Where Does It Go

Where does donated tissue go?
 

Since meaningful scientific studies can be carried out on very small amounts of tissue, each donated brain can provide a large number of samples to support the work of many researchers around the world. Therefore, we cannot predict what type of research your donated tissue will be used for, where or when the research will be carried out, or by whom. We can however, assure you that all donated tissue will be put to good use in scientifically and ethically approved projects that further our understanding of MS.

So far, MS tissue samples have been supplied to the following investigators:

Dr Michael Barnett, Prof John Prineas, Linda Ly, Ben Crossett, University of Sydney
Proteomic and in-situ analysis of multiple sclerosis specific tissue alterations

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common cause of neurological disability in young adults. While the cause of MS is unknown, an immune response to a self or foreign protein (antigen) is likely to play an important role. This project uses new laboratory techniques to discover and characterise potential antigens and other molecules important to the cause of MS. The identification of these proteins may lead to targeted, more effective treatments for MS.

Dr Alison Jennings and Prof William Carroll, University of Western Australia
Remyelination failure in multiple sclerosis: insights from the optic nerve

Because the cells and structure of the optic nerve are less complicated than other brain regions, it is easier to understand what is happening in areas affected by MS. By applying a range of markers that label cells involved in natural repair to thin sections cut from MS-affected optic nerves, we hope to better understand why such repair tends to fail in chronic MS

Dr Jeannette Lechner-Scott, Prof. Rodney Scott, Dr. Murray Cairns, Moira Graves, Mathew Cox
The Role of MicroRNA in Multiple Sclerosis

We will investigate miRNA expression in post-mortem brain tissues from subjects with MS and controls, and examine the biological function of miRNA’s altered in these tissues (Lindberg et al 2004, Junker et al 2009). These molecules are thought to have a profound influence on the function of genes and may play an important role in the pathophysiology of MS ( Hapler et al.2007, Hangsheng et al 2009). Significantly, they may also be novel targets for drug development and /or act as important biomarkers of the disease that can be used in diagnosis and staging.

A number of other projects are under evaluation.