In November 2024 the MS Trust and MS Research Treatment and Education (MSRTE) announced they had merged. This collaboration will allow the newly established charity, which will retain the name Multiple Sclerosis Trust, to not only continue providing the essential services that people with MS rely on from the MS Trust, but also expand its offerings to include research.
A history of MS Research, Treatment and Education
About MS Research Treatment and Education
MS Research Treatment and Education (MSRTE) first registered as charity in 1995. The organisation was the newest manifestation of MUSTER (Multiple Sclerosis Training, Education and Research) and was a NIHR RDN (National Institute for Health and Care Research) non-commercial partner.
MSRTE have contributed and supported specialist research into multiple sclerosis for many years, with Dr Rosie Jones at the helm and supported by former chair, Mr Ben Clacy who has now moved to the trustee board of the newly merged MS Trust.
Initially based in London, the charity moved to Bristol in 2001 where they continued to support quality MS focused research projects across the UK. It was involved in helping to set up BrAMS, the Bristol and Avon multiple sclerosis centre at Frenchay Hospital, where the MS Research Unit (funded by MSRTE) operated until its move to Southmead Hospitals Brain Centre in November 2015.
Research collaborations
Over the years MS Research Treatment and Education (MSRTE) are proud to have collaborated with many distinguished education and healthcare establishments.
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Bristol University
University of Oxford
North Bristol NHS Trust
Nottingham University
Digesting Science
MS Register
RIMS – Rehabilitation in MS
iMSpire – Intl MS Partnership in Research
Bournemouth University
Sheffield University
CRIC
Funding research projects
Funded entirely by donations and grants, MS Research Treatment and Education (MSRTE) has supported many high quality and dedicated research projects over the years, with the aim of “looking forward to seeing the back of MS”.
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Bournemouth University Reducing the impact of fatigue in people with MS using the FACETS fatigue management programme (2013), which led to the long standing delivery of the FACETS programme via MSRTE. Lead researcher: Dr Sarah Thomas.
Bristol University Engineering Assessing and Suppressing Tremor to Enable Independence: Development of a Clinical Workstation (2014), which assessed and analysed the potential suppressing impacts of a wearable device for improving MS tremor. Lead researcher: Prof Simon Neild.
University of Bristol Hybrid auxetic foam and perforated plate composites for human body support (2018),was an MA Engineering study to explore the use of new materials to help core stability positioning in wheelchair users with trunk disability. Lead researcher Fabrizio Scarpa.
University of the West of England: Charmed MS (2019), a tremor study with UWE Bristol assessing the ‘Objective characterisation of movement disorders to identify people with multiple sclerosis likely to benefit from deep brain stimulation’ (UWE) with lead researcher, Dr. Konrad Szewczyk-Krolilowski.
University of Bristol Dysfunction of basal ganglia functional connectivity associated with subjective and cognitive fatigue in multiple sclerosis (2023) was a functional MRI (fMRI) study carried out at the CRIC centre, University of Bristol. Lead researcher: Christelle Langley.
Oxford University Molecular determinants of axonal loss in the multiple sclerosis spinal cord (2024) – a feasibility study to develop a library of pathology samples that may be used in diagnosis and prevention. Lead researcher: Dr Gabriele De Luca, Nuffield Dept Clinical Neurosciences.
Sheffield University Exploring real-world mobility in progressive multiple sclerosis (commenced November 2023), a project to investigate the use of mobility sensors for people with progressive MS, linked with the Octopus study. Lead researcher: Gavin Brittain, Sheffield University and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.
Bournemouth University Creating a FACETS digital toolkit to promote quality of life of people with multiple sclerosis (commenced 2023), an investigation to create a digital toolkit for FACETs programme participants. Lead researcher: Dr Sarah Thomas, Bournemouth University Clinical Research Unit.
MS Research Treatment and Education run programmes
A central aspect of MSRTE's work was translating the findings from the research they funded and delivering them directly to people with MS through the NHS. This resulted in several popular programmes which ran from their Bristol headquarters.
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A free group programme to help people manage MS fatigue. FACETS is short for Fatigue: Applying Cognitive behavioural and Energy Effectiveness Techniques to life Style. Originally designed in 2010 by the psychology research and clinical teams, led by Dr Sarah Thomas at Poole Hospital, Dorset and the University of Bournemouth. There is proven evidence to show it can be very helpful for managing MS-related fatigue.
The programme comprises of weekly 90-minute sessions which take place over six weeks. It provides:
- tools and strategies to manage energy levels more effectively
- ways to explore different, more helpful ways of thinking about fatigue.
The course uses a mixture of short presentations, group activities, discussions and homework tasks. During the course participants devise practical strategies to manage their fatigue, while working together to discover ways to counter the negative thoughts that can make lifestyle changes harder.
FACETS combines two key elements:
- cognitive behavioural approaches to change unhelpful thoughts and behaviours
- energy effectiveness techniques, which help make the most of the available energy a person has.
Looking forward
Joining with the MS Trust will allow MSRTE to build on its existing strengths and create an even more significant and positive impact on the lives of people affected by multiple sclerosis. By combining MSRTE's experience in research and the MS Trust's unique relationship with health professionals, the new organisation will be perfectly positioned to bridge the gap between research and clinical practice, ultimately improving the daily lives of people living with MS.
There is real excitement about the future and the positive impact the merger will make. We are now working on our new research strategy to take us forward. Watch out for updates!