Inside Research with Connections 2026

At the end of May the MS Research Flagship hosted its fifth Research with Connections event in Hobart, bringing together researchers and the MS community to celebrate World MS Day.

It was a fantastic day, with a strong turnout of people living with MS, carers, supporters and collaborators, and a wonderful opportunity to connect, share experiences and showcase the impact of our work.

This year’s event was a special moment, forming part of the Flagship’s 10‑year anniversary celebrations. It provided an opportunity to reflect on how far the program has come, and the progress made through close collaboration with the MS community. It also saw the launch of a video created in acknowledgement of the anniversary (view below).

Our researchers gave updates on the progress being made against each of our MS Centre of Research Excellence (MS-CRE) scientific objectives.

Attendees also heard from people with lived experience, highlighting the importance of working side by side to shape research that delivers meaningful outcomes. Lived experience presentations from Mark Jablonski and Meg Denham were a highlight, with Mark’s reflections on his MS diagnosis journey aligning with this year’s World MS Day theme, My MS Diagnosis.

Keynote speaker Dr Samantha Barton from The Florey also gave a fascinating talk on her work using adult stem cells to create mini brains for modelling MS..

Most importantly, the day was a chance to come together, to celebrate the power of partnership, strengthen connections, and look ahead to the future of MS research.

Our thanks to everyone who contributed to the event, including our research partners and the many people living with MS who continue to guide and inspire our work.

Watch videos of the presentations: 2026 Research with Connections