Menzies Institute for Medical Research

MS Research Flagship
Newsletter

June 2026

EVENTS & HIGHLIGHTS

Inside Research with Connections 2026: Community, research and impact

At the end of May the MS Research Flagship hosted its fifth Research with Connections event in Hobart, bringing together researchers and the MS community to celebrate World MS Day.

It was a fantastic day, with a strong turnout of people living with MS, carers, supporters and collaborators, and a wonderful opportunity to connect, share experiences and showcase the impact of our work.

This year’s event was a special moment, forming part of the Flagship’s 10‑year anniversary celebrations. It provided an opportunity to reflect on how far the program has come, and the progress made through close collaboration with the MS community. It also saw the launch of a video created in acknowledgement of the anniversary (view below).

Attendees heard from a range of researchers and people with lived experience, highlighting the importance of working side by side to shape research that delivers meaningful outcomes. Lived experience presentations from Mark Jablonski and Meg Denham were a highlight, with Mark’s reflections on his MS diagnosis journey aligning with this year’s World MS Day theme, My MS Diagnosis. Keynote speaker Dr Samantha Barton from The Florey also gave a fascinating talk on her work using adult stem cells to create mini brains for modelling MS..

Most importantly, the day was a chance to come together, to celebrate the power of partnership, strengthen connections, and look ahead to the future of MS research.

Our thanks to everyone who contributed to the event, including our research partners and the many people living with MS who continue to guide and inspire our work.

🎥 Watch Celebrating 10 years of the MS Research Flagship

🎥 Watch Research with Connections event presentations

All presentations from Research with Connections 2026 are now available to watch.

Learn more

🔗 Where research meets real life: celebrating 10 years of Tasmania’s MS Research Flagship

Research with Connections 2026 was funded by the NHMRC Multiple Sclerosis Centre of Research Excellence, 2035302. 

RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT

TAURUS2 trial results: What we learned and what's next?

The TAURUS 2 clinical trial studied whether a non-invasive brain stimulation treatment, called repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), could help people living with multiple sclerosis (MS). This approach builds on promising pre-clinical research from the Menzies Institute for Medical Research, where studies in mice showed that this type of stimulation could enhance repair of myelin—the protective coating around nerve cells that is damaged in MS.

In this trial, 104 participants were randomly assigned to receive either active rTMS or a placebo (sham) treatment over 4–5 weeks. Researchers measured physical function, brain processing speed (cognitive function), fatigue, sleep, anxiety, depression, quality of life, and changes in brain myelin using MRI scans.

The results showed that, in this study, rTMS did not lead to meaningful improvements compared to placebo. Importantly, rTMS was found to be safe. While slightly more side effects were reported in the rTMS treatment group, they were generally mild, such as dizziness or tingling, and no serious side effects occurred.

Although this specific treatment approach was not effective in this study, the findings provide valuable insights for future research. Results suggest that factors such as treatment timing, intensity, and consistency—including challenges with maintaining a daily treatment schedule—may influence outcomes. Building on strong pre-clinical evidence from Menzies, future studies will refine the rTMS approach to better translate early discoveries into effective treatments for people with MS.

Consumer involvement played an important role in shaping this research. People living with MS helped guide the study design, making it more practical, understandable, and relevant to participant needs. Their input led to improvements such as clearer participant information, better support for study participation, and adjustments to feasibility considerations. This ongoing partnership helps ensure future research is not only scientifically rigorous, but also meaningful, acceptable, and accessible to the MS community.

TAURUS 2 was funded by the Australian Government and the Irene Phelps Charitable Trust

TAURUS2 study team members (L-R) Professor Bruce Taylor, Meg Denham and Natasha Stevens

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

MS Research Flagship recognised at Menzies Awards

End of March marked the annual Menzies Awards, celebrating outstanding achievements across the Institute, and the MS Research Flagship was proudly front and centre.

Dr Nicholas Blackburn and Dr Bennet McComish took out the ‘Best of the Best’ award for their paper Rare variation in neurological disease genes and its role in multiple sclerosis mimicry and phenotype, published in Genome Medicine.

The Flagship’s Health Economics Group, led by Dr Julie Campbell, also received the prestigious ‘Research Impact’ award for its report MS prevalence and health economic impact in Australia 2025.

Congratulations to all our award winners on this well-deserved recognition.

New PhDs advancing MS research

Over the past few months, several MS Research Flagship students have shared their final PhD research seminars, showcasing the breadth and impact of their work:

• Surbhi Agarwal – exploring the role of the NLRX1 protein in multiple sclerosis
• Mohammed Obsa – understanding pain management and its health economic impact in MS
• Himanshu Saraswat – investigating rare genetic variants in MS through multi-case families
• Chaw Hsu Thwe – examining how solar radiation may influence MS risk genes

Congratulations to all on reaching this significant milestone and completing their PhDs.

CONSUMER & COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT (CCI)

Building better MS research: CCI training in action

In March, the MS Research Flagship delivered a CCI training workshop bringing together 23 researchers, professional staff and consumer representatives. The session combined an overview of consumer and community involvement with a practical planning canvas and budgeting tool, supporting participants to embed consumer involvement across the research lifecycle.

After the session, participants felt more confident and had a clearer understanding of CCI; they were now more focused on real‑world benefits for people with MS, not just academic outcomes. The training highlights the importance of tailored, hands‑on approaches in building meaningful partnerships and strengthening research quality and impact across the MS research community.

🌐 Learn more about about CCI at the MS Research Flagship

Help shape MS research: Join our Consumer Advisory Committee

The MS Research Flagship Consumer Advisory Committee (CAC) is recruiting. The CAC was established in 2019 and provides valuable input to MS research. We are currently seeking expressions of interest (EOI) from people from across Tasmania who have a lived experience of MS — or who are carers or supporters of someone living with MS. Being a member of the CAC gives you an opportunity to get involved in shaping research priorities and design, and be a part of a passionate community dedicated to reducing the impact of MS. 

Consumer Advisory Committee members at Research with Connections 2026

FREE COURSE

This course was developed by the Menzies Institute for Medical Research in partnership with MS Plus and MS Australia, and in collaboration with the Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre.

NOW RECRUITING

STOP-MS antiviral trial

STOP-MS is investigating whether antiviral medications can slow disability progression in people with progressive MS by targeting the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). The study focuses on two antiviral drugs that are already approved in Australia for treating other viral infections and have shown effectiveness against EBV in laboratory studies. Participants will receive either one of these drugs or a placebo for comparison. The study is recruiting now at Menzies.

📋 Register your interest at MS Trial Screen.

STOP-MS is funded by the Australian Government, Medical Research Future Fund

Could a 10-minute brain scan detect MS earlier?

MS Australia has identified early detection as a priority — and for the first time, we have the evidence to act. People with a close relative with MS have up to a 5% lifetime risk of developing the condition themselves. Treating MS at its earliest, pre-symptomatic stage can reduce the risk of progression by up to 80%. We are launching a world-first feasibility study to explore whether a 10-minute MRI brain scan can screen first-degree relatives for early MS.

📩 If you have a parent, sibling, or child with MS who is between the ages of 18-40, and you would like to know more, please email yichao.foong@utas.edu.au.

MAKING HEADLINES

MS advocate completes historic Munda Biddi trail journey

🎥 Watch the Wheelchair Meets Wilderness documentary trailer

📖 Pre-order Clare's book

COMING SOON

Registration Open! Patient Community Day 2026

Patient Community Day 2026 is a free global event designed for people living with multiple sclerosis and related neurological conditions. 

Hosted by the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) and proudly supported by the MS Research Flagship, this unique event brings the latest research out of the scientific world and into real life – helping you better understand what new discoveries mean for your care, treatment, and daily living. 

Event Details 

📅 Friday, 23 October 2026 
🕒 15:00–18:00 EDT (06:00-09:00 AEDT), plus a bonus hour of Q&A for online participants 
🌍 Online + Toronto, Canada 

Free to attend | Registration required | SIGN UP TODAY

FAREWELL

Farewell to Viv Jones

In May, we bid a heartfelt farewell to Vivienne Jones, our longstanding Consumer and Community Involvement Manager.

Viv joined the Menzies Institute for Medical Research in January 2018 as the inaugural Project Manager for the MS Research Flagship, where she played a pivotal role in establishing the program’s governance and embedding consumer and community involvement at its core. Appointed Consumer and Community Involvement Manager in March 2020, and a valued member of the leadership group, Viv carried out her role with dedication, warmth, and outstanding professionalism.

Living with MS since 1996, she brought both deep personal insight and strong connections across the MS community in Tasmania and nationally. Among her many contributions, Viv’s legacy is perhaps best reflected in the Flagship’s community events, with Research with Connections 2026 marking a fitting final chapter. We thank Viv for her remarkable contribution and wish her every happiness in her retirement.

Viv Jones (left) with Menzies' Director Professor Tracey Dickson at Research with Connections 2026

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