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The Maryland Center for Multiple Sclerosis

Physicians and Staff

Horea Rus, M.D.

Dr. Rus is an Associate Professor with the Department of Neurology at the University of Maryland Medical School. He specializes in the diagnosis and management of multiple sclerosis. He sees patients one day a week as well as runs a research laboratory. Dr. Rus also paticipate and direct clinical trials in investigating new drug therapies for Multiple Sclerosis. Dr. Rus research is funded by the National Institute of Health, Veterans Administration and National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Dr. Rus’s specific laboratory research lies in understanding the mechanisms of oligodendrocyte cell death through a process called apoptosis. Oligodendorcytes are special cells in the brain that make myelin. Myelin is wrapped around nerve fibers and helps increase the speed of nerve transmission. It is felt that injury or death of oligodendrocytes contributes to the MS disease process. In MS there are periods of time when the disease is most active. The hallmark of active MS is inflammation. During the active, inflammatory phase of multiple sclerosis, oligodendrocytes undergo apoptosis (or cell death). There are less oligodendrocytes therefore less ability to make myelin. This can contribute to the demyelinating process and the accumulation of disability.

In Dr. Rus’s lab, he and his colleagues have shown that proteins once thought to only contribute to the destructive process in MS also may contribute to the prevention of oligodendrocyte death. Dr. Rus and his colleagues recently discovered and produced a new protein involved in activation of cell cycle in oligodendrocytes. They are now searching for ways to introduce these new findings into potential treatments for MS.

Dr. Rus sees patients in the Neurology Ambulatory Center on Tuesday afternoons. To make an appointment please call 410-328-5858.

Administrative Office Address: Patient Appointment Address:
Maryland Center for MS
11 South Paca St., 4th floor
Baltimore, MD 21201
Phone 410-328-5605
Fax 410-328-5425 		Neurology Ambulatory Center
16 South Eutaw Street, 3rd floor
Baltimore, MD 21201
Phone 410-328-5858
Fax 410-328-1149

Education and Training:
1980

University of Medicine and Pharmacy,    M.D.
Cluj-Napoca, Romania
1992

 University of Medicine and Pharmacy,     Ph.D.
Cluj-Napoca, Romania
1980-1985


Internal Medicine,
Medical Clinic nr. 1
Cluj-Napoca, Romania
1985-1988

 Clinical Pathology, Immunology and Microbiology
Cantacuzino Institute Bucharest, Romania
1999-2002



 1999-2002 Resident in Neurology,
University of Maryland School of Medicine,
Department of Neurology,
Baltimore, MD
2002-2003



 2002-2003 Fellow, Neuroimmunology,
University of Maryland School of Medicine,
Department of Neurology
Baltimore, MD
 
Certifications
Licensed in Maryland- US
American Board Of Neurology
 
Current Appointments
1995-2003

 Assistant Professor in Pathology,
University of Maryland School of Medicine
2003-2007

Assistant Professor in Neurology,
University of Maryland School of Medicine
2007- present Associate Professor of Neurology

Selected publications and invited reviews (out of 99 published papers)

  1. Soane, L., Rus, H., Niculescu, F., and Shin, M.L.: Inhibition of oligodendrocyte apoptosis by C5b-9 is associated with enhanced synthesis of Bcl-2 and mediated by inhibition of caspase-3 activation. J. Immunol. 163:6132-6138, 1999.

  2. Soane, L., Cho, H.J., Niculescu, F. Rus, H., and Shin, M.L. : C5b-9 terminal complement complex protects oligodendrocyte from death by regulating BAD through PI-3 kinase/Akt pathway.J. Immunol. 167: 2305-2311, 2001.

  3. Rus, H. and Niculescu, F., Role of complement system in central nervous systems disease. Immunol. Res. 24, 79-86, 2001 (invited review).

  4. Weerth S., Rus, H., Shin, M.L, and Raine, C.S.: Complement C5 in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis facilitates remyelination and prevents gliosis. Am. J. Pathol. 2003, 163, 1069-1080

  5. Niculescu T., Weerth, S., Niculescu F., Cudric, C.,Rus, V., Raine, CS., Shin, M.L.and Rus, H. Effectof complement C5 on apoptosis in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. J. Immunol. 2004, 172, 5702-5707.

  6. Rus H, Pardo CA, Hu L, Darrah E, Cudrici C, Niculescu T, Niculescu F, Mullen KM, Allie R, Guo L, Wulff H, Beeton C, Judge SI, Kerr DA, Knaus HG, Chandy KG, Calabresi PA.The voltage-gated potassium channel Kv1.3 is highly expressed on inflammatory infiltrates in multiple sclerosis brain. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2005;102:11094-11099.

  7. Cudrici C, Niculescu F, Jansen T, Zafranskaia K, Fosbrink M, Rus, V, Shin, ML, and Rus H. C5b-9 terminal complex protects oligodendrocytes from apoptotic cell death by inhibiting caspase-8 Processing and Up-Regulating FLIP. J. Immunol. 2006; 176: 3173 -3180.

  8. Cudrici C, Niculescu T, Niculescu F , Shin ML, Rus H. Oligodendrocyte cell death in pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis. J Rehabil Res Dev. 2006, 43: 123-132.

  9. Fosbrink, M, Niculescu, F, Rus V, Shin ML, Rus, H. C5b-9-induced endothelial cell proliferation and migration are dependent on Akt inactivation of forkhead transcription factor FOXO1. J Biol Chem. 2006, 281:19009-19018.

  10. Rus, H, Cudrici, C, David, S., Niculescu, F., The complement system in central nervous system diseases. Autoimmunity, 2006, 39, 395-402 (invited review).

  11. Rus, H, Cudrici, C, Niculescu, F, Shin, M.L. Complement system in autoimmune demyelination: Dual role in neuroinflammation and neuroprotection. J. Neuroimmunol. 2006, 180, 9-16 (invited review).

  12. Cudrici, C, Ito, T, Zafranskaia, E, Niculescu, F, Mullen, K, M, Vlaicu, S, Judge, S, Calabresi P. A Rus, H. Dendritic cells are abundant in non-lesional gray matter in multiple sclerosis. Exp. Mol. Pathol. 2007, 83, 198-206.

Clinical Trials

  1. Rituximab in MS- Genentech
  2. Copaxone high vs. low dose in RRMS- TEVA
  3. CombiRX- Avonex and Copaxone in MS
  4. Fingolimod in MS- Novartis

This page was last updated on: September 17, 2007.

For more information about the Maryland Center for Multiple Sclerosis,
please call 410-328-5605.