Dr. Carmen Espejo, researcher of the Clinical Neuroimmunology group at Vall d’Hebron Institute of Research (VHIR) and the "http://cem-cat.org/" Catalan center of Multiple Sclerosis (Cemcat), has been awarded with one of the 7 grants of the Marck Serono Research prize 2014 for the project “Bone morphogenetic proteins as possible biomarkers in multiple sclerosis: expression in injuries and cerebrospinal fluid in patients with multiple sclerosis”, endowed with 25,000€. Bone morphogenetic proteins are thought to inhibit the precursor cells of the oligodendrocytes and differentiate into myelin oligodendrocytes, which are the responsible of creating the substance –myelin– that cover the neurons to enhance the quickly and efficient transmission of the impulses. As multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory and demyelianating disease of the nervous system, Dr. Espejo aims to investigate whether these proteins can be diagnostic and/or prognostic biomarkers of multiple sclerosis.According to Dr. Espejo, “to dispose of such biomarkers is crucial because doctors would select the most effective treatment for each patient”. In other words, patients would receive the treatment with a greater prospect of success and that slow down as much as possible the development of the disease, taking into account the lack of a curative treatment on multiple sclerosis. The "http://www.fundacionsalud2000.com/ayudas_merck_serono_investigacion/81" Salud 2000 Foundation awarded 7 projects with a total amount of 175,000€ in the ceremony hosted in the National Academy of Medicine in Madrid, in which participated the responsible of the public health care system in Madrid, Francisco Javier Rodríguez, and the director of Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Antoni Andreu.