Bullet points (3 bullet points):
- MS Australia’s Main Grants Round for 2026 is funding innovative new research across the spectrum of MS.
- Here we highlight four of the 16 new projects, exploring lifestyle and environmental influences on MS, emerging biological mechanisms, and how current treatments perform in real‑world settings.
- Our new grants build knowledge towards MS prevention, treatment and cures for people living with MS
Through our 2026 Major Grants Round, MS Australia is investing $2.8 million across 16 research projects nationwide, spanning the full MS research pipeline. Here, we highlight four of the new projects showcasing how researchers are approaching MS from different but complementary angles – from lifestyle and environmental risk factors to disease mechanisms and real‑world treatment outcomes. Together, this year’s funded projects will address key gaps in knowledge and inform future directions in MS prevention, treatment and cures.
Can lifestyle changes influence the oral microbiome in MS? 
At the University of Wollongong, NSW, Dr Olivia Wills is leading a study exploring how a lifestyle‑based intervention may influence the oral microbiome in people living with relapsing-remitting MS.
Lifestyle changes such as adjustments to diet, physical activity and behaviour are known to benefit some people with MS, but responses vary widely between individuals. One possible contributor to this variation is the microbiome – the community of bacteria that live in and on the body.
While most microbiome research in MS has focused on the gut, the mouth also hosts a large and biologically active microbial community that may influence inflammation and neurological health. In this study, saliva samples will be collected at the start of a six‑month lifestyle program and again at the end, allowing researchers to examine whether lifestyle changes are associated with shifts in oral bacteria.
The study will also explore whether changes in fatigue and mood occur alongside any observed microbiome changes. Although the research cannot show cause and effect, it will help clarify whether changes in the oral microbiome may be part of the broader benefits of lifestyle interventions for people living with MS and could inform more personalised approaches in future.
How common viruses may influence MS through gene regulation 
Infection with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is one of the strongest known environmental risk factors for MS, but the biological mechanisms linking EBV infection to MS are not completely understood. At the University of Melbourne, VIC, Mr Alex Eisner is investigating how EBV may influence MS by altering how genes are regulated.
EBV infection is extremely common worldwide and plays a role in MS onset and potentially in MS progression. However, how this virus contributes to disease development over time remains unclear. This project will use data from three large Australian studies, including the Ausimmune Study, AusLong Study and the PrevANZ trial – to examine how EBV infection is linked to MS risk and disease course.
A key focus of the research is whether EBV affects MS by changing gene activity through DNA methylation, a process that can switch genes on or off without altering the underlying DNA sequence. The study will also explore whether infection with EBV, and potentially other herpesviruses, is associated with differences in how people respond to commonly used MS treatments, recognising that evidence for viruses other than EBV is still emerging.
By clarifying how EBV affects gene regulation in MS, this project aims to contribute to more tailored approaches to treatment and disease management, with the long‑term goal of slowing MS progression.
Could copper link multiple environmental risk factors in MS? 
At Curtin University, WA, Dr Brittney Lins is investigating whether disruptions in copper regulation may help explain how several environmental risk factors contribute to MS.
Copper is an essential metal that supports energy production and antioxidant defences in cells, both of which are critical for maintaining healthy myelin, the protective coating around nerve cells that is damaged in MS. When copper cannot properly enter the brain or be used by cells, myelin may become more vulnerable to damage.
This project will explore whether several known environmental risk factors for MS, including prior EBV infection and low vitamin D levels, may have a shared link through their interaction with copper. For example, some studies suggest vitamin D plays a role in incorporating copper into cellular antioxidants.
In addition, the project will examine the interaction of gut bacteria and copper, as emerging evidence suggests that gut bacteria influence how copper is absorbed. Other studies suggest that disrupted copper balance may cause myelin to be mistakenly targeted by the immune system.
Using new imaging techniques that allow copper to be visualised in the brain, Dr Lins and her team aim to better understand whether copper plays a central role in MS risk.
The findings could open new avenues for research into MS prevention and treatment strategies.
Looking beyond relapses: targeting slow, ongoing inflammation 
While many MS treatments are effective at reducing relapses, they do not always stop the slow, ongoing inflammation in the brain that contributes to long‑term disability. This slow and persistent process is the focus of a real‑world study led by Professor Alexander Klistorner at the University of Sydney, NSW.
The study will examine how three commonly used MS therapies – ocrelizumab, fingolimod and natalizumab – affect this slow and persistent inflammation in everyday clinical practice. Using data from the MSBase Registry and Imaging Repository, which includes brain scans and medical information from thousands of people living with MS, the team will analyse MRI scans with a sensitive measure called Chronic Lesion Tissue Expansion. This measure tracks the slow growth of damaged areas in the brain over time, even when people are not experiencing relapses.
By comparing scans before and after a change in treatment, each participant effectively acts as their own comparison, improving the accuracy of treatment assessments. Importantly, the study was designed in partnership with people living with MS, many of whom identified slowing this progression as their top priority for MS research.
Findings from the study are expected to help shape future research and treatment strategies aimed at protecting long‑term brain health, not just preventing relapses.
A broader picture of MS research
Together, these projects highlight the diversity of MS research underway in Australia, spanning lifestyle interventions, viral risk factors, emerging biological mechanisms and real‑world treatment effectiveness. While these studies are at different stages of the research process, they each contribute to a deeper understanding of MS and to the development of more personalised, practical approaches to care.
View the full scope of projects newly funded in this grant round
