Trevor Kilpatrick has advanced basic neuroscience and clinical neurology through several important discoveries that determine how key cellular interactions are established and maintained in the brain. He identified neural stem cells, interrogated their growth factor responsiveness, and established that neurons and glia interact in the healthy brain in ways that are disrupted in multiple sclerosis (MS). He has identified the key genetic and environmental factors that contribute to risk of MS, providing insights into its aetiology and pathogenesis. Using novel translational paradigms, he identified new therapeutic candidates that optimize neural protection and repair in MS and other neurological disorders.