Ep86 Funding the Future: The Next Generation of MS Research

<p><a href="https://www.msaustralia.org.au/news/researchers-turn-to-lab-grown-mini-brains-in-search-of-ways-to-repair-ms-damage/" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Announced on 29 July</a>, MS Australia's <a href="https://www.msaustralia.org.au/research-grants-07-2026/" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">2026 Mid-Year Research Grants</a> support bold new ideas with the potential to transform the future of <a href="https://www.msaustralia.org.au/what-is-multiple-sclerosis-ms/" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">multiple sclerosis</a> (MS) research and <a href="https://www.msaustralia.org.au/treatments/" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">treatment</a>. Every breakthrough in <a href="https://www.msaustralia.org.au/research/" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">MS research</a> begins with researchers asking questions yet to be answered. MS Australia is committed to <a href="https://www.msaustralia.org.au/projects" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">supporting Australia’s leading researchers</a> as they tackle some of the biggest unanswered questions in MS.</p><p>In today’s episode, MS Australia’s Deputy Head of Research, Dr Fiona McKay, speaks with two of this year’s grant recipients: <a href="https://www.msaustralia.org.au/researcher/tal-koren/" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Dr Tal Koren</a> from the <a href="https://www.sydney.edu.au/brain-mind/" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Brain and Mind Centre</a> at The University of Sydney and <a href="https://www.msaustralia.org.au/researcher/samantha-barton/" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Dr Samantha Barton</a> from <a href="https://florey.edu.au/" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health</a> in Melbourne.</p><p>Dr Koren discusses his work using <a href="https://www.msaustralia.org.au/project/biomarkers-of-disease-progression-in-the-spinal-cord-in-ms/" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">advanced MRI techniques and artificial intelligence</a> to better detect and monitor spinal cord damage in people living with MS.</p><p>Dr Barton explains how <a href="https://www.msaustralia.org.au/project/defining-genes-that-drive-myelin-formation/" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">human stem cell-derived ‘mini brains’</a> are helping her team study myelin formation and identify future opportunities to repair damaged myelin.</p><p>You’ll