Victoria University of Wellington researcher receives funding for Multiple Sclerosis work
Dr Bronwyn Kivell from the School of Biological Sciences has received over $150,000 in funding from the Neurological Foundation for her work on Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in collaboration with Professor Anne La Flamme.
“Multiple sclerosis is a debilitating neurological disease that has no cure,” Dr Kivell says. “The body’s own immune system attacks and destroys the myelin (protective covering) around nerve cells, which leads to fatigue, muscle weakness, cognitive issues, vision problems, and ultimately paralysis.”
New Zealand has one of the highest rates of Multiple Sclerosis in the world, and there are over 2.5 million people suffering from the disease worldwide, Dr Kivell says.
Dr Kivell’s research will explore ways of repairing the damage caused by Multiple Sclerosis, aiming to help patients recover from the disease. Current research focusses on minimising symptoms or slowing the progress of the disease, so this research will be a huge step forward for sufferers of Multiple Sclerosis, Dr Kivell says.
This research will also support new international research collaborations.
This grant is part of nearly $1.5 million given by the Neurological Foundation in 2018. They are the primary non-government funder of neurological research in New Zealand.