Misha Pless, MD, BAS

The Guest Editor of this issue of Seminars in Neurology is Dr. Misha Pless.

Dr. Pless is Professor and Director of the Multiple Sclerosis Division at the Hospital of the Canton of Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland, and until recently was Associate Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He received his Bachelor of Applied Science degree in chemistry and history from Stanford University in Stanford, California, and his MD from Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia. He did his internship in internal medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, followed by his neurology residency at Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital. After his fellowship in neuro-ophthalmology at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, he moved to the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, rising to the position of Associate Professor of Neurology, Ophthalmology and Neurosurgery, until taking on his position at Harvard in 2006. In 2011, he immigrated to his native Switzerland to become Head of Neurology at Triemli Hospital in Zurich, later moving to the Hospital of the Canton of Lucerne in Lucerne, where he now resides.

Dr. Pless is a renowned authority on multiple sclerosis (MS) and neuro-ophthalmology, and is particularly known for his research in optic nerve axonal survival in MS, visual function outcome analyses after pituitary tumor decompression, outcome analyses in medical versus surgical treatment of pseudotumor cerebri, and oral immunotherapy in MS. He is a gifted lecturer both nationally and internationally, but is also a beloved teacher and practitioner. I had the great pleasure of working with Misha at Massachusetts General Hospital, and personally benefitted on many occasions from his wisdom, teaching, and friendship. He is truly a unique academic neurologist!

We greatly appreciate the efforts of Dr. Pless and thank all of the contributing authors for their great work in this issue of Seminars, which provides a comprehensive review of MS, detailing new diagnostic and therapeutic options—all part of the amazing progress that has been made in this field. I hope that you enjoy this fantastic issue as much as I did!