What an excellent day this was (imo)! Many congratulations to the wonderful Prof G for getting it all together!
Was anyone else from here (reading this ) there? I know some of you were because we chatted, but I wonder how many others were there lurking in there…
And is anyone interested if I post some VERY brief notes about the proceedings? There’s not much point in writing a whole heap, as there’s so much available at
if you’re really interested, and the videos of the day will be available in a couple of weeks’ time anyway.
I recommend booking to go to the 5th MS Research Day as soon as it’s announced - provided you’re free and can make it to the venue, which may not be as disabled friendly as some would like (because they have to find somewhere at a reasonable price to accommodate such a huge number of attendees).
Yes I was there - a good day and some really interesting presentations. Thanks hugely to Prof G for organising/arranging, and great to have a chance to speak directly to the researchers. 2 things that really struck me - the film of the improved walking by the lady who had the pump inserted in a pouch - her walking improved steadily over 2 years instead of deteriorating as it could have done. Also, the research by Julian Gold into DNA/Viruses/HIV etc which although seeming to come from ‘left field’ would answer so many questions if found to be part of the cause of MS.
If I’d known you were there I would have tried to find you and say hello.
I was thinking of going to the meetup at the Wheatsheaf today but after yesterday’s marathon ‘MS’ day I’m giving it a miss, sorry.
I’m looking forward to seeing the Question Time film, when it is published in a couple of weeks time.
It was indeed a terrific day and jam packed with all the latest information. I am constantly amazed at the sheer amount of hard work our medical professionals put in on our behalf and well worth checking out the videos when they become available.
Interesting to see Jeremy Chattaway’s talk, partly because I participated in the Simvastatin trial and was wondering how to get back onto 80mg/day dose!
Forgive any mistypes, but the experts came up with a mightily impressive agenda of short talks to keep us busy. I liked the fact that each talk was only 15 mins with questions after:
Welcome: the different facets of MS research at UCLP including emerging treatments - Gavin Giovannoni
Symptom control: what is in the pipeline for spasticity? - Rachel Farrell
The role of energetics in MS - Marija Sajic
Vision: the eye as a window into the MS brain - Ahmed Toosy
Imaging: MRI as a tool in neuroprotective & neurorestorative MS trials - David Miller
Pathology: what is the earliest lesion to occur in MS? - Sandra Amor & Hans van Noort
Virology: an update of the Charcot Project - Julian Gold
How to make lumbar punctures less painful for MS research - Angharad Davis
Progressive MS: what have we learnt from recent clinical trials into progessive MS? - Jeremy Chataway
Prevention: bone health and falls - Ruth Dobson
Predicting MS: a genetics update - Sreeram Ramagopalan
Public engagement: the MS Research blog - David Baker
Next steps - Gavin Giovannoni & David Miller
Separate discussions:
Question Time; Explaining MRI (Niamh Cawley & Hugh Kearney); Explaining Pathology (Maria Papchatzaki & Klaus Schmierer); Cannabis (Gareth Price); Symptoms (Monica Marta); The Neurological Exam (Giles Elrington); Cognition (Alexandra Orchard & Dawn Langdon); Clinical Trials (Nurses fromt he Clinical Research Centre); Paediatric MS (Cheryl Hemingway); Sex, ballder & bowel (Julian Gold & Freya Edwards)
Yep, Julian Gold’s talk - and the retroviruses in particular - was totally fascinating, but all the talks held my interest (quite an achievement).
A tricky choice given the high standard, but the talk by David Miller about his work with MRI and the development of Neuroprotective trials was particularly fascinating. I think I need another look when the films come out though.
Most interesting was the development of new drugs and trials for SPMS. Suddenly MSers with SP are spoilt for choice but 12 months ago there was nothing.
Didn’t get to separate discussions, what were they like?
Also it was nice to have opportunity to see familiar faces.
Most interesting was the development of new drugs and trials for SPMS. Suddenly MSers with SP are spoilt for choice but 12 months ago there was nothing.
Didn’t get to separate discussions, what were they like?
Also it was nice to have opportunity to see familiar faces.
Patrick
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Yes, what an impressive list of progressive trials that was!
And how wonderful that these experts are driving through fast-track trials with the help of so many MS volunteers.
As for the separate discussions, I didn’t go to any myself, preferring the main event instead.
However, I did pop in to see Angharad Davis for a quick look at the old and new lumbar puncture needles that she was brandishing. No wonder they don’t get headaches, etc., with that ‘new’ needle.