endMS Summer School A huge thank you to everyone involved in making this year's endMS Summer School a success! Special thanks to Dr. Manu Rangachari and Dr. Luc Vallières for co-hosting the 2023 endMS Summer School Translating Basic MS Research into Clinical Practice in Québec City at Université Laval, from June 19-22, 2023. 40 thoroughly engaged graduate students, post-doctoral and clinical fellows from across Canada participated in this year's Summer School. Dr. Manu Rangachari, endMS Summer School Co-Host, sums up the week: "While there are a number of treatments available for relapse-onset MS, there is no cure. People with MS currently must contend with lifelong immunotherapy; not to mention that treatment options for those with progressive forms of MS are few. The disease takes an enormous toll on individuals and is also a great burden to the health of Canadians as it touches more than 1:400 of us. This past week, with my dear friend and colleague Luc Vallières, I had the chance to co-host the 2023 endMS Summer School at Université Laval. It brought together 40 of the most motivated MS-focused graduate students, postdocs and clinical fellows from across Canada, who learned from international calibre neuroimmunology experts such as Alex Prat (U de M) and Peter Calabresi (Johns Hopkins); further, in what is an annual highlight, trainees had a Q&A with individuals living with MS, who touched on topics ranging from diet to employment to women's health. Merci, pour votre implication et votre courage en partageant vos histoires! We also had the chance to present "Progression", a moving interactive art piece graciously loaned to us by Salima Punjani that weaves the personal history of MS-affected individuals with their biodata - making the crucial point that they are so much more than a diagnosis. A big THANK YOU to Tina Wolfson and Anik Schoenfeldt with the endMS Training Network for their support year round of the project and for building this outstanding national program over the last decade. Et un GROS merci à Julia Hernandez-Rapp, Danielle Laprise, Anne-Marie Goulet et Josée Pépin, notre équipe local extraordinaire, pour son fort travail et son dévouement. (And, Luc, it has been such a pleasure working with you to bring this to Quebec City this year!) After this week, I am more optimistic than ever that the future of MS research and treatment is in great hands. The next generation of trainees is super committed and dynamic, and we can dream clearly of a world in which we #endMS."
Sharing opportunities to learn about multiple sclerosis (MS) research, to network, to attract and retain trainees in the field of MS related research.
July 2023 Issue #20
endMS Bits and Pieces Newsletter
Dr. Timothy Kennedy's SPRINT team, Syamala Buragadda, Gracious Kasheke and Karine Thai met in Montreal, QC from May 27th-June 1st in conjunction with the Canadian Neuroscience (CAN) conference. They attended the conference and worked intensively on their review.
endMS SPRINT Team Meetings
endMS SPRINT Congratulations to the graduating 2022-2023 endMS SPRINTers! Syamala Buragadda (Memorial University), Haritha Desu (Université de Montréal), Adam Groh (McGill University), Gracious Kasheke (Dalhousie University), Colleen Lacey (University of Victoria), Katherine Sawicka (The Hospital for Sick Children), Fiona Tea (Université de Montréal), Karine Thai (Université de Montréal), Emily Wuerch (University of Calgary) and their SPRINT mentors: Drs. Afolasade Fakolade (Queen's University), Timothy Kennedy (McGill University) and Jacqueline Quandt (University of British Columbia)! Such a pleasure to see and hear about the excellent work they accomplished (and continue to do) through their SPRINT team projects! Welcome to the nine incoming 2023-2024 endMS SPRINTers, Rochelle Benoit (Memorial University) Katherine Cardwell (University of Ottawa), Mona Hejazi (Memorial University), Leah Shan Hohman (University of British Columbia), Megan Krysak (Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal), Ateyeh Soroush (University of Calgary), Risavarshni Thevakumaran (McGill University), Darrin Wijeyaratnam (University of Ottawa), Kaihim Wong (University of Manitoba) and thank you to their SPRINT mentors: Drs. Kaarina Kowalek (University of Saskatchewan), Hedwich Kuipers (University of Calgary) and Jordan Warford (Nova Scotia Health)!
Dr. Jacqueline Quandt's SPRINT team, Haritha Desu, Katherine Sawicka and Emily Wuerch met at the University of British Columbia, in Vancouver from May 21st-May 24th. The team worked on data analysis and preparing for their SPRINT presentation.
Dr. Afolasade Fakolade's SPRINT team, Fiona Tea, Adam Groh and Colleen Lacey met in Denver, Colorado May 31st to June 3rd in conjunction with the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) conference. The team prepared a poster for the conference and was nominated for an award. They also took the opportunity to discuss their topic with clinicians and industry professionals.
Follow us on Twitter @endMS and send us announcements, news and opportunities!
Career Opportunities: Neuroscience Positions: https://can-acn.org/neuro-jobs/ Research Assistant/Lab Manager, Postdoc Opportunities in Dr. Quandt's lab: More info here
endMS Conference 2023 Join MS Canada for its 6th endMSConference –the largest scientific meeting focused on multiple sclerosis (MS) in Canada. This year, the conference will be held at the Sheraton Centre Hotel in Toronto, Ontario from December 3-6, 2023 Registration is now open! Deadline for trainees to register and submit an abstract is Monday, August 14. https://mscanada.ca/endms-conference For questions, contact info@gemstone-events.com.
MS Canada's 2024-2025 Annual Research Competition is NOW OPEN. Discovery Research Grants Catalyst Research Grants endMS Personnel Awards (Doctoral Studentships/Postdoctoral Fellowships) Submit your applications through ProposalCentral (https://proposalcentral.com/) by October 3, 2023 at 16:00 Eastern time.Current endMS Doctoral Studentship and Postdoctoral Fellowship awardees will be able to renew their award through submission of a Progress Report by November 1, 2023 at 16:00 Eastern time. Please direct inquiries regarding funding opportunities to ms.grants@mscanada.ca.
The International Women in MS (iWiMS) Scientific and Clinical Interest Groups https://iwims.world/scientific-and-clinical-interest-groups/
Congratulations to: Kaihim Wong (University of Manitoba) and Miranda Messmer (University of Saskatchewan), recipients of the Raifta Shwedyk Bursary Fund. This fund was created in honor of the late Raifta Shwedyk. It supports a student(s) annually from a post-secondary institution from Manitoba and/or Saskatchewan to attend the endMS Summer School. Dr. Cole Libner (SPRINT alumni) on being selected as a Foundation of the Consortium of MS Centers Research Scholar.
Awards
Please share this newsletter with trainees interested in MS related research. To be added/ removed from the endMS Training Program's distribution list, email anik.schoenfeldt@affiliate.mcgill.ca More info: https://mscanada.ca/education-and-networking-programs
Upcoming Events , Announcements and Educational Opportunities: