NEW YORK , NY, UNITED STATES, March 11, 2026 — The International Multiple Sclerosis Management Practice (IMSMP) and its affiliated research institution, the Tisch Multiple Sclerosis Research Center of New York (Tisch MSRCNY), are celebrating the 20th anniversary of their pioneering multiple sclerosis research and clinical hub. The unified model of laboratory research and patient care is found nowhere else in the world, and offers a powerful model for treating specialized diseases effectively.
The Centers’ joint inception defies the odds, but the power of seamless interaction between doctors and scientists has helped it grow beyond early expectations.
“I didn’t have a lawyer; I signed a post-it note,” recalls Dr. Saud A. Sadiq, founder and director of the organizations. “Running a fully functioning laboratory in the middle of the city was unheard-of.”
Sadiq took risks: when more space became available in the same building after IMSMP’s 2006 opening, he signed an expanded lease without hesitation—even though the necessary remodeling would take years. His vision came to fruition in what is now an 80,000 square foot complex with an on-site animal research facility, dedicated regenerative medicine laboratory, expansive infusion area, in-house MRI suite, and innovative patient resources for rehabilitation like demo kitchens and mock living spaces.
The co-located, independent model demonstrates that when physicians and scientists collaborate daily, they can give patients access to the most innovative treatments available. The clinical practice has now provided care to more than 4,500 patients from 31 countries, and focuses on personalized, whole-patient care. With over 80 full-time staff members solely dedicated to MS, IMSMP is peerless in its specialized approach.
The research arm also benefits from this configuration. “We kept what worked from academia and hospital research settings—grand rounds, conference presentations, mentoring—and made it more focused and effective,” says Dr. Violaine Harris, Associate Director of Research. “It’s incredible to see an independent facility run with the same rigor and impact as a leading university.”
Today, Tisch MSRCNY is home to 23 full-time researchers and has trained more than 140 early-career scientists through its research assistantship program. Key MS breakthroughs have come from the Center, including the first-ever FDA approved phase I and II clinical trials focusing on the use of stem cells to treat disability in progressive MS. Tisch MSRCNY scientists also developed the world’s first animal model specific to primary progressive MS (PPMS), and the first MS patient-specific cerebral organoids—miniature, 3D brains and spinal cords that are grown in the lab from a patient’s own cells.
“I am proud that Tisch MSRCNY and IMSMP have been on the cutting edge of MS research and clinical care for twenty years,” says Sadiq. “And yet, I am eager to see our ultimate goal realized—to change the lives of MS patients and future generations by identifying the cause of, and a cure for, this disease.”
March is MS Awareness Month, a nationwide campaign raising awareness about the chronic disease that affects 2.9 million people worldwide. IMSMP and Tisch MSRCNY serve as an example of the laboratory and clinical synergy essential to advancing specialized care.
