Merck announces MS research scholarship

Merck has announced further support for Australia’s Multiple Sclerosis (MS) community with a new research scholarship to help fund neurology research at the Royal Melbourne Hospital.

The Merck MS Scholarship at the Melbourne Brain Centre within the Royal Melbourne Hospital will provide $100,000 over three years to help support a neurology PhD student to conduct clinical research into MS with the aim of improving outcomes for people living with the disease.

Royal Melbourne Hospital’s Joint Head of the MS Service, Professor Helmut Butzkueven, Professional Fellow, Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, said, “PhD studies are the entry into an academic neurology career and provide aspiring neurologists with considerable expert research training and experience. This scholarship helps the Melbourne Brain Centre in supporting our future neurology researchers and ultimately finding new ways to address the issues facing MS patients.”

New research, training and clinical experience in neurology are vital in helping to advance better outcomes for people with multiple sclerosis, said Merck Medical Director, Biopharma Australia and New Zealand Dr Paul Theron. “Merck’s involvement in MS research and treatment goes back more than 20 years and scholarships such as this demonstrate our ongoing and firm commitment.”