J.K. Rowling donates £10 million for Edinburgh University MS clinic

J.K. Rowling has donated £10 million to the University of Edinburgh to set up a new clinic dedicated to multiple sclerosis treatment research.

This offering is the largest donation that the author has given to a charitable cause, and the biggest single donation that the University of Edinburgh has ever received.

The new Anne Rowling Regenerative Neurology Clinic is named after the author’s mother, who died of multiple sclerosis in 1990 aged 45. The clinic follows the setting up of the University's Centre for Multiple Sclerosis Research in 2007, which has also received support from Rowling.

Although no timeline for its construction has yet been announced, the clinic will be based in a purpose-built facility within the University’s Chancellor’s Building, next to the city’s Royal Infirmary and within the Edinburgh BioQuarter at Little France.

Dr Siddhartan Chandran, co-director of the Centre for Multiple Sclerosis Research, told The Journal: "The plan is to begin building immediately, although with a new build predicting times is difficult."

The clinic will focus on patient-based studies to help find treatments that could slow progression of the disease, working towards the eventual aim of stopping and reversing it.

Dr Chandran explained: "We will certainly build a bespoke research clinic but would hope to use the funds to blood the next generation of clinician-scientists.

"This group are the key to long-term success and we are particularly interested in a range of disciplines that work on the brain including neuro-radiology, neuropathology, and of course neurology."

Research on other degenerative neurological conditions will be conducted in the clinic, which will provide a unique opportunity to train new scientists in advanced research on these conditions.

Dr Chandran said: "This very generous and far-sighted donation will encourage others to invest or donate."

Multiple sclerosis has a very high incidence in Scotland, with around 10,500 people affected. MS is incurable and the main source of support and funding is through charities rather than from medical experts.

Dr Chandran said: "The vision is to work in partnership with existing basic laboratory activities and crucially NHS Lothian."

Collaboration between research scientists and NHS Lothian may be beneficial to Scottish patients, bringing together new potential treatments and the expertise of medical staff.