The following organizations came together to create iConquerMS™.
Accelerated Cure Project for MS (ACP)
ACP is a patient-founded nonprofit organization dedicated to accelerating research efforts to improve diagnosis, optimize treatment, and cure MS. The ACP team has proven experience in developing and sharing resources with MS researchers. For example, its ACP Repository provides researchers with data and biosamples that have enabled more than 60 research studies to date.
ACP believes that research is the only way to greatly improve the outlook for people living with MS. The organization promotes scientific collaboration and accelerates research by rapidly and cost-effectively providing researchers with the resources they need to explore novel research ideas that can lead to better care for people living with MS.
ACP leads the iConquerMS™ initiative, overseeing the Governing Board and committees, as well as PCORI-related activities. Its deep MS knowledge and community relationships have driven efforts to build and grow iConquerMS™. ACP also leads the iConquerMS™ Project Team.
The ACP team is led by its CEO Robert McBurney, Ph.D. Dr. McBurney has more than 30 years of experience in neuroscience research and research management. He has managed multidisciplinary research groups for drug discovery, clinical research, and biomarker discovery at research institutes and biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies.
Read comments from Dr. McBurney in the iConquerMS™ newsletter and in our testimonials section.
Feinstein Kean Healthcare (FKH)
FKH is a strategy and communications firm serving the life sciences and healthcare industries. For more than 25 years, FKH has helped innovative organizations develop communication programs that inform and engage patients, researchers, doctors, and other healthcare audiences.
As a member of the iConquerMS™ Project Team, FKH has led the strategic planning for the iConquerMS™ initiative, and is responsible for the development of all iConquerMS™ outreach and visibility efforts. The firm wrote and designed the content and graphics of the iConquerMS™ website, and branded the iConquerMS™ initiative. FKH’s communications activities drive awareness of iConquerMS™ nationally, and keep the entire MS community informed about the initiative.
The FKH team is led by Marcia Kean, the firm’s Chairman of Strategic Initiatives. Among her specialties is the framing and development of multi-stakeholder ecosystems to address complex healthcare challenges, and she has helped to grow public-private partnerships on the availability and usage of healthcare data, personalized medicine, and the learning healthcare system.
Mrs. Kean also serves as an advisor to the iConquerMS™ Governing Board, and as a member of the Communications Committee. Read comments from Mrs. Kean.
Complex Adaptive Systems at Arizona State University (CAS @ ASU)
CAS @ ASU addresses complex global challenges by combining insights from different fields across the University. It develops and applies information technology to better collect, connect, and enhance this transdisciplinary knowledge, resulting in entirely new technologies and solutions.
CAS @ ASU has partnered with Life Data Systems Inc (LDSi), and together serve as members of the iConquerMS™ Project Team to provide the IT components underpinning iConquerMS™. These components allow people living with MS to easily and securely contribute data and electronic health records. The components ensure the iConquerMS™ data connects seamlessly with PCORI’s national research network.
The CAS @ ASU/LDSi team is led by Ken Buetow, Ph.D., the program’s Director of Computational Science and Informatics. He has more than 30 years of experience in computational approaches to connect, share, and interpret biomedical data. He formerly led the National Cancer Institute’s efforts to build an international, interoperable infrastructure for exchanging cancer data.
Dr. Buetow also serves as an advisor to the iConquerMS™ Research Committee. Read comments from Dr. Buetow.