Multiple Sclerosis Australia

MS Australia was established in 2004 by founding chairman Simon McKeon. McKeon handed over to current chairman Paul Murnane in 2010, but still remains the organization's patron.{{cite web |title=Interview QA with Simon McKeon - Australian Institute of Company Directors |url=http://www.companydirectors.com.au/Director-Resource-Centre/Publications/Company-Director-magazine/2011-back-editions/July/Interview-QA-with-Simon-McKeon |website=Companydirectors.com.au}} Founding CEO Jeremy Wright handed over to the current CEO, Matthew Miles in 2013. MS Australia was created as an MS-specific national research initiative whose aim is to utilize the Australian science community, and to provide a collaborative approach to MS research.{{Cite news|url=http://www.neurotrialsaustralia.com/strategic-alliances/ms-msra/|title=MS - MS Research Australia - Neuroscience Trials Australia|work=Neuroscience Trials Australia|access-date=2018-06-07|language=en-US}}

MS Australia is a managing member of the International Progressive MS Alliance,{{cite web |title=International Progressive MS Alliance - Members |url=http://www.progressivemsalliance.org/about-us/members/ |website=Progressivemsalliance.org}} which focuses on progressive multiple sclerosis.{{cite web |title=International Progressive MS Alliance - About us |url=http://www.progressivemsalliance.org/about-us/ |website=Progressivemsalliance.org}}{{cite journal |last1=Zaratin |first1=P |last2=Comi |first2=G |last3=Coetzee |first3=T |last4=Ramsey |first4=K |last5=Smith |first5=K |last6=Thompson |first6=A |last7=Panzara |first7=M |date=1 October 2016 |title=Progressive MS Alliance Industry Forum: Maximizing Collective Impact To Enable Drug Development |journal=Trends in Pharmacological Sciences |volume=37 |issue=10 |pages=808–810 |doi=10.1016/j.tips.2016.07.005 |pmid=27554755 |doi-access=free}}

The organization is also a contributor to the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation (MSIF), based in London.{{cite web |title=Our members - MS International Federation |url=https://www.msif.org/about-us/our-members/ |accessdate=9 June 2018 |website=Msif.org}}

More than $36.7 million has been awarded to 254 MS research projects across both Australia and New Zealand since the organization's establishment in 2004.{{Cite news|url=https://msra.org.au/about-ms-research-australia/|title=About MS Research Australia - MS Research Australia|work=MS Research Australia|access-date=2018-06-07|language=en-US}}

MS Australia provided funding for a trial to test whether vitamin D supplementation can prevent MS in those who are at risk of developing the disease.{{cite web|url=https://msra.org.au/vitamin-d-ms-prevention-trial-prevanz/|title=Vitamin D MS Prevention Trial - PrevANZ - MS Research Australia|website=Msra.org.au|accessdate=9 June 2018}} This study had similar results to an earlier study published in Neurological Research International.{{Cite journal|title=Methodology of an International Study of People with Multiple Sclerosis Recruited through Web 2.0 Platforms: Demographics, Lifestyle, and Disease Characteristics|last=Jelinek|first=George|journal = Neurology Research International|volume = 2013|pages = 580596|date=11 April 2013|pmc = 3649686|pmid = 23691313|doi = 10.1155/2013/580596|doi-access=free }}

The organization supported the Australian-New Zealand MS Genetics Consortium, which in 2009 discovered two of the key risk genes in MS{{cite web|url=http://www.innovations-report.com/html/reports/life-sciences/aussie-kiwi-researchers-make-double-ms-genetic-134238.html|title=Aussie and Kiwi researchers make double MS genetic discovery|website=Innovations-report.com|accessdate=9 June 2018}} and subsequently contributed to the International MS Genetics Consortium, that has now discovered over 200 genes that contribute to the risk of developing MS.{{Cite web |url=https://www.nationalmssociety.org/About-the-Society/News/International-Consortium-Pinpoints-200-Genetic-Var# |title=International Consortium Pinpoints 200 Genetic Variations That Can Influence Risk of Getting MS : National Multiple Sclerosis Society |access-date=2018-06-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612143308/https://www.nationalmssociety.org/About-the-Society/News/International-Consortium-Pinpoints-200-Genetic-Var# |archive-date=2018-06-12 |url-status=dead }}

In 2017, research funded by the organization discovered a possible molecular pathway (the kynurenine pathway) for MS progression, the activation of which may be involved in MS progression. This pathway has already been implicated in other neurological disorders.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nationalmssociety.org/About-the-Society/News/Australian-Team-Finds-Possible-Molecular-Pathway-f|title=Australian Team Finds Possible Molecular Pathway for MS Progression|date=9 February 2017|website=Nationalmssociety.org}}

Also in 2017, MS Australia co-founded a three-year, $750,000 multiple sclerosis paired research fellowship, funding a senior laboratory research fellow and senior MS clinician at the University of Tasmania’s Menzies Institute for Medical Research, with the aim of furthering research into developing treatments for MS.{{cite web|url=https://multiplesclerosisnewstoday.com/2017/09/08/two-australian-ms-experts-win-fellowship-aimed-at-breaking-down-research-barriers/|title=Australian MS Experts Win Fellowship Aimed at Erasing Research Barriers|last=Mumal|first=Iqra|date=8 September 2017|website=Multiplesclerosisnewstoday.com}}

• Australian Charity Awards’ Charity of the Year.{{cite web|url=http://www.charityawards.com.au/winners/2015/Outstanding-Achievement/|title=The Australian Charity Awards 2015 - Australian Charity of the Year|website=Charityawards.com.au}}
• Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA) Golden Target Awards – ‘Highly Commended’ in the Small Budget/Pro Bono category.{{cite web|url=http://www.bandt.com.au/media/all-the-winners-from-prias-2015-golden-target-awards|title=All The Winners From PRIA's 2015 Golden Target Awards - B&T|date=27 October 2015|website=Bandt.com.au}}

• Fundraising Institute of Australia's ‘Most Effective Creative Campaign Award for Kiss Goodbye to MS.{{cite web|url=https://www.fia.org.au/pages/awards-2016-winners-620.html|title=2016 Winners · Awards for Excellence · FIA - Fundraising Institute of Australia|website=Fia.org.au}}
• Fundraising Institute of Australia’s special Events Under $5 Million’.
• Australian Charity Awards Outstanding Achievement Award.{{cite web|url=https://www.australianbusinessawards.com.au/category/2016-winners/2016-australian-charity-awards/|title=ABA100 Australian Business Awards® - Australian Charity Awards 2016 Winners|website=Australianbusinessawards.com.au}}

• Telstra Business Awards, ‘Australian Charity of the Year’.{{cite web|url=http://www.generositymag.com.au/353416-2/|title=MS Research Australia 2017 Telstra Australian Charity Award Winner - Generosity Magazine|date=29 August 2017|website=Generositymag.com.au}}
• Telstra Business Awards, 'NSW Charity of the Year'.{{cite web|url=https://www.telstrabusinessawards.com/winners-and-finalists|title=Winners and Finalists|website=Telstrabusinessawards.com}}
• Telstra Business Awards, 'NSW Business of the Year'.
• Australian Charity Awards, ‘Outstanding Achievement Award’.{{cite web|url=https://www.australianbusinessawards.com.au/australian-charity-awards-2017-winners/|title=Australian Charity Awards 2017 Winners|website=Australianbusinessawards.com.au}}

MS Australia launched a global fundraising campaign, Kiss Goodbye to MS, in 2012.{{cite web|url=https://kissgoodbyetoms.org/our-story/|title=Our Story - Kiss Goodbye to MS|website=Kissgoodbyetoms.org}} The campaign, which MS International lauded for the scale of the fundraising,{{cite web|url=https://www.msnz.org.nz/kiss-goodbye-to-ms/|title=Kiss Goodbye to MS - Multiple Sclerosis Society of NZ|website=Msnz.org.nz}}{{cite web|url=https://www.msif.org/news/2016/01/15/kiss-goodbye-to-ms-launches/|title=Kiss Goodbye to MS launches - MS International Federation|date=15 January 2016|website=Msif.org|accessdate=9 June 2018}} was launched to both advance public awareness of the disease, and to raise funds for ongoing research. Since the establishment of the campaign, Kiss Goodbye to MS is now operating in over 15 different countries and is the only global campaign dedicated solely to fundraising for MS research, as at 2016.{{cite web|url=https://kissgoodbyetomsglobal.org/countries-involved/|title=Kiss Goodbye to MS - Multiple Sclerosis - Countries|website=KIssgoodbyetomsglobal.org}}

Some of these collaborations are:

• MS Research Australia Brain Bank{{cite web|url=https://www.alzforum.org/brain-banks/ms-research-australia-brain-bank|title=MS Research Australia Brain Bank - ALZFORUM|website=Alzforum.org}}{{cite web|url=https://sydney.edu.au/brain-mind/our-research/healthy-ageing-and-neurodegeneration/multiple-sclerosis.html#uniqueId_hH6F2fVT_7_button|title=Multiple Sclerosis|website=The University of Sydney}}{{cite web|url=https://msbrainbank.org.au|title=Home - MS Brain Bank|website=MS Brain Bank}}
• Australian MS Longitudinal Study (AMSLS)
• Prev ANZ- A clinical prevention trial into the effects of vitamin D on MS.{{cite web|url=https://mstrials.org.au/using-vitamin-d-in-patients-with-a-first-demyelinating-event/|title=Preventing the risk of MS using vitamin D in patients with a first demyelinating event in Australia and New Zealand (PrevANZ) - MS Trials|date=29 August 2013|website=Mstrials.org.au}}
• ANZ gene- A collaborative Australia-New Zealand genetics study seeking to identify the genes linked with MS.{{cite web|url=http://www.menzies.utas.edu.au/research/diseases-and-health-issues/research-projects/anzgene-the-genetics-of-multiple-sclerosis|title=ANZGENE: The Genetics of Multiple Sclerosis - Menzies Institute for Medical Research - University of Tasmania, Australia|website=Menzies.utas.edu.au}}{{cite web|url=http://www.wikigenes.org/e/art/e/202.html|title=WikiGenes - Collaborative Publishing|website=WikiGenes - Collaborative Publishing}}
• Autologous Haemopoietic Stem Cell Treatment (AHSCT) registry.{{cite web|url=https://msra.org.au/ahsct/australian-ahsct-registry/|title=Australian MS AHSCT Registry - MS Research Australia|website=Msra.org.au}}

{{reflist}}

Category:Health charities in Australia

Category:Medical and health organisations based in New South Wales

Category:Multiple sclerosis organizations

Category:Charity shops