Our Supporters

Thank you to the following organisations for their generous support that has made the MS Brain Bank possible.

Trish - Multiple Sclerosis Research Foundation The University of Sydney NSW Office for Science & Medical Research

Australian MS Brain Bank

MS Brain BankThe primary objective of the National MS Brain Bank is to co-ordinate the collection, storage and use of human tissue from People with Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

MS can be a devastating disease and a common cause of neurological disability in young adults. It has a huge economic impact on People with MS, their carers and the community. Modern immunotherapy makes a difference, but there is no proven cure. We also have no useful treatment for people with progressive MS. This is why there is a need for continuing research into MS.

Why do we need a MS Brain Bank?

It is now possible to make a fruit fly with Parkinson’s, a mouse with features of Alzheimer’s disease, but unless you can relate what you find back to the human brain, you don’t really know if you’re on the right track. Since brain tissue is not generally available in life, this means research must be done on post mortem tissue. General brain banks do collect brains afflicted with MS; however, they have not been very successful at acquiring significant numbers of MS brains. The Australian Brain Bank Network (Nov 2007) had only three MS brains.

Thank You!

From Professor Simon Hawke, Director of the MS Brain Bank

The MS Brain Bank has a huge responsibility. People with MS, in bequeathing tissue for scientific research, are making a final gift to others with MS. They hope that their gift will lead to a cure for others. So we really see the MS Brain Bank as owned by People with MS and their families. Our brief as custodians of the tissue for donors and their families, is to make certain it will be of most use to scientists working on MS, so that the our understanding of the disease increases.

We also wish to thank the Trish MS Research Foundation, The University of Sydney, the Collier Charitable Fund, the NSW Government's Office for Science and Medical Research and MS Research Australia for their generous support that has made the MS Brain Bank possible.