.
Setting up the bank

Following the recommendations of an expert review committee, the Society set about establishing a new central UK MS Tissue Bank and invited bids from research centres interested in starting and running the new bank. The bids were then evaluated by the Society's Medical Research Advisory Committee. At the end of a lengthy review process, it was decided to site the new tissue bank in the Imperial College School of Medicine at Charing Cross Hospital in west London, a decision ratified by the Society's Board of Trustees.

The main aim of the new UK MS Tissue Bank is to supply high quality samples of Brain and other material to scientists studying the cause and treatment of the disease. The success of the tissue bank will therefore be reliant on good communication between many different people. Close contact will be maintained with donors, doctors, researchers and the Society.

The Tissue Bank Team: (left to right) Miss Bella Polito, Mr Chris Lee, Dr Simon Hawke, Professor Manuel Graeber, Dr Steve Gentleman, Professor Richard Reynolds and Dr Abhi Vora (seated)
'We see the new tissue bank as a collaboration between the MS community, the MS Society and the researchers,' says Dr Richard Reynolds, scientific director of the new UK MS Tissue Bank. 'Great emphasis will be placed on making and maintaining contact with those people who have pledged their tissue.'

Since the tissue bank is there to assist scientists researching MS, tissue will be made available on request to research workers. To ensure that the bank runs efficiently and that valuable tissue is distributed fairly, there is a management board which includes scientific experts as well as representatives for the Society.

The representatives are Lorna Layward, research liaison officer of the MS Society, and Cynthia Benz, author, counsellor and person with MS. The board will also ensure that the interests of people with MS, their carers and relatives are a top priority in the running of the bank, an issue of particular concern to all those who are involved.

page 1 - introduction
page 2 - setting up the bank
page 3 - what will the tissue be used for?
page 4 - how does the tissue bank do its work?
page 5 - how can I help?