Jerry Lin, BA

Jerry Lin has collaborated with Dr. Sadiq since 1996, where he worked as a research assistant at Columbia University Presbyterian Hospital under Dr. Sadiq and Dr. Norman Latov. As a research associate, he helped establish Dr. Sadiq’s research program at the MS Research & Treatment Center at Roosevelt Hospital from 1998-2006, and subsequently as a senior staff associate at the MSRCNY (now the Tisch MSRCNY) from 2006 to present. His motivation for continual research lies in his strong work ethic and understanding that Dr. Sadiq cultivates a unique and collaborative environment at the Center. Mr. Lin is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University with a BA in Chemistry. 

Lin is actively working towards discovering the cause of MS. His research is based on the finding that over 90% of MS patients have oligoclonal bands- antibodies that identify and aid in the removal of foreign antigens such as viruses and bacteria- in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Lin believes that finding the targets of these antibodies may lead us to the cause of the disease. Lin and his team have developed the techniques to successfully isolate clonally expanded and persistent B-cells from the CSF of MS patients. Using recombinant technology, they were able to identify, sequence, and mass produce antibodies from B-cell clones from individual MS patients. Importantly, they have been able to identify a foreign antigen recognized by B-cell clones from an early primary progressive MS patient. Investigation of this common antigen as a possible autoimmune trigger in MS is ongoing. Jerry Lin is also working to establish appropriate risk assessment tools to predict the development of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) in natalizumab-treated MS patients through generating several tools to detect the presence of John Cunningham virus (JCV), the causative agent of PML (Click here to read more). His extensive research reflects his enthusiasm and dedication to not only pursuing a cure for multiple sclerosis but to the Center itself.

Jerry Lin works with research assistant Jiayuan Liu (BA from Cornell University).