endMS SPRINT Team Meetings
Countdown to the 2026 endMS Summer School "The Diversity of MS Research: From Cells to Clinic to Community." We are excited for the fast approaching endMS Summer School being hosted in Kingston, Ontario June 15-18. Each year, the Summer School brings together the next generation of MS researchers from across Canada to learn, collaborate, and build lasting connections. Alongside the inspiring work emerging from the Scholar Program for Researchers IN Training (SPRINT), we look forward to another year of advancing research excellence, mentorship, and innovation in the MS community.
endMS Bits and Pieces Newsletter
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Sharing opportunities to learn about multiple sclerosis (MS) research, to network, to attract and retain trainees in the field of MS related research.
June 2026 Issue #40
Dr. Deepak Kaushik (Memorial University), SPRINT Mentor, met with his SPRINT team, Landon Scholly (University of Calgary), Lauren Strassen (Sick Kids Hospital), and Thomas Worthington (University of British Columbia) in St. John’s, Newfoundland May 15-20, 2026, to collaborate on their interdisciplinary learning project. The in-person meeting enabled productive discussions on manuscript development, provided an opportunity to present their work to researchers at Memorial University, and fostered valuable connections within the MS research community.
Do you have a connection to MS, an interest in scientific research and in training the next generation of researchers? If so, we’re looking for individuals with lived experience of MS to join an upcoming SPRINT Team! More INFO
Are you a female scientist researching multiple sclerosis (MS)? Apply now for the 2026 Rachel Horne Prize for Women’s Research in MS! This prestigious US$40,000 award will honour a senior female scientist for outstanding contributions to women’s health-related research in MS. Deadline to apply is June 12 2026.
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Irshad Akbar; Prenitha Mercy Ignatius Arokia Doss; Preya U. Patel; Batul Surury; Joanie Baillargeon; Mohamed Reda Fazazi; Ana C. Anderson; Olga L. Rojas; Hans Lassmann; Manu Rangachari. (2026). Myelin antigen–specific effector CD8+ T cells induce chronic CNS autoimmunity in a CD4+ T cell–dependent manner.The Journal of Immunology, 215(5), vkag107.https://doi.org/10.1093/jimmun/vkag107 New findings from Dr. Adil Harroud and colleagues reveal blood markers associated with MS years before diagnosis, highlighting the potential for earlier identification of individuals at risk.Read the full story
Postdoctoral Fellowship Opportunity in MS Research Memorial University is recruiting a Postdoctoral Fellow, Senior Data Scientist, or Biostatistician to contribute to innovative MS research exploring exercise as a disease-modifying therapy. The Translational Neuroimmunology Laboratory invites applications for a highly motivated to join a multidisciplinary research program led by Dr. Craig Moore
Tamanna Islam; Jason A. Berard; Abby Ryan; Marcia L. Finlayson; Lara A. Pilutti; Sarah A. Morrow. (2026). A pilot, single-arm feasibility study of a multidimensional behavioral intervention for cognitive fatigability in multiple sclerosis: Mental Energy Boost program.Frontiers in Neurology, 17, 1823950.https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2026.1823950
Career Opportunities
Congratulations to the Recipients of the 2026 Raifta Shwedyk Bursary Fund: Hayley Turner (University of Manitoba) Lucia Varela (University of Manitoba) 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.
Funding/Award Opportunities
endMS Network Trainee/Alumnae Publications, Awards, Presentations, and Achievements (trainee/alumnae are in bold) - Send us trainee/alumnae achievements!
IMSVISUAL Summer School is being held July 18-19 in Toronto This intensive 2-day summer school will focus on the visual system in MS and other neuroinflammatory disorders. Registration deadline is Wednesday, July 10, 2024. More information here
Save the date for the ACTRIMS-ECTRIMS meeting October 21-23 Toronto Register here
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The International Progressive MS Alliance announces the MS Clinical and Imaging Data Resource (MS CIDR) is now live and accepting applications to access the data. Application window closes June 17, 2026 Apply to Access the Data
Upcoming online Event: Black Representation in Basic and Translational Research June 3, 2026 9 -10 AM MDT Join Dr. Nabeela Nathoo and Larry Afun for a virtual discussion on representation in biomedical research and its impact on health equity. Using multiple sclerosis as a case study, this session will explore how gaps in diverse research participation and biobanks influence our understanding of disease and the development of more inclusive approaches to scientific discovery. The event includes an open Q&A session.Register here.
Upcoming Events , Announcements and Educational Opportunities:
Save the Date for the 2026 endMS Conference in Saskatoon, November 29 – December 2 Conference registration opens in June
Follow us on X, Bluesky and LinkedIN @endMS sharing announcements, news and opportunities! For more info: https://endmstrainingprogram.ca
Please share this newsletter with anyone interested in MS related research. To be removed from the endMS Training Program's distribution list, email anik.schoenfeldt@affiliate.mcgill.ca