Linking diet and the risk of MS

Dr Lucinda Black

Curtin University, WA

| Better treatments | Social And Applied Research | Travel Award | 2019 | Investigator Led Research |
SUPPORT PROJECTS WITH THIS RESEARCH FOCUS

Summary

The link between diet and the risk of MS remains relatively poorly understood. Dr Lucinda Black and her international collaborators have been collecting dietary intake information for the past two years, with the aim of studying associations between diet and risk of MS.

They are pooling information from two different studies linking environmental factors to MS, the long established AusImmune study and the American MS Sunshine Study, with the hope that pooling data will lead to more robust results and new insights into the dietary risks associated with MS.

This award will allow for the scientists from both studies to continue collaborating and to support Dr Black visiting the Kaiser Permanente Institute (USA) for a period of two weeks in order to review the food records, establish a protocol for data analysis, and conduct preliminary analyses. This is a challenging project as dietary information by its very nature is large and complex, but by working closely together with other experts in this area, Dr Black will be able to maximise collaborative potential.

The results from this project will not only substantially improve our understanding of diet and risk of MS, but also provide evidence for the development of clinical trials in diet and early disease progression. It will further help develop evidence-based dietary recommendations for people at high risk of MS and/or at early stages of the disease.

Updated: 23 January 2019

Updated: 01 January, 2019

Stages of the research process

Fundamental laboratory
Research

Laboratory research that investigates scientific theories behind the possible causes, disease progression, ways to diagnose and better treat MS.

Lab to clinic timeline: 10+ years
Translational
Research

Research that builds on fundamental scientific research to develop new therapies, medical procedures or diagnostics and advances it closer to the clinic.

Lab to clinic timeline: 5+ years
Clinical Studies
and Clinical Trials

Clinical research is the culmination of fundamental and translational research turning those research discoveries into treatments and interventions for people with MS.

Lab to clinic timeline: 1-5 years

Investigator

Grant Awarded

  • Ian Ballard Travel Award

Total Funding

  • $7,110

Duration

  • 2019

Funding Partner

  • MS WA
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Dr Yuan Zhou

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Linking diet and the risk of MS