International Alliance Scientific Advisory Council (SAC)

MND Australia is a member of the International Alliance of ALS/MND Associations. The aim of the Alliance is to provide an international community for individual ALS/MND Associations and to improve care and support for people living with MND around the world through curation and creation of information for members. The Alliance also acts as a global gateway through which Alliance Members, PALS and CALS, internal, and external stakeholders connect.

One of the resources of the International Alliance is the Scientific Advisory Council (SAC). The role of the International Alliance of ALS/MND Associations’ Scientific Advisory Council is to be a centralised resource to review and provide global perspective on scientific and biomedical announcements, information and opportunities relating to ALS/MND.

Dr Gethin Thomas, Executive Director of Research for MND Australia, was appointed Chair of the Scientific Advisory Council in 2022. In late 2023, Dr Thomas stepped down from this role to take a position on the board of the International Alliance of ALS/MND Associations. 

A key resource produced by the SAC is a series of “Briefing Notes” that provide background and updates on important advances and issues related to MND research. These have been written and approved by the SAC members and provide sound advice around the various topics. If you would like to read these, please visit the International Alliance of ALS/MND Associations' Scientific Advisory Council Drugs in Development resource.