The New Zealand Multiple Sclerosis Research Trust is pleased to announce the next webinar in the 2021 series with a focus on MS and Progression.

Multiple Sclerosis is often associated with gradual, progressive worsening of disability. Unlike the episodic, relapsing component of MS, the progression is relative resistant to the presently available disease modifying therapies. While disease and disability progression naturally occurs in all forms of MS, between 12-16% of New Zealanders have a progressive form of MS at diagnosis. However, promising new evidence has emerged from randomised trials and from observational studies.

Our first speaker, Professor Tomas Kalincik, is a Neurologist and researcher at the Royal Melbourne Hospital MS Centre and working with the CORe research group and MS Base. Professor Kalincik will provide an overview of recent developments in measurement and prevention of MS progression.

Our second speaker, Dr Julia Morahan, is Head of Research at MS Australia. MS Australia is a managing member of the International Progressive MS Alliance and at the forefront of stimulating and investing in research. She will discuss the work of the International Progressive MS Alliance, its current focus and the research it is supporting.

Zoom details will be sent the week before the event. You will be able to ask questions to our speakers at the end of each session.

So, what are you waiting for, register today, then grab a coffee & head to your couch and tune in. If you miss the session, a recording will be available to watch later.

All registrants will be sent a copy of the recording after the event so you only need to select 1 ticket type.

Please support our work

Our webinars are free of charge, however a donation to assist in covering our costs and funding MS Research in NZ would be greatly appreciated.

Please support the work of the Trust by either:

• making a donation with your ticket at registration (simply select 'Ticket with a donation') and choosing the amount you wish to donate;
• by donating directly to our Account at the BNZ: 02-0214-0186752-00. Please show your name as the reference and email us at info@msresearch.nz so we can send you our receipt for tax purposes;
• or you can donate by Givealittle at https://givealittle.co.nz/org/nzmsrt/

About Professor Tomas Kalincik and the CORe Research Group

Professor Tomas Kalincik is Dame Kate Campbell Professorial Fellow, the head of the Clinical Outcomes Research (CORe) Unit at the University of Melbourne and of the MS Centre at the Royal Melbourne Hospital.

Together with his research group, CORe, Tomas specialises in analytics of observational data in neurology. He is the chair of the Scientific Leadership Group of the global MSBase collaboration. He has led a number of international collaborative research initiatives - including studies of comparative effectiveness of MS therapies, management of treatment failure and individual treatment response. His main research interests span treatment outcomes in MS and other neuroimmunological diseases, individualised therapy, prognostics (including emerging biomarkers), causal inference, epidemiology and utility of volumetric MRI. He is the convenor of the international CORe Advanced Statistics Course, endorsed by the European Committee for Treatment and Research in MS.

About the International Progressive MS Alliance

The International Progressive MS Alliance is a global collaboration of MS organisations, researchers, health professionals, the pharmaceutical industry, companies, trusts, foundations, donors and people affected by MS – working together to address the unmet needs of people with Progressive MS. The Alliance is focused on the development of effective treatments for people with progressive forms of MS to improve quality of life worldwide.

And don’t miss out on our other events

We will be holding 1 more webinar this year with a focus on MS research in NZ. To stay up to date with our work and upcoming events join our e-mailing list here.

The MS Research Trust: Why we are here

The goal of the MS Research Trust is to stimulate, co-ordinate and support New Zealand-based research into the cause, prevention, treatment, alleviation and cure of Multiple Sclerosis, and to disseminate research findings. We were established in 2015 with donations from MSNZ and the MS Auckland Trust, and we continue to seek donations and bequests to support the research being undertaken.

The Trust:

• Collaborates with partners to fund research that helps people with MS;

• Informs people about research findings;

• Uses fact-based research findings to improve the lives of people with MS.

Find out more here: www.msresearch.nz

Or contact us at info@msresearch.nz