Kiss Goodbye to MS

Kiss Goodbye to MS was launched by Mark Beretta, Channel 7’s Sunrise to much fanfare in Martin Place on 1 May 2012.  Led by NSW Health Minister Jillian Skinner, Councillor Irene Doutney, inspirational harmonica star Jim Conway who has MS and eminent researcher Professor David Booth, the event raised great awareness and began a month-long campaign to ‘Kiss Goodbye to MS’.

At the launch, Roy and Carol Langsford and Mike Hemingway

National award for Dr Ben Emery  

The Trish Foundation and MS Research Australia congratulate Dr Ben Emery, a rising star in the field of MS research, on his award from the Australian Neurological Society.  Read more.

Prevention Trial underway

The funds committed in 2011 by the Trish Foundation and the MS Society of WA for the Vitamin D Prevention Trial have been boosted by other generous supporters, enabling the much awaited PrevANZ Vitamin D MS Prevention trial to commence patient recruitment early in 2012.

This ‘gold-standard’ placebo-controlled trial will determine the efficacy of vitamin D dosage to prevent MS in people at high risk of developing the condition - those experiencing their very first episode of MS symptoms.  Read more about the Prevention Trial.

Additional Funding for MSRA Brain Bank

The NSW Government has announced a $500,000 grant for the MSRA Brain Bank, which will allow researchers to utilise advanced technologies and directly target new treatments.

Based at the University of Sydney’s Brain and Mind Research Institute, this dedicated facility has already made significant contributions to MS research since it was established in 2007, when the Trish Foundation underwrote and provided the initial funding for the Brain Bank.  For additional information please click here.

2012 Round of Funding

The Foundation has announced the Research Projects which will be funded commencing 2012. 

Please click here for additional information.

Another accolade for Niall King OAM

Niall King has again been honoured for his significant contribution to the Trish Foundation, as well as the MS Society's Lidcombe premises and the Rotary Club of Strathfield.  Niall was awarded the prestigious Inner West Volunteer of the Year Award.

Breaking news 11th August 2011

Today’s breaking news published in the prestigious scientific journal, Nature, is incredibly exciting for all those involved in the MS community, giving great additional hope to people living with MS.

One gene had been discovered in 2006 and the study has confirmed the presence of up to 57 MS genes.   

It is such an honour that the Trish Foundation has contributed to these remarkable findings, which could never have occurred without the contribution of our big-hearted supporters.  We salute and thank each and every one of you.     

Please click here for more information

To view ABC's 7.30 aired on 11th August 2011 please click here

World first!

The Trish Foundation is providing vital funding to initiate a study into Vitamin D for the prevention of MS. 

The Foundation has joined forces with the MS Society Western Australia to kick-start this much-needed MS Research Australia Platform Program.  Read more

Trish Foundation renews its Agreement with MS Research Australia

The Trish Foundation has renewed its Agreement with MS Research Australia continuing our co-operative partnership and working in association towards our common goal.

“It is an honour to be working so closely with MS Research Australia and a privilege to be raising funds for Australia’s dedicated MS researchers,” says Trish Foundation Chairman Carol Langsford.

2011 Round of Funding  

The Trish Foundation is pleased to report the following Research Projects are being funded in our 2011 round of funding:          

Dr Christopher Siatskas at Monash Immunology and Stem Cells Laboratories Victoria, part funding for three years, his project being titled, “Induction of tolerance to CNS autoantigens”.         

Edwin Lim at University of NSW, part funding for three years, whose project is, “Targeting the kynurenine pathway as a novel therapeutic intervention for MS”.          

Dr Mark Slee at Flinders University & Medical Centre South Australia, his project being, “The Australian and New Zealand NMO Antibody Study”.  

Funds multiplied yet again

In 2010 the Trish MS Research Foundation started funding Dr Ben Emery’s MS research project at the University of Melbourne.

The project looked at a ‘master’ genetic switch that can potentially regulate myelination and repair neural damage caused during MS. Last year Dr Ben Emery was awarded $150,000 by MSRA, funded by the Trish Foundation, to undertake this research and has now been successful in gaining an NHMRC grant of $555,185 for 2011 onwards for the direct continuation of this work.

"The MSRA/Trish Foundation support has been vital for getting the research project up and running," said Dr Emery.  "The exciting results obtained with their support served as the basis for getting the NHMRC grant up, which will in turn fund the continuation of this research over the coming years."        

Australia Day 2011 dawned with the news of three amazing people receiving well-deserved recognition.

Please click here for more information.

One of the greatest challenges for funding agencies like the Trish Foundation is to find and fund research that will make the greatest impact. Working in partnership with MSRA, the Trish Foundation has backed high quality research that has grown into larger projects now funded by the Federal Government’s National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).

Please click here for more information.

Stem Cell Transplantation: It’s Time!  

Three Australian scientists from Monash University, Dr Christopher Siatskas, Natalie Payne and Prof Claude Bernard, provide commentary on the development of a recent consensus statement from world experts on stem cells for the treatment of MS.

Please click here for more information.

On 4th August 2010 at the Autoimmunity & Neurology Symposium Westmead, Professor Graeme Stewart quoted Winston Churchill, “Give us the tools and we will finish the job.”  Professor Stewart said there has been extraordinarily rapid change, almost unparalleled in science.  

At the Symposium, Associate Professor David Booth (Molecular Geneticist, Westmead Millennium Institute) reported more than 20 genes have now been identified as associated with MS susceptibility, one gene region being associated with Vitamin D.

The Trish Foundation’s modest initial investment has exploded!

The Trish Foundation’s funds have been multiplied with two Research Projects to which the Foundation originally contributed achieving such positive outcomes that the National Health and Medical Research Council has approved almost $2 million in additional funding to progress that research further. 

Trish Genetics Investment Makes a Major Impact

The Trish MS Research Foundation was the seeding partner for the Australian and New Zealand Genetics Consortium (ANZgene). Without their contribution, Australasia’s largest study to identify genes that influence MS susceptibility could not have been undertaken. The Trish funding subsequently attracted over $2m in federal government and private donations. 

Please click here for more information.

ANZGene Members Dr Justin Rubio and Professor Jim Wiley (Chair) 

Prestigious Award for Professor Prineas

MS International Federation’s very prestigious Charcot Award has been won by Professor John Prineas.

The Award recognizes a life-time of outstanding contribution to MS research, Professor Prineas having been at the forefront of neuropathology in MS. His recent findings of sick and dying cells in the early stages of MS, prior to the autoimmune response, have revolutionized the world-wide understanding of the disease, providing hope for new therapies which include the potential to repair the neural damage.

Professor Prineas is the first Australian to win this prestigious Award and is the recipient of a Project Grant in the Trish Foundation’s current round of funding. Our research funds are certainly in very capable hands.

Please click here for more information.

Professor John Prineas 

Vale

Please click here for our tribute to special supporters of the Foundation