Senior Scientist, Neuroscience
Ottawa Hospital Research Institute

Professor of Medicine, Neurology
University of Ottawa

Director, Multiple Sclerosis Research Unit, Neurology
Ottawa Hospital-General Campus

Dr. Freedman is currently professor of medicine in the field of neurology at the University of Ottawa, as well as director of the Multiple Sclerosis Research Unit at the Ottawa Hospital, General Campus and a Senior Scientist at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute. A graduate of the University of Toronto, Dr. Freedman holds his Masters Degree in Molecular Neurochemistry and continued his postgraduate work specializing in neurology and neuroimmunology. His specialized training took him to the Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel; The National Hospital, Queen Square, London UK, as well as the Montreal Neurological Institute, where he subsequently was an Assistant Professor. He holds his specialist certification in Quebec CSPQ and all of Canada FRCP(C) and is a Fellow of both the American Neurological Association (FANA) and the American Academy of Neurology (FAAN).

Dr. Freedman has published over 250 pieces, including articles, books, book chapters and abstracts and has been invited to give hundreds of lectures and presentations nationally and internationally. His extensive research includes the area of molecular neurochemistry, cellular immunology, neuroimmunology and clinical studies in MS. He is currently holding peer reviewed and industry related funding for translational research investigating immune mechanisms of damage in multiple sclerosis, with particular interest in the role of gamma-delta T-cells. He is also the lead investigator in the Canadian Bone Marrow Transplant Study in MS and co-chair of the International Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation Study Group.

Dr. Freedman has over 25 years of experience in the management of patients with multiple sclerosis and has been the principal investigator on numerous clinical trials with new therapeutic agents for MS. He has experience from serving on several research study steering committees as well as data safety monitoring boards. He serves on the editorial boards for several journals including the Multiple Sclerosis Journal. He has also served on several national and international committees and is currently the Treasurer of the Americas Committee for Treatment and Research in MS (ACTRIMS).

Atkins H, Bowman M, Allan D, Anstee G, Arnold DL, Bar-Or A, Bence-Bruckler I, Birch P, Bredeson C, Chen J, Fergusson D, Halpenny H, Hamelin L, Huebsch L, Hutton B, Laneuville P, Lapierre Y, Lee H, Martin L, McDiarmid S, O’Connor P, Ramsay T, Sabloff M, Walker L, and MS Freedman. Immunoablation and Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Rescue Arrests All Measurable Inflammatory Activity and Facilitates Lasting Recovery in Aggressive Multiple Sclerosis. The Lancet 2016 Aug 6;388(10044):576-85.

Lublin F, Miller DH, Freedman MS, Cree BA, Wolinsky JS, Weiner H, Lubetzki C, Hartung HP, Montalban X, Uitdehaag BM, Merschhemke M, Li B, Putzki N, Liu FC, Häring DA, Kappos L; INFORMS study investigators.  Oral fingolimod in primary progressive multiple sclerosis (INFORMS): a phase 3, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.  Lancet. 2016 Mar 12;387(10023):1075-84

O'Connor P, Comi G, Freedman MS, Miller AE, Kappos L, Bouchard JP, Lebrun-Frenay C, Mares J, Benamor M, Thangavelu K, Liang J, Truffinet P, Lawson VJ, Wolinsky JS; Teriflunomide Multiple Sclerosis Oral (TEMSO) Trial Group and the MRI-AC in Houston, Texas; Teriflunomide Multiple Sclerosis Oral TEMSO Trial Group and the MRI-AC in Houston Texas. Long-term safety and efficacy of teriflunomide: Nine-year follow-up of the randomized TEMSO study.  Neurology. 2016 Mar 8;86(10):920-30

Freedman MS.  Are we in need of NEDA?  Mult Scler. 2016 Jan;22(1):5-6

D'Ambrosio D, Freedman MS, Prinz J. Ponesimod, a selective S1P1 receptor modulator: a potential treatment for multiple sclerosis and other immune-mediated diseases.  Ther Adv Chronic Dis. 2016 Jan;7(1):18-33

Comi G, Freedman MS, Kappos L, Olsson TP, Miller AE, Wolinsky JS, O'Connor PW, Benamor M, Dukovic D, Truffinet P, Leist TP. Pooled safety and tolerability data from four placebo-controlled teriflunomide studies and extensions. Mult Scler Relat Disord. 2016 Jan;5:97-104
 
Freedman MS. Defining the standards of multiple sclerosis research. Clinical Trends in Neurology. 1:20-24. June 2005.

Cell therapy; Clinical research; Clinical trials; Regenerative medicine