Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the CNS with demyelination and neuronal damage and is the most common cause of neurological disability in young adults. In 2021, roughly 784,000 Americans were living with MS. A characteristic feature of MS is the increased intrathecal synthesis of IgG, and the presence of oligoclonal bands in the brain and CSF. Current laboratory diagnosis of MS relies on an invasive spinal tap procedure to demonstrate elevation of total IgG levels and the presence of oligoclonal bands in the CSF. Dr. Xiaoli Yu and a team of researchers in the department of Neurosurgery have developed a novel blood-based, rather than CSF-based, screening method for the detection of serum IgG1 and IgG3 subclasses in MS. Identification of these biomarkers in the serum rather than CNS is a less invasive and more cost-effective means for diagnosing MS in patients.