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Pictured L-R: Dr Emma Gray, Director of Research at the MS Society; Caroline Millar from Ballyclare, a volunteer with MS Society and who is living with MS; Mr Stewart Finn, Country Director at the MS Society Northern Ireland; and Professor Denise Fitzgerald, Principal Investigator and researcher from the Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine at Queen\u2019s University Belfast<\/p>\n
A major new centre for multiple sclerosis (MS) research has been launched at Queen\u2019s University Belfast, marking a significant step forward in Northern Ireland\u2019s contribution to the global fight against the neurological condition.<\/p>\n
The Northern Ireland MS Research Hub, unveiled this week, will serve as a focal point for large-scale, collaborative research into MS, uniting experts from across a range of disciplines. <\/p>\n
The Hub is backed by the MS Society and Queen\u2019s University Belfast, and will support pioneering work led by neurologists, immunologists, ophthalmologists and neuroscientists.<\/p>\n
This landmark initiative has been made possible through a combination of funding sources, including a legacy gift from the late Professor Dame Ingrid Allen, a world-renowned MS researcher and pathologist based at Queen\u2019s. <\/p>\n
Dame Ingrid was celebrated globally for her groundbreaking contributions to the understanding of MS, and the Hub\u2019s foundation seeks to honour and expand upon her legacy.<\/p>\n
As well as injecting much-needed funds into MS research in Northern Ireland, the Hub will create opportunities for those interested in building a career in MS research. This will help to train and retain the current and future generations of researchers in Northern Ireland.<\/p>\n
The launch of the Hub provides a transformative opportunity to deepen understanding of MS and accelerate the discovery of new treatments through collaborative science, and gives Northern Ireland a platform to play a central role in tackling one of the most common causes of disability in young adults.<\/p>\n
Multiple sclerosis is a lifelong neurological condition that affects the brain and spinal cord, disrupting the flow of information within the nervous system. It can cause a wide range of symptoms, including problems with movement, vision, and cognition. While the exact cause remains unknown, MS is widely understood to involve a combination of genetic and environmental factors that trigger an abnormal immune response.<\/p>\n
In the UK, it is estimated that over 130,000 people live with MS, with around 7,000 new diagnoses each year. Northern Ireland has one of the highest prevalence rates of MS in the world. Despite its impact, there is still no cure, and treatment focuses on managing symptoms and slowing progression.<\/p>\n
The establishment of the Hub marks the first time Northern Ireland has had a dedicated infrastructure to support a long-term, unified programme of MS research. People living with MS will be at the heart of the Hub, with the work shaped by their lived experiences.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Dr Emma Gray, MS Society Director of Research, says<\/strong>: <\/p>\n \u201cWe’re proud to be supporting the Northern Ireland MS Research Hub. The Hub will build capacity in MS research in Northern Ireland, bringing together researchers, doctors and the MS community to accelerate research and help stop MS.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Professor Denise Fitzgerald, Principal Investigator and researcher from the Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine at Queen\u2019s University Belfast, <\/strong>added:<\/p>\n \u201cThis unprecedented opportunity to grow MS research in Northern Ireland is a team effort on all fronts \u2013 funders, researchers and people with MS all working together to tackle MS. <\/p>\n \u201cWe are leveraging Northern Ireland\u2019s strengths in eye research and exciting innovations in healthcare and research to drive forward globally leading research to improve the lives of people affected by MS.\u201d<\/p>\n Research at the Hub will build upon previous findings that show that in MS, the retina (the back of the eye) can become inflamed and lose nerve cells. The team will use cutting-edge technology to scan the retina in more detail than has ever been possible. This could provide faster, simpler ways to monitor how MS progresses, and how people with MS respond to treatments.\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/327529f44c1041079ea512b5d69ba7e5.jpg\")
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