The laureates of the Charcot Fund 2018

The laureates of the Charcot Fund 2018 are known: a choice for concrete results, a focus on progressive MS and, as usual, support for innovative basic research.

As announced at the end of last year, the Fondation Charcot Stichting is increasing its support and will be donating €300,000 (against €200,000 in 2017) to seven research teams working on multiple sclerosis, whose aim is to significantly improve knowledge of both this neurological disease and its treatments.

For many years now, Belgium has been a leader in this area. This excellence is partly due to the continued support of the Fondation Charcot Stichting (since 1987), and also to the expertise of its scientific jury (see below).

“This year’s choice of projects confirms the Fondation Charcot Stichting’s deliberate focus on progressive multiple sclerosis, a form of MS for which treatments are as yet very limited. The jury has also selected projects, the results of which may yield substantial and concrete improvements. Finally, support to pure basic research remains essential. We need to know how the disease works in order to explore new treatment options such as cell therapy.” Prof C. Sindic, President of the Fondation Charcot Stichting.

This year, an eighth project was selected and will be funded by the Belgian National MS League on the occasion of its 60^th anniversary.

The generosity of its donors and testators

The Fondation Charcot Stichting owes its very existence to the generosity of its donors and testators. By increasing its support to cutting-edge basic research, the Fondation Charcot Stichting is making its contribution to a future cure for MS. Once more, however, we have been unable to finance a number of projects in 2018. We need to increase our notoriety and collect funds. For this reason, a Charcot Team will again be taking part in the 2018 edition of the 20 km of Brussels race. We are currently looking for runners who, by participating, will be making their own contribution to MS research.

The jury emphasised the fact that the Fondation Charcot Stichting is more than a source of financial support to researchers. It also sets standards in the area of MS research in Belgium. How? By also investing in promising young researchers by means of the Charcot Fellowships, raising awareness among neurologists and doctors, supplying patients with unbiased information and supporting the BELTRIMS register (the Belgian register of MS patients).

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