosis Research Center of New York
521 West 57th Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10019
Lauren Puccio (Study Coordinator)
646-557-3856
lpuccio@imsmp.org
Joseph Ho (Study Coordinator)
646-557-3860
jho@imsmp.org

Barrow Neurological Institute
500 W. Thomas Road, Suite 710
Phoeniz, AZ 85013
Breanna Bullock (Study Coordinator)
602-406-6211
breanna.bullock@chw.edu

The Ohio State University Medical Center
1654 Upham Drive, 445 Means Hall
Columbus, OH 43210-1228
Jamie McGowan (Study Coordinator)
614-247-6856
Jamie.McGowan@osumc.edu

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
330 Brookline Ave KS 211
Boston, MA 02215
Sarah Konkel (Study Coordinator)
617-667-3726
skonkel@bidmc.harvard.edu

University of Colorado Denver
Care and Research, Neurology Department
12631 East 17th Avenue,
Mail Stop B 182
Aurora CO 80045
Sydni Edwards (Study Coordinator)
303-724-2197
Sydni.Edwards@ucdenver.edu

Stanford University
Neurology Clinic
300 Pasteur Dr A301 MC 5325 Stanford, CA 94305
Daniel Lebus (Study Coordinator)
650-723-3657
dklebus@stanford.edu