Australian scientists move closer to understanding how multiple sclerosis develops
Australian scientists have made a breakthrough in multiple sclerosis research, allowing more than 100 genetic risk factors to be studied together. The discovery could help researchers better understand how MS develops and lead to more targeted treatments.
Australian researchers have taken an important step toward understanding how multiple sclerosis (MS) develops, a breakthrough that could eventually lead to more precise treatments and better quality of life for people living with the condition.
The research, led by Dr Hamish King at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI), will allow scientists to study more than 100 genetic risk factors for MS at the same time. The project is funded through MS Australia’s latest $2.8 million research grant round.
For years, researchers have known that hundreds of small genetic variations are linked to an increased risk of developing MS. The challenge has been understanding how these changes actually contribute to the disease.
Many of these genetic differences do not directly change genes themselves. Instead, they influence how genes are switched on and off inside immune cells, making it difficult to pinpoint exactly how they affect the body.
Dr King’s team will now test these genetic risk factors in human immune cells, examining how they affect gene activity and immune behaviour both individually and in combination.
Dr King said studying how multiple genetic factors interact could help researchers better understand how MS begins and progresses.
“For more than 20 years, we’ve known that there are many genetic markers linked to the risk of developing MS, but we haven’t been able to fully explain how they alter immune cell behaviour,” Dr King said.
“MS can arise from many small genetic differences acting together, and this platform will allow us to study those changes collectively and connect them to the specific genes and pathways they affect.”
A growing health challenge
MS is an immune-mediated condition where the body mistakenly attacks the brain and spinal cord, damaging myelin, the protective coating around nerve fibres.
The condition can affect mobility, vision, thinking and energy levels, and symptoms vary widely from person to person.
In 2025, more than 37,700 Australians were living with MS, a 77.4 per cent increase since 2010. The total economic cost of the disease reached $3 billion in 2024.
With the number of people diagnosed continuing to rise, researchers say accelerating new discoveries is increasingly important.
MS Australia’s Head of Research, Dr Tennille Luker, said understanding how genetic risk factors drive the disease is a crucial step toward improving treatments.
“Identifying risk was only the beginning. Understanding how those genetic changes actually drive disease is what allows us to change its trajectory,” Dr Luker said.
“Alongside this work, we are investing in research that slows progression, manages symptoms and improves quality of life. These projects strengthen our response to MS today while laying the scientific foundation for prevention and cures.”
Exploring new treatment possibilities
The funding round will also support several other research projects exploring different aspects of MS.
At the University of Queensland, Associate Professor Anna Hatton is developing sensory shoe insoles designed to improve balance for people living with MS. The insoles aim to enhance signals sent from the feet to the brain, potentially helping reduce falls and support everyday mobility.
Meanwhile, Professor Kaylene Young from the University of Tasmania’s Menzies Institute for Medical Research is investigating how changes in brain blood vessels may influence MS progression. Her research will examine whether improving blood flow in the brain could help protect nerve cells and slow disability.
Another project, led by Alex Eisner at the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, is exploring how common viruses, including Epstein-Barr virus, may contribute to MS risk by altering immune responses and gene activity.
At Curtin University, Dr Brittney Lins is investigating whether disruptions in copper levels in the brain could link several known MS risk factors, including viral infections, vitamin D deficiency and gut health.
Long-term investment in research
The research grants will be formally launched at Parliament House in Canberra as part of MS Australia’s Advancing MS Research in Australia event.
Over the past two decades, MS Australia has invested more than $60 million into research aimed at improving treatments and outcomes for people living with the condition.
MS Australia CEO Rohan Greenland said sustained investment in research is essential to driving real progress.
“Research is hope, and it reminds people living with MS that progress is possible and that better treatments and prevention are within reach,” Mr Greenland said.
“Together, we are accelerating the discoveries that will bring us closer to a world without MS.”