We are proud to announce that the recipient of the 2025 RIMS Grant Programme (RiGra) is Blanca De Dios Perez (University of Nottingham, UK), for her innovative and impactful project: Measuring Value in MS Rehabilitation: A Comprehensive Evaluation Framework (MVMR-CEF).
Rehabilitation plays a crucial role in supporting people with multiple sclerosis (MS) to live well and independently for longer. However, rehabilitation interventions are complex by nature, leading to challenges in measuring changes in clinical and functional outcomes. To date, there is no standard approach to measure outcomes in MS rehabilitation, and there is extensive variability based on outcomes selected, how these are collected, by whom, and when, which can lead to challenges evaluating rehabilitation programmes.
Rehabilitation plays a critical role in enhancing the quality of life for people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Yet, its impact is often difficult to assess due to the complexity of interventions and variability in outcomes. The MVMR-CEF project aims to address these challenges by:
- Identifying key outcome domains and measures collected across European MS rehabilitation centres
- Developing a harmonised evaluation framework for MS rehabilitation
- Strengthening evidence-based practice across the MS rehabilitation field
The MVMR-CEF project represents a major step forward in building consistent, meaningful metrics that can help clinicians, researchers, and patients better understand the impact of rehabilitation in MS.
This project is a collaborative effort, led by Blanca De Dios Perez, and supported by a distinguished team of co-investigators from across Europe:
- Roshan das Nair, SINTEF and University of Nottingham, Norway
- Inger Løyning, MS Centre Hakadal, Norway
- Daphne Kos, National MS Center Melsbroek, Belgium
- Lars Hvid, The Danish MS Hospitals, Denmark
- Jessica Podda, Fondazione Italiana Sclerosi Multipla, Italy
- Päivi Hämäläinen, Masku Neurological Rehabilitation Centre, Finland
Special thanks are extended to mentors from the University of Nottingham—Prof. Kate Raford, Prof. Denise Kendrick, Prof. Nikos Evangelou, and Prof. Roshan das Nair—for their invaluable support and guidance.
We extend our warmest congratulations to Blanca and her team on this well-deserved achievement, and we look forward to seeing the progress and impact of the project in the months to come.
About RiGra
The RIMS Grant Programme (RiGra) supports early-career researchers in the field of MS rehabilitation by funding high-quality, practice-oriented research that enhances care and outcomes for people living with MS.
