ARSEP awards 1.6m EUR to MS research proposals

The French MS Research Support Foundation (ARSEP) has announced its selection of innovative research proposals to receive a combined total of more than 1.6 million EUR, as part of its annual funding programme.

The funding, allocated by the Scientific Committee of ARSEP, is designed to support research projects that give hope for the future of MS research. ARSEP introduced the annual call for research proposals in 1976 in order to address an unmet need to support MS research in France. The funding is split into two categories: fellowships for young researchers and grants for research projects.

Earlier this month, the Scientific Committee awarded the 2018 funding to 14 projects in neurobiology, 3 projects in clinical research, 1 project in genetics, 4 projects in imaging and 6 projects in immunology.

The selection process begins in January each year, when ARSEP disseminates a call for proposals among researchers working in public research institutes and neurology services. Proposals are then reviewed thoroughly by internal and external reviewers, who assess the originality of the project, its feasibility, its scientific relevance and usefulness towards MS research more broadly, alongside the quality of the team submitting the application. Applicants must include a detailed breakdown of the intended use of the funds, along with a summary of results from recent MS research projects and a list of scientific publications. The Scientific Committee then makes its final selection of grant and fellowship recipients in July.

Jean-Frédéric de Leusse, CEO of ARSEP, expressed his thanks to the Scientific Committee, highlighting its important role in finding the funds to accelerate progress in MS research.

The names of recipients will be announced after the decision has been verified by ARSEP’s Administrative Council. Funding will then be distributed to the winners in November.

Find out more about funding available for MS research.