Research Reports – November 2017

Additional promising progress is being accomplished.  For details please click on the links below:

Generous support contributes to Progress

Additional progress in myelin repair

PrevANZ

Investigating novel molecular targets for promoting remyelination in the brain

Research Reports - June 2017

Tremendous progress is being achieved.  For details, please click on the links below.

Peptide Drugs to Treat MS

Epigenetic signatures of MS: from brain to blood

A novel approach to reduce the impact of progressive multiple sclerosis

Development of a bioinformatics platform for MS research

Promoting remyelination in the central nervous system

The role of vitamin D related genes in MS

Investigating novel molecular targets for promoting remyelination in the brain

First-ever blood biomarker discovery

Patients with multiple sclerosis will soon have access to a new test which can tell them exactly what type of MS they have and how well their medications are working. 

Read more.

Progress Reports - November 2016

For details, please click on the links below:

Creating an environment for myelin repair

Research fellow studying ways to increase myelin growth

PrevANZ Progress

Trish Foundation makes another contribution

Progress Reports - June 2016

Please click on the Progress Reports below for further information:

How do changes in vitamin D genes affect the immune system    

Immune control of Epstein-Barr virus in MS  

Profiling patient-specific stem cells

Studying MS susceptibility genes to understand the role of EBV in MS  

Understanding gene activity in brain tissue  

Investigating a new treatment option for MS

Associate Professor David Brown from St Vincent’s Centre for Applied Medical Research, University of NSW, was awarded a three-year project grant in 2014 from the Trish MS Research Foundation in partnership with MS Research Australia. This research focuses on a protein called Macrophage Inhibitory Cytokine 1 (MIC-1/GDF15), which was discovered in Australia by Associate Professor David Brown’s research colleagues. It is now being internationally developed as a new therapy for a number of diseases including obesity and inflammation.

‘We are very pleased with the results of this study,’ commented Associate Professor Brown.

Read more.

Associate Professor David Brown

Incubator Grant's encouraging progress

Professor Heinrich Körner and Professor Bruce Taylor of the Menzies Institute for Medical Research, Tasmania, were awarded a MS Research Australia incubator grant with the support of the Trish Foundation for MS Research in 2014.

Their goal was to look at whether variations in the vitamin D processing genes change the way the T-cells of the immune system are activated in people with MS.

It is still early days in the project, however progress is very encouraging and the team are confident that by the end of 2015 they will have some exciting results to share.

Read more.

Professor Bruce Taylor

Professor Pender working towards a new treatment for progressive MS

Professor Michael Pender from the University of Queensland continues to make excellent progress in his research project looking at the role of Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) in MS. Professor Pender’s project is running over three years and is supported by Foundation 5 Million Plus and The Trish MS Research Foundation.

Excitingly, Professor Pender's work laid the foundation for an experimental treatment trial in a single person with secondary progressive MS in 2014.  

Read more.

Professor Michael Pender

Work underway for two recent incubator grants

The Trish MS Research Foundation, in partnership with MS Research Australia, funded two short term incubator grants late in 2014. Incubator grants are awarded for new ideas in MS research to gather early pilot data which will then underpin further grant applications in the future.  

Dr Ben Crossett from the University of Sydney, working with Associate Professor Michael Barnett, is examining protein fragments which are displayed on the surface of cells in the body.

Dr Charles Galea from the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, received $25,000 for his project investigating the potential of cone snail venom to be used as a therapy for MS.  

Read more.

Associate Professor Michael Barnett

 
PrevANZ Vitamin D MS Prevention Trial

Progress Report - December 2014.

For details, please click here.

Research Progress Reports October 2014

Development of a new treatment for multiple sclerosis progression based on the alteration of tryptophan metabolism. Read more.  

Reprogramming the immune system in MS.  Read more.  

Establishing a new bioinformatics service for Australian MS researchers.  Read more.  

              Dr Edwin Lim

Young MS researcher off to a flying start

Young MS researcher, Ms Katherine Sanders has got off to a flying start after receiving an MS Research Australia postgraduate scholarship, funded by the Trish Foundation, earlier this year.  Read more.

Predicting MS in children  

Exciting new findings have recently been published by Dr Fabienne Brilot-Turville and Associate Professor Russell Dale, from the University of Sydney and the Children’s Hospital at Westmead, in the largest ever followup study of Australian children after a first episode of demyelination. Read more.

Research Progress Reports May 2014

Understanding the repair mechanisms in MS  Read more 

Immune Control of Epstein-Barr virus in MS  Read more

Suppressing target genes implicated in MS  Read more

Preventing brain and spinal cord damage in Multiple Sclerosis  Read more

             Dr Linda Ly

2012 Progress Reports

To read Progress Reports on some of the Research Projects which the Trish Foundation is supporting please click on the links below:

Dr Helmut Butzkueven - click here

Dr Christopher Siatskis - click here

Edwin Lim - click here

Jason Mackenzie - click here

Progress Reports

Please click here to read Dr Ben Emery's Progress Report

Please click here to read Jason Mackenzie's Progress Report

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.      

Please click here for more information

To see the ABC's 7.30 aired 11th August 2011, please click here

Incubator Grant Hatches Further Funds  

In 2010, Dr Fabienne Brilot-Turville and Dr Russell Dale, based at The Children's Hospital, Westmead, received a $26,000 incubator grant from the Trish Multiple Sclerosis Research Foundation to study biomarkers in early paediatric demyelination.

In a short period of time the team of young researchers, with complementary skills in clinical neuroscience and basic science immunology, have made rapid progress in the understanding of paediatric MS.  Their research has already resulted in a remarkable four publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals.  ‘We are grateful for the support of The Trish Multiple Sclerosis Research Foundation’, explained Dr Brilot-Turville.

Please click here for more information

Dr Russell Dale and Dr Fabienne Brilot-Turville

Proteomics in MS research Progress

Proteomics is the study of all the proteins that are activated and deactivated, in a particular biological situation and can amount to studying 1000s of proteins in one go.

Please click here for more information

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.

In 2010 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."        

Dr Ben Emery

Multiple Sclerosis Tissue Proteomics         

Dr Michael Barnett and Professor John Prineas, 2009 Charcot Recipient for a lifetime contribution to MS research, have developed an exciting new method to study proteins from brain tissue, specifically targeting MS lesions. As a result, the technique was applied and resulting in highly reproducible results. The identification of proteins that change to cause MS lesions may lead to targeted, more effective treatments for MS.  

Dr Barnett and Professor Prineas are recipients in the Trish Foundation’s 2009 round of funding and, having produced better than expected preliminary results, additional funding was approved for this important Research Project.

Professor John Prineas

Natalie Payne – Application of Stem Cells to Treat MS    

Trish Foundation Postgraduate Research Scholar Natalie Payne has completed her Research Project at the Monash Immunology and Stem Cell Laboratories, Monash University.  

Natalie has been working diligently investigating the therapeutic potential of different types of neural stem cells to treat MS.

Please click here for more information.

Inaugural Betty Cuthbert Postdoctoral Fellowship   

Dr Helmut Butzkueven’s research over the last four years, funded by the Trish Multiple Sclerosis Research Foundation and NHMRC Betty Cuthbert Postdoctoral Fellowship, was aimed at identifying some of the natural repair processes and assess whether treatments designed to enhance naturally occurring repair may provide additional treatment benefit. 

Please click here for more information.

Helmet Butzkueven, Mark Slee and Betty Cuthbert at the launch of the Betty Cuthbert Fellowships and Scholarships

A Remarkable Day in the history of MS Research

The Australian MS Genetics Consortium, known as AusGene (which subsequently become ANZgene) was well underway, with the successful ARC linkage grant approved, when 30 July 2007 became a remarkable day in the history of research into Multiple Sclerosis and in particular for Australia’s part in unravelling the complex genetic factors in this crippling disorder.

The first MS gene (HLA) was found back in the 1970s. Definitive evidence of the second MS gene took 30 years.

Please click here for more information.

Professor Graeme Stewart, one of the principal investigators

Jason Mackenzie onto MS Genetics  

Trish Foundation Postgraduate Research Scholar Jason Mackenzie continues his MS Genetics work in the Genomics Research Centre, Griffith University.  

Jason is interrogating five genomic regions that have been identified as potentially containing MS susceptibility genes. 

Please click here for more information.

Genetics Research

In 2009 the ANZgene Consortium, made up of more than 40 investigators from 11 institutions in Australia and New Zealand, discovered two new locations of genes which will help to unravel the causes of MS and other autoimmune diseases. Their findings were published in the prestigious journal Nature Genetics.
Please click here for more information.

Young Aussie Sheds Light on MS Gene

A young Australian scientist has added to the debate over a genetic variant thought to increase MS susceptibility.

Attila Szvetko’s research was funded by a Trish Multiple Sclerosis Research Foundation Postgraduate Research Scholarship.
Please click here for more information.

Stem Cells

Stem cells are a unique resource, providing in principle access to unlimited quantities of cells that can give rise to a variety of more specialised cells. Natalie Payne (pictured in the lab with Professor Claude Bernard) was a Trish MS Research Foundation Scholar at Monash University investigating the therapeutic potential of adult stem cells.
Please click here for more information.

Antibodies in MS

Dr Judith Greer and Professor Michael Pender’s Research Project which commenced in 2004 looked at the role of antibodies in MS.

“Thanks to the assistance of the grant from the Trish MS Research Foundation for this project, we were able to generate sufficient preliminary data to successfully apply for further funds from the NHMRC to continue this project looking at the role of antibodies in MS.”
- Dr Judith Greer, Neuroimmunology Research Unit, School of Medicine, The University of Queensland