Why do we need an MS Brain Bank

Why Australia needs an MS Brain Bank?
 

Presenting:
Dr Tobias Merson - PhD Research Officer, MSRA Betty Cuthbert Fellowship recipient, Multiple Sclerosis Group, Howard Florey Institute
Jeremy Wright - Executive Director, MS Research Australia
Prof Simon Hawke - Director, MS Research Australia Brain Bank, Brain and Mind Research Institute, University of Sydney

Transcript of Interview - Why Australia needs an MS Brain Bank?
 

WHY DO WE NEED AN MS BRAIN BANK

Professor Simon Hawke
The brain is obviously the key to Multiple Sclerosis; it doesn’t affect any other organ, and this is why the brain tissue is sort of at the centre. From the centre we will have all of these strands of research that will follow from the Brain Bank.

Dr Tobias Merson
Work that we undertake in animals is very important because we can ask questions and therefore answer questions that we couldn’t possibly hope to do in any other way. But all the while, we have to be very conscious of the fact that we are modelling the disease, and having the human samples is really crucial.

Jeremy Wright
Our role is to make sure that the researchers have no barrier to accelerate their research, to access that human tissue and to have their research continue as fast as it possibly can.

Professor Simon Hawke
We have to study the brain tissue to give us the clues that will lead to hopefully a cure.