Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a devastating disease of the central nervous system. Both environmental and genetic risk factors contribute to its development as the most common chronic neurological disease affecting young adults. There are more than 33,000 Australians living with MS, with Tasmania having the highest prevalence.
As yet there’s no known cause or cure, but alumni working within the MS Research Flagship at the University of Tasmania’s Menzies Institute for Medical Research are intent on providing some answers.
Dr Alice Saul (BSc Hons 2014, PhD 2023)
Dr Alice Saul was inspired to get involved in MS research as she has experienced firsthand the impact that MS can have on individuals and their families.
“I understand the challenges that MS presents, and I’m passionate about making a difference in the lives of others by addressing these issues,” Saul said.
“Doing my postdoc at Menzies was a natural progression for me. After all, the unique concentration of MS in Tasmania is one of the reasons why Menzies conducts internationally significant MS research – to improve the lives of Tasmanians living with MS.”
Saul’s current research project is exploring the role of pain in MS. Pain is prevalent in MS and is commonly treated, but low levels of relief have been reported and there’s no clear guidance on how pain should be managed.
“My project will improve the understanding of individual types of pain in people with MS and design treatment intervention studies for specific types of pain,” she said.
Saul thrives on the challenges presented by researching a disease that has proven to be so elusive to determining cause or cure.
“Often, we have only a handful of clues to figure out a research question, so finding the solutions to the puzzle that is MS is a tremendous feat. I enjoy learning new skills to do this and love teaming up with researchers all over the world. I also find it very rewarding when these discoveries can make a difference in people’s lives,” she said.
Dr Nicholas Blackburn (BSc Hons 2010, PhD 2015)
It’s the potential for discovery that inspired Dr Nicholas Blackburn to get involved in MS research.
“MS research was a field change for me. I’ve worked across a range of different diseases both in humans and in animals, but in 2020 I saw an opportunity to apply my skills to make significant advancements in understanding the underlying genetic causes of MS,” Blackburn said.
The project he leads looks at how genetic variation contributes to MS.
“We don’t know why some families have multiple relatives affected by MS. We think they may have a stronger genetic risk to develop the disease, so my team and I are working to understand the DNA code of these families. I invite families that have multiple family members with MS to join our MS Family Study. They provide their DNA through a blood or saliva sample.
I then look for changes in their genetic code that are shared between all family members with MS and are not present in their unaffected family members.”
“We go on to use this information to study whether other people with MS have the same or similar genetic changes, potentially uncovering several mechanisms as to why MS develops, which will tell us where to target our efforts to develop new MS therapies,” he said.
Menzies has a long history of international research collaborations in the MS space, and for Blackburn’s research these collaborations are crucial.
“When we share data and connect different experiments across the world, I believe we really have a shot at understanding every aspect of MS development – and how we can focus that to find better therapies, preventions, or cures,” he said.
It’s the people, however, who consistently provide motivation for his work.
“I came for the discoveries but it’s the people with MS that I connect with now that continue to inspire me to push forward with my research.
“Consumer and community involvement is integral to our projects at the MS Research Flagship, and I find the value of conducting research with consumer partners to be immense.
“It’s through consumer partnerships that I can see the importance of my work as a researcher,” he said.
Dr Tracey Dickson (BSc Hons 1996, PhD 2000)
Menzies Director Professor Tracey Dickson says that Menzies has proudly been at the forefront of research advancements in MS for more than twenty years.
“It was out of this intensive focus and research capability that we established our MS Research Flagship, a hub of multidisciplinary, consumer driven MS research with a vision to reduce the impact of MS for individuals and the community,” Dickson said.
“The Flagship’s projects, such as those being led by Dr Blackburn and Dr Saul, have huge potential to make a real difference for people living with MS.”
Written by Rachel Clemons for Alumni Magazine Issue 54, 2023.
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