Home-based activity tracking to predict MS progression and support trials
Official title: Home-based actigraphy to predict disability progression and enhance clinical trials in multiple sclerosis
Funded at Johns Hopkins University · NIH-11364059 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study using wearable activity trackers to help predict disability progression in people with progressive multiple sclerosis and make clinical trials more efficient.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | September 7, 2020 |
| Project end | April 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $777,492 |
| NIH project number | 2R01NR018851-06A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11364059 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with progressive MS or at risk of progression who can wear a wrist accelerometer and participate in regular imaging and clinical assessments.
✕Less likely to help
People who cannot participate in long-term follow-up or cannot wear a device may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project follows people with progressive MS who wear wrist devices to monitor sleep, activity, and circadian rhythms, alongside regular disability exams and brain imaging. Researchers will refine models that link accelerometer data and new gait/arm movement measures to future disability progression, and test whether a commercial tracker can provide scalable, clinical-grade insights. The team will use advanced brain and retinal imaging to connect physical activity patterns with tissue changes over about two years. The goal is to improve prediction of progression and enhance the design and efficiency of phase 3 trials for neuroprotective therapies. A Johns Hopkins team led by Ellen M. Mowry will integrate these data to build practical, predictive models for clinical use.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients and clinicians could have better tools to anticipate progression and design smarter, faster trials for new MS treatments.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research shows accelerometer patterns relate to MS progression, with growing evidence that sleep and movement metrics can predict tissue loss.
Where this research is happening
-
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mowry, Ellen M. — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Mowry, Ellen M.
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.