Understanding Multiple Sclerosis - MS

24/03/2026

Clare Reilly - Multiple Sclerosis Advocate is preparing to take on an extraordinary challenge: completing the 1,000km Munda Biddi Trail in Western Australia using an off‑road wheelchair.

Clare lives with multiple sclerosis (MS), and through her 'Wheelchair meets wilderness' challenge she is raising awareness and funds to support MS research at the Menzies Institute for Medical Research - home of the MS Research Flagship, the research group behind our free MS MOOCs. Her goal is to raise $100,000 to help improve treatment and care for people living with MS.

We are incredibly grateful to Clare for her commitment to advancing MS research, and wish her all the best on her adventures!

Find out more about Clare's journey and how you can support her challenge ⬇️ https://www.utas.edu.au/about/news-and-stories/articles/2026/wheelchair-meets-wilderness-clare-reilly-takes-on-the-munda-biddi-trail-for-ms-research

23/03/2026

📢 Want to know more about the group behind our free MS online courses?

The latest newsletter from the MS Research Flagship at Menzies Institute for Medical Research is out now!

2026 is a special year for the MS Research Flagship as it celebrates 10 years of working alongside the MS community to reduce the impact of multiple sclerosis.

In this edition, read about:
🎉 10 years of the MS Research Flagship and the milestones shaping MS research in Tasmania and beyond
🔬 How world‑class research and lived experience are driving progress
🤝 Community events and initiatives helping fund the future of MS research.

Link to the full newsletter in the comments 👇

17/03/2026

🧠This Brain Awareness Week, build your understanding of the brain and mental health with Mental Health and MS, a free, self‑paced online course.

The course explores how anxiety, depression and multiple sclerosis interact to affect daily life, and shares practical, evidence‑based strategies to support mental wellbeing. Across three modules, you’ll hear from people living with MS, alongside clinical psychologists and neurologists.

Developed by the MS Research Flagship at Menzies, in collaboration with the MS community.
Key details
💻 Duration: Self‑paced
⏱️ Effort: 1.5–2 hours per module
📜 Completion certificate: Yes
💰Cost: FREE

Click on the image to enrol ⬇️

Mental Health and Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a free online course that aims to enhance understanding of mental health and its interaction with anxiety, depression and MS.

12/02/2026

🧠 Free online course: Ageing Well with MS
Are you looking for support as you navigate ageing with multiple sclerosis?

Ageing Well with MS explores what ageing means, how it intersects with MS, and provides practical strategies to support physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. The course also includes guidance on planning for the future.

Across three modules, you’ll hear from MS clinicians, researchers and people with lived experience, all sharing insights to help you age well with confidence.
Developed by the MS Research Flagship at the Menzies Institute for Medical Research, in collaboration with the MS community.

Course details
📘 Self-paced learning
⏱️ 1.5–2 hours per module
📄 Certificate available
💰 100% FREE
🤝 Co‑designed with the MS community

Enrol today 👇

Ageing Well with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a free online course that explores ageing and how it intersects with multiple sclerosis. The course provides strategies for healthy ageing and helps you plan for the future.

20/01/2026

🧠 Free online course: Deciding about Disease Modifying Therapies (DMTs) for MS

Looking to better understand the treatment options available for multiple sclerosis?

Deciding about DMTs for MS is a free, self‑paced online course designed to help people living with MS, their families, and supporters understand what DMTs are, how they work, and how to make informed choices.

Across three modules, you’ll hear from neurologists, MS nurses, researchers, and people with lived experience. The course focuses on clear communication and practical knowledge to support decision‑making at every stage.

✨ Course highlights:
• ⏱️ Self‑paced learning
• 📚 1.5–2 hours per module
• 🎓 Completion certificate
• 💲 100% FREE
• 🤝 Co‑designed with the MS community
Ready to learn more? Enrol now:

Deciding about Disease Modifying Therapies (DMTs) for Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a free online course that aims to increase understanding about DMTs and help people living with MS make informed decisions about using them.

13/01/2026

🕵️‍♂️ Have you seen this man?
Professor Bruce Taylor—one of our very own experts who you may recognise from Understanding MS videos—has been honoured with the prestigious MS Australia 2025 MS Research Award. The award recognises his more than 25 years of leadership in advancing MS research and improving outcomes for people living with the condition.

Congratulations Bruce! 🎉

👏Congratulations to Professor Bruce Taylor of our MS Research Flagship, who has been named co-recipient of MS Australia's 2025 MS Research Award. This award recognises his more than 25 years of leadership in advancing multiple sclerosis (MS) research and improving outcomes for people living with MS.

Professor Taylor has led national and international studies that have shaped our understanding of MS prevalence, genetics, biomarkers and disease progression. His work has informed earlier diagnosis and improved everyday clinical care, and he is a key contributor to the internationally recognised Understanding Multiple Sclerosis - MS course.

Professor Taylor was humbled to be recognised but stressed that collaboration and community have been at the heart of his career. He said:

“What we do in MS research is only possible because we work together, and none of our work happens in a silo. Collaboration has driven every step forward, and that makes the work incredibly rewarding.”

Professor Taylor shares the award with Professor Helmut Butzkueven from Monash University and Alfred Health.

Read more below 👇

07/01/2026

🎉 Happy New Year. We can’t wait to learn with you in 2026!

Boost your understanding of MS with our free online courses:
✅ Understanding MS – opens July
✅ Mental Health & MS – always open
✅ Ageing Well with MS – always open
✅ Deciding about DMTs for MS – always open
✨ Back for 2026: MS Symptoms & Diagnosis – opens May for World MS Day

🔗 Enrol via the link in the comments

21/12/2025

Happy Holidays from the Understanding MS Team!
As 2025 comes to a close, we want to thank you for being part of our learning community. Your support and engagement help us make MS education accessible to people around the world.

We wish you a safe, joyful festive season and look forward to continuing the journey of understanding MS together in the new year.

Ready to learn more, refresh your knowledge or invite friends to join? Our free course opens again in 2026 and you can enrol here:
👉 ms.mooc.utas.edu.au/i/msums

16/12/2025

🌍 Thank you to the incredible learners from more than 180 different countries who have joined us since we launched our course in 2019. Your enthusiasm is helping grow global understanding of MS — and we’re just getting started.

🎓 Enrolments are NOW OPEN for Understanding MS in 2026, when you will be able to:
✅ access the course whenever it suits you, day or night
✅ learn at your own pace

🔗 Enrol in our free course here: https://ms.mooc.utas.edu.au/i/msums
We can’t wait to see you in the course!

10/12/2025

Since we first launched Understanding Multiple Sclerosis in 2019 more than 56,000 people have enrolled in our course to improve their knowledge and understanding of MS.

💬 Know someone else who might be interested? Tag a friend, share this post, and invite your family, colleagues, or community to join the movement.

📚 What to expect:
✅ Expert insights from researchers, clinicians, and people with lived experience
✅ Flexible, self-paced learning
✅ A welcoming global community
✅ And best of all — it’s completely FREE

🔗 Enrol now: https://ms.mooc.utas.edu.au/i/msums

07/12/2025

Since our free online course launched in 2019 we've had more than 55,000 people enrol and learn with us.

If you know someone who has missed out, share this post and let them know that enrolments for 2026 are now open!

Sign up today or learn more 👇
https://ms.mooc.utas.edu.au/i/msums

02/12/2025

🗣️𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗯𝘆 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝗠𝗦 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆
The Australian Multiple Sclerosis Longitudinal Study (AMSLS) has been running for over 20 years. It’s a collaborative research initiative between Menzies Institute for Medical Research and MS Australia, collecting real-world data from Australians living with MS. This valuable data helps inform policy decisions and guides MS-related medical and support services—driving positive change and improving lives.
To maximise its impact, the AMSLS needs as many participants as possible.

👉 If you're living with MS in Australia and aged 18 or over, you can register at:
🔗 https://www.msaustralia.org.au/amsls