Grant: Dissemination Events - PA: Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction

In a world where information is available at our fingertips, people are much more aware of what is happening in the world of MS research. There is a heightened demand from the MS community and beyond to learn more about the work of researchers, the research process and how it is being applied. Through the delivery of research based education seminars in the fall of 2014, the MS Society in partnership with CIHR will open up lines of communication between researchers, people living with MS, healthcare professionals and students in communities across Atlantic Canada. Dr. Michelle Ploughman and Dr. Alain Simard will disseminate new findings from their studies around healthy aging and inflammation in MS, while also speaking on the research process. The seminars will allow researchers to connect with their communities directly and address questions attendees may have. Ploughman will speak to the modifiable components in our environment and how these variables relate to healthy aging with MS. Her presentation will increase peoples appreciation of how research can be applied to inform health related decisions and will stimulate discussion. Simard will provide attendees with a deeper understanding of biomedical research by speaking to the steps involved in bringing research from concept to clinic to patient use. For people living with MS, the seminars will provide a deeper understanding of MS and the process behind research. For students and researchers, the seminars will be a catalyst for potential new relationships and collaborations, as well as an opportunity to hear directly from patients, those at the center of their work. For healthcare professionals, the seminars provide an opportunity to learn about components of research that may improve treatment plans and overall knowledge in disease progression and management.