Phone number: 503-220-8262 ext.54394

Sonemany “Soom” Salinthone, Ph.D., is an associate professor of neurology, School of Medicine, OHSU. Dr. Salinthone received her graduate degree at the University of Nevada School of Medicine in 2006. She completed her post-doctoral training at OHSU and the VA Portland Health Care System. In 2010, she was appointed assistant professor of neurology, School of Medicine, OHSU.

Dr. Salinthone’s research is focused on the pathogenesis and treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS), specifically the use of an antioxidant called lipoic acid (LA) as an alternative and/or complementary therapy for successful treatment of MS. LA is approved in Germany as a drug for the treatment of polyneuropathies and liver disease. A small LA trial recently demonstrated therapeutic efficacy in progressive MS (PMS) patients; LA reduces brain atrophy in secondary progressive MS subjects by an annualized rate of 68%. LA is thought to have anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties, but the mechanisms of action (MOA) of LA are not well understood, limiting the ability to predict its efficacy or safety as a primary or co-therapy in MS. Dr. Salinthone’s current project is to expand on the discoveries she has made to better understand the MOA of LA. The study has three goals:

1) Determine the effects and associated MOA(s) of LA on human monocyte/macrophages, microglia, neurons and oligodendrocytes, cells that are implicated in the pathogenesis of MS.

2) Determine if LA treatment enhances blood brain barrier (BBB) integrity and the mechanisms that mediate these responses.

3) Determine the in vivo effects of LA in a specialized EAE model that develops cortical lesions.