Prof. Thomas Berger

Prof. Thomas Berger is the Head of the Department of Neurology at the Medical University of Vienna and one of Europe's most internationally recognised specialists in multiple sclerosis (MS) and neuroinflammatory diseases. Appointed to the professorial chair of neurology at one of Europe's oldest and most esteemed medical universities, he has dedicated more than 28 years to the clinical management of MS and to translational research that is shaping the future of the field.

The MS centre at the Medical University of Vienna / AKH Wien is a national reference centre for Austria and serves patients from across Central Europe. Prof. Berger leads a multidisciplinary team that manages patients through the full spectrum of MS — from clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) through relapsing-remitting, secondary progressive, and primary progressive disease — with access to the broadest range of approved disease-modifying therapies available in Europe.

Prof. Berger's research focus is on MS biomarkers, particularly serum neurofilament light chain (sNfL) — a protein released into the blood when nerve fibres are damaged. He has been a pivotal contributor to establishing sNfL as a clinically applicable biomarker for monitoring disease activity and treatment response in MS, work that has influenced regulatory agencies and clinical guideline committees internationally.

He has been a principal investigator in landmark clinical trials including the ocrelizumab (Ocrevus) programme — which demonstrated efficacy in both relapsing and primary progressive MS — and long-term studies of natalizumab (Tysabri). His commitment to delivering both world-class clinical care and rigorous scientific enquiry makes his centre one of Austria's most important destinations for patients with complex neuroinflammatory disease.

Prof. Berger completed his medical degree at the Medical University of Vienna, subsequently undertaking specialist training in neurology at AKH Wien and affiliated teaching hospitals. His doctoral research (PhD) examined the immunopathology of multiple sclerosis, an area he has remained central to throughout his career.

He completed advanced training in MS and neuroimmunology at leading European and international centres, building expertise in both the clinical management of complex MS cases and the design and execution of large-scale multicentre clinical trials. He holds the Fellowship of the European Academy of Neurology (FEAN) and is a member of ECTRIMS — the world's largest professional community dedicated to MS research and treatment. His publications have appeared in the Lancet Neurology, the New England Journal of Medicine, Annals of Neurology, and JAMA Neurology, representing the highest tier of neurological literature.

Prof. Berger's clinical expertise encompasses the full management of patients with multiple sclerosis across all disease courses, from early clinically isolated syndrome through highly active and progressive disease. He is an expert in the selection and monitoring of disease-modifying therapies, including high-efficacy agents such as ocrelizumab, natalizumab, alemtuzumab, and ofatumumab, as well as first-line oral and injectable therapies.

His diagnostic procedures include comprehensive neurological examination, CSF analysis via lumbar puncture, evoked potential studies (visual, auditory, somatosensory), and detailed MRI neuroimaging review including spinal cord and brain volumetric analysis. He manages patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) — distinguishing it from MS using aquaporin-4 and MOG-antibody testing — as well as autoimmune encephalitis and Guillain-Barré syndrome. Patients with complex or treatment-refractory neuroinflammatory conditions are referred to his centre from across Austria and neighbouring countries.

Prof. Berger has authored over 250 peer-reviewed publications, establishing him as one of the most productive MS researchers in Europe. His most widely cited contributions concern serum neurofilament light chain (sNfL) as a biomarker of neurodegeneration in MS — work that has helped transition sNfL from a research tool to an accepted clinical monitoring instrument in real-world MS practice.

He has been a principal investigator in the OPERA I and OPERA II trials (ocrelizumab in RRMS) and the ORATORIO trial (ocrelizumab in PPMS), studies that transformed the treatment landscape for MS. His long-term follow-up work on natalizumab has provided the most robust dataset available on the safety and efficacy of this high-efficacy therapy over more than a decade. He serves on the editorial boards of Multiple Sclerosis Journal and the European Journal of Neurology and is a frequent plenary speaker at ECTRIMS.

The Medical University of Vienna's MS centre at AKH Wien is experienced in treating patients from Austria and from across Central and Eastern Europe — particularly patients with highly active MS or complex diagnostic questions requiring specialist evaluation. Prof. Berger consults in German and English, and the hospital's international patient office provides administrative support for patients travelling from abroad.

For patients seeking a second opinion on an MS diagnosis or treatment strategy, video consultations are available to review MRI scans, CSF results, and clinical records. EU/EEA patients can access care under cross-border healthcare directives and the EHIC scheme. The international office provides detailed cost estimates for consultation, diagnostic testing, and any required infusion therapies.

Prof. Berger is among Austria's most decorated neurologists. He has received the Austrian Society of Neurology (ÖGN) Research Prize for sustained contributions to MS science, and the ECTRIMS Lifetime Achievement Award — one of the most prestigious recognitions in the MS field globally. He holds the Fellowship of the European Academy of Neurology (FEAN) and has served on the ECTRIMS and EAN scientific committees, shaping the direction of European neurology education and research. His nomination to the editorial boards of the field's top journals reflects the esteem in which he is held by the international MS research community.