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Funding research
The MS Trust funds research that can make a difference to the lives of people who are living with MS now.
We focus on three key areas:
- Improving services
- Improving treatments
- Improving support
We have invested over £824,000 in the past five years, funding projects which have shown the value of MS nurses, audits to highlight where MS services must be improved, and research into bone marrow cell treatment.
If you would like to make a donation to help us fund research, or if you could help us to find funding from other sources, please get in touch.
The MS Trust is invaluable in funding research which explores aspects of management and care that have immediate relevance to the daily lives of people with MS.
- Dr Jenny Freeman, Associate Professor in Physiotherapy
Bone marrow cell treatment for chronic multiple sclerosis
Assessment of bone marrow-derived cellular therapy in progressive multiple sclerosis (ACTiMuS)
Professor Neil Scolding, Dr Claire Rice, University of Bristol, UK
Interest in this type of research is high and this study is already oversubscribed. Researchers are not looking for more participants.
Most cells in the body are dedicated to performing a function associated with a particular organ eg a skin cell or a liver cell. Stem cells are different in that they can divide to make a copy of themselves and generate a more specialised cell. Under the right conditions, they have the potential to develop into cells with special functions such as nerve cells in the brain or muscle cells in the heart. Furthermore, it is increasingly appreciated that stem cells have other important roles in injury and repair beyond replacing lost cells, including protection of nerve cells in the brain and influencing the response of the immune system. Understandably, there has been a great deal of interest in their use as a possible therapy for MS.
The bone marrow is a rich source of various types of stem cells which could potentially repair and protect nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord in MS.
The two year study will involve 80 people with primary or secondary progressive MS. Stem cells will be collected from participants' bone marrow. In the first year, one group will have their stem cells reintroduced by infusion into a vein whilst the placebo group will receive a blood transfusion. In the second year, the groups will be reversed. Results of the trial are expected in 2017.
The study will look for changes in nerve conduction inside the brain and spinal cord. It will also use a range of other measures to study alterations in disease progression, in particular, extensive and innovative MRI techniques performed in collaboration with colleagues in Nottingham. The study builds on a previous small safety trial in Bristol that suggested this approach to treatment with stem cells might have an effect on progression.
Interest in this type of research is high and this study is already oversubscribed. Researchers are not looking for more participants.
Working with the Charles Wolfson Charitable Trust, the MS Trust has been able to provide £150,000 towards the MRI scanning that is vital to this research.
Funding pioneering stem cell research in Bristol
Claire Rice, NIHR Clinical Lecturer & Consultant Neurologist, gives more information about the study being carried out at Frenchay Hospital in Bristol.
Pilates based core stability training: a randomised controlled trial
Dr Jenny Freeman, University of Plymouth, UK and collaborators, facilitated by the TiMS (Therapists in MS) group
People with MS frequently experience problems with balance and movement, including reduced trunk stability. Pilates-based core stability training is aimed at improving control of the body's stabilising muscles. Despite a lack of evidence regarding its effetiveness, this exercise approach is now popular with both people with MS and therapists.
In a previous study, the investigators found that an individual programme of core stability training helped five out of eight participants. The current investigation will build upon the pilot study by carrying out a clinical trial with the aims of:
- Establish the effectiveness of core stability training in people with MS
- Compare core stability training with standardised physiotherapy exercise
- Explore underlying mechanisms of change associated with this therapy
Can a fatigue management programme developed for one centre be replicated at other UK sites?
Nicki Ward-Abel, Catherine Sykes
University Hospital Birmingham and West Berkshire Community Hospital
Fatigue is one of the commonest symptoms of multiple sclerosis and can often have a major impact on people's lives.
Managing and treating fatigue is a challenge because there are limited treatment options with proven efficacy, and drug therapy may have no or limited effect. Treatment is primarily based on helping someone find ways of managing their life to prevent or lessen the impact of fatigue. Strategies include avoiding the build up of fatigue and conserving energy. There is growing evidence that fatigue management programmes can improve an individual's perception of their level of fatigue, as well as their quality of life.
A group fatigue management programme for people with MS was previously developed in a pilot study at University Hospital, Birmingham. The overall aim of this three year study is to test whether the programme can achieve reproducible results when used in a further eight centres throughout the United Kingdom. The eight centres are in Birmingham, Newcastle, Grampian, Shropshire, Burton, Milton Keynes, Reading and Hertfordshire.
The study is evaluating whether individuals who have completed the group fatigue management programme will report less fatigue, more satisfaction with performance and enhanced quality of life compared to those who do not receive the fatigue management programme.
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