NIHR Advanced Fellow and Senior Research Associate at the University of Cambridge; visiting research fellow at Clinical Outcomes Research Group, University of Melbourne; and Consultant Neurologist, specialising in multiple sclerosis and other neuroimmunological conditions.
 

Will leads the Personalised Treatments in Multiple Sclerosis group, and has experience in MRI and phase II/III clinical trials.
 

Working at Queen Square (London) with Declan Chard (Queen Square, London), he used MRI to demonstrate a periventricular MTR gradient in all types of MS [Brown et al Brain. 2017; Brown et al Mult Scler. 2020] which is strongly associated with clinical outcomes and can be modified by peripheral immunotherapy [Brown et al Mult Scler. 2019]. This likely reflects a new treatment target, meningeal inflammation [Pardini, Brown et al Brain 2021].
 

Will ran the CCMR-One remyelination trial with Alasdair Coles [Brown, Cunniffe et al Lancet Neurology. 2021] and identified new MRI outcome measures for future remyelination trials [Brown et al Ann Clin Trans Neurol, 2022].
 

His primary focus is now using Big Data to reduce disability in multiple sclerosis (see Personalised Treatments in MS page for current work). Collaborating closely with Tomas Kalincik, he has been extensively involved in proving the long-term benefits of high-efficacy therapy [Kalincik, Brown et al Lancet Neurology 2017], especially when used early [Brown et al JAMA 2019; He, Merkel, Brown et al Lancet Neurology 2020].

He now supervises 3 PhD students in the Personalised Treatments Group, is associate faculty at the Cambridge Centre for AI in Medicine

Courtney joined the Brown group as a CCMR PhD Student in 2023. Under the supervision of Will Brown, Alasdair Coles and Mihaela van der Schaar, she is using data from the MSBase international registry and machine learning tools to develop and implement individual prognostic and treatment effect prediction models. Her work is also interrogating the most appropriate treatment for people with MS that experience breakthrough disease after alemtuzumab and cladribine (in preparation).

Following undergraduate medical training in Nigeria, Gbenga undertook junior jobs and clinical fellowships in Cambridge, The Royal Brompton, Papworth and the eastern deanery. His research focuses on reducing healthcare inequalities, for which he has received national commendations and essay prizes.

Working with Will, Professor Carol Brayne CBE and Dr Nicole Thomas (Plymouth), he is the driving force behind MS-Equal, our pioneering project to (i) measure healthcare inequalities in people with MS and related disorders; (ii) to engage with under-served communities to understand the underlying reasons; and (iii) to design and implement a suite of measures to improve them. Gbenga is also heavily involved in our MRI research.

Jacky is clinical research manager for the Personalised Treatments group.  She oversees multiple projects across 12 trusts seeking to improve the collection and clinical use of data in for more than 20,000 people with multiple sclerosis. She is also overseeing contact with each person to ensure they have the opportunity for participation in research.
 

Jacky was previously employed as a practice manager in General Practice for many years, including work in research.  More recently, she has worked in secondary care across multiple departments including the Overseas patients office and as Directorate Support Manager in Imaging.

Maria Sanfilippo is a clinical research administrator specialised in multiple sclerosis (MS) research. She is known for her positive attitude and energy, and previously started to work for NHS in a different environment, with many years of experience in diary management and department organisation.
 

Maria completed her studies in Italy and then travelled a lot around the world where she gained the great people skills and the capability to easily fit in any environment.

Outside of work she is a mother of two and a very active person, social and hands on with a passion for travel and cooking.
 

Maria is very proud to be part of the Brown group, where she can be part of life changing research specialised in picking the right treatment for the right patient at the right time.
 

It’s a privilege to be in a journey where you can make people’s life better.

Nosson Almeida is a Clinical Research Administrator in the Personalised Treatments MS group with expertise in data management and analysis. He has a background in Business Administration.

The main job role includes data analytics in translating clinical data into actionable insights, thereby contributing to the advancement of innovative treatments and therapies. He has been working in Addenbrookes since 2023.

Coming soon

Coming soon

Alasdair has worked in Cambridge since 1994, when he started his PhD with Alastair Compston. Professor of Clinical Neuroimmunology since 2014. Originally he worked on alemtuzumab, and now is focused on remyelinating therapies.

Cyrus joined the Brown group as an NIHR Academic Clinical Fellow in 2022. Under the supervision of Will Brown, Alasdair Coles and Tomas Kalincik, he used data from the MSBase international registry to demonstrate that even non-disabling relapses are associated with an increased risk of future disability accumulation in MS (Daruwalla et al. Mult Scler. 2023), calling into question European guidelines which restrict the use of certain treatments to only those with disabling relapses.

His next projects will build on this by analysing large clinical and MRI datasets to help optimise and individualise treatment strategies to reduce disability accumulation in MS.

With 18 years of nursing experience, including a decade with the NHS, Daniela Maria Oliveira Soares Regua has dedicated herself to outstanding patient care and fostering collaborative team environments.  Her extensive experience with over 20 multiple sclerosis treatments has sparked a deep interest in personalised therapies for MS.

Aspiring to be Cambridge’s first academic neuroscience nurse, Daniela started an MPhil in Clinical Neuroscience and plans to progress to a PhD. She has developed a compelling research plan within the Cambridge Clinical MS Research Group, focusing on treatment discontinuation and de-escalation, supported by leading experts in causal inference and trial emulation.

Toni Bray has worked in lab support and management roles across oncology, cardiovascular, and regenerative biology research in Cambridge since 2012.

Recently completing a BSc in Natural Science while raising two children, she now supports the Personalised Treatment and Remyelination projects at the Cambridge Clinical MS Research group, contributing her practical and administrative experience to research in multiple sclerosis.

Sam Grant is a clinical administrator specializing in multiple sclerosis (MS) research, with a diverse background in healthcare. Prior to transitioning into MS research, Sam worked extensively within the NHS, gaining valuable experience in both maternity services and community health. This broad foundation in patient-centered care has given Sam a unique perspective on the importance of holistic approaches to health and well-being.
 

Outside of work, Sam is a proud mum to one teenager and enjoys walking her dog, staying active, and competing in HYROX fitness events alongside her husband. A strong advocate for health and well-being, Sam balances her professional and personal life with a passion for fitness, always striving for new challenges and personal growth.
 

Sam is a proud member of the Brown team, and deeply values the collaborative research they conduct together, working towards groundbreaking advancements in MS Therapies.

Debbie Morrall is a Clinical Research Administrator for the Personalised Treatments group.

Debbie has worked for 18 years at Addenbrooke's Hospital, 15 of these as the Admin Lead for the MRI Department.  During this time she has gained in-depth knowledge of MRI procedures, which has proved valuable in the move over to multiple sclerosis research.

Outside of work, Debbie spends the majority of her time with her dogs and looking after those of friends and family when they are away.

Keith Logan is an experienced manager and has had a long career in people and management development in a variety of sectors. During the Covid- 19 pandemic, Keith took up the challenge of being a community vaccinator for two years. He then gained experience working in Healthcare within North West Anglia NHS FT in a busy outpatients department before moving into Radio Diagnosis as a Medical Imaging assistant. He remains an NHS Reservist and supports wards and specialist clinics at weekends.
 

Now part of a dynamic team researching Multiple Sclerosis at Cambridge University Hospitals, he is always seeking new avenues of learning and enjoys being able to be innovative and creative in his approach.
 

Keith has an active interest in Military History and is a life long supporter of Harlequins Rugby Football Club. He enjoys spending time with his family and playing with his four Grandchildren.