Our vision is to reduce the impact of MS on individuals and the community.
Our mission is to perform high-quality, interdisciplinary, and consumer driven research on the causes, treatment and prevention of MS through an integrated pipeline of research. Conducting high impact, translational research to improve health and benefit to society.
Find out more about the MS Research Flagship
Find out more about brain health research at Menzies
What is multiple sclerosis (MS)?
MS is a neurological disorder that affects the central nervous system and can, to varying degrees, interfere with the transmission of nerve impulses throughout the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves. Despite major advances in the treatment of MS, it remains an incurable and often progressive disease with significant personal and societal impacts. MS affects more than 25,607 Australians and over 2.8 million people worldwide, with a 4% increase each year. In Tasmania, we have the highest number of MS diagnosis in the country, with approximately 138.7 people diagnosed per 100,000. This unique concentration in Tasmania is one of the reasons why the Menzies Institute conducts internationally significant MS research to improve the lives of Tasmanians living with MS.
Most people are diagnosed with MS between the ages of 20-40, and women account for three out of every four diagnoses. Our research also shows that the overall cost of MS increased by 41% between 2010 and 2017 and that MS now costs Australia $1.75 billion annually ($68,382 per person living with MS), with the increased cost being directly linked to increased disability.
There is currently no established way to prevent, mitigate or reverse disability accumulation in people living with MS. Despite significant advances in the MS research field, few new discoveries have been able to effectively treat disability.