Provost’s Lecture Highlights Breakthroughs in Multiple Sclerosis and the Power of Algorithms

Joseph Mitchell, SUNY Distinguished Professor and chair of the Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics, delivers "A Case for Algorithms: A Computational Geometer's Perspective" at the Provost's Lecture Series.

What do multiple sclerosis and algorithms have in common?

Seemingly very little: one is a complex neurologic disease while the other is a mathematical framework that powers everything from GPS systems to artificial intelligence. But at Stony Brook University's latest Provost's Lecture Seriesevent, both were presented as examples of the same essential pursuit: understanding what lies beneath the surface.

The February 10 program at the Charles B. Wang Center Theatre featured two members of the SUNY Distinguished Academy, Patricia Coyle, MD,and Joseph Mitchell, whose research spans medicine and mathematics yet shares a common foundation in problem solving.

Stony Brook Executive Vice President and Provost Carl Lejuez opened the event by emphasizing the significance of the series and the faculty being honored.

"This lecture series gives us the opportunity to celebrate the remarkable scholarship of our SUNY Distinguished Academy faculty," he said. "These are individuals whose work has had a transformative impact in their fields and whose leadership elevates Stony Brook University."

Patricia Coyle, MD

Coyle, SUNY Distinguished Professor of Neurology and founder and director of the Multiple Sclerosis Comprehensive Care Centerat the Renaissance School of Medicine, delivered a lecture titled "Are We Solving the Puzzle of Multiple Sclerosis?" Mitchell, SUNY Distinguished Professor and chair of the Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics, followed with "A Case for Algorithms: A Computational Geometer's Perspective."

Coyle began by identifying multiple sclerosis as both a challenge and a success story.

"Multiple sclerosis is the major acquired neurologic disease of young adults," she said. "It appears to be on the rise."

She explained that it is an immune mediated disease in which white blood cells cross the blood-brain barrier and attack the central nervous system.

"The immune system is composed of white blood cells," Coyle said. "And these white blood cells are activated in the periphery, and then they cross the blood brain barrier and enter the brain."

Once inside, inflammation damages myelin (the protective, fatty coating that surrounds nerve fibers and helps electrical signals travel quickly and smoothly) and may also damage the nerve fibers themselves.

"MS has many unusual features, including great variability between affected individuals," she said, noting that MS presents differently from person to person.

Despite the complex nature of the characteristics of MS, Coyle pointed to "a wonderful success story," discussing the expansion of disease modifying therapies over the past three decades.

"We have many available disease-modifying therapies to minimize damage to the central nervous system," she said. "It is important to diagnose and treat early."

Stony Brook Executive Vice President and Provost Carl Lejuez.

Early treatment is critical, she explained, because much of the damage in MS occurs before disability becomes visible. Advances in imaging, biomarkers and revised diagnostic criteria now allow clinicians to intervene sooner.

Coyle also discussed emerging insights into progression, smoldering inflammation and the potential roles of genetics and environmental triggers. While questions remain, she is optimistic about the trajectory of research and care.

Mitchell's lecture shifted the focus from the immune system to computation, arguing that algorithms remain foundational even as artificial intelligence captures headlines.

"Algorithms are all around us in every smart device and technology that has consumed our daily lives," he said, describing his role as a computational geometer. "I study algorithms to solve problems that involve a geometric perspective on data."

He shared examples of problems that are easy to picture but difficult to solve efficiently, including questions about shortest paths, clustering and optimization.

"Practically every technology and field of study has a need for effective algorithms involving geometric data," Mitchell said.

In the age of AI, he argued, foundational algorithmic research is more important than ever.

"The formal study of algorithms remains essential in the age of AI," he said.

Mitchell emphasized the importance of rigor, proof and efficiency, describing that behind every powerful system lies a carefully designed mathematical structure, and reminded the audience that even the most advanced AI technologies depend on carefully constructed algorithms.

In closing the lectures, Lejuez reflected on the common thread that connected the two: the importance of looking beneath the surface. The talks demonstrated the value of understanding underlying mechanisms, he noted, whether in biology or computation.

"If we can think about how we can tie these together, this can help us from life changing clinical disorders to the way in which we can optimize the world around us," Lejuez said.

- Beth Squire