Request for Applications: MDF Pilot Grant Program

The goal of the Pilot Grant program is to fund original projects covering basic, translational, and/or clinical research in myotonic dystrophy.

The grant program focuses on funding DM researchers to explore innovative ideas and conduct preliminary investigations. This funding enables DM researchers to gather essential data and generate preliminary findings that can lay the foundation for larger scale research projects, empowering them to take risks and explore new avenues of inquiry.

Additionally, the Pilot Grant Program seeks to foster collaboration and interdisciplinary approaches by incentivizing researchers from different disciplines to collaborate and pool their expertise. This multidisciplinary collaboration accelerates research and enhances the likelihood of breakthrough discoveries and novel therapeutic strategies.

Furthermore, the Pilot Grant Program hopes to attract talented researchers to the field with a commitment to supporting research efforts in DM, making it an attractive area for scientists seeking impactful opportunities.

Objectives

• Through this funding, the program aims to achieve three objectives:
  • supporting new and cutting-edge avenues of inquiry in myotonic dystrophy
  • fostering collaborative and interdisciplinary approaches in DM research
  • attracting new researchers to the DM field. This funding provides an opportunity to have a broader impact beyond individual projects, strengthening collective efforts to understand the complexities of myotonic dystrophy and develop effective interventions for those affected by the disease.

Focus Areas

• Myotonic dystrophy is a chronic disease with multiple dimensions that affects the lives of DM patients and their families every day. There are two major types of myotonic dystrophy:
  • type 1 (DM1) and type 2 (DM2). Both types of myotonic dystrophy are inherited autosomal dominant disorders affecting all areas of the body.

Funding Information 

• Awards are made to the applicant organization on behalf of the grantee. Awards are $50,000 for salary, benefits, travel, and research support. The MDF awards may not be used to fund institutional capital cost recovery, overhead, or other indirect costs.
• Duration: Grants are awarded for one year, and applicants may apply once per calendar year. Once receiving an award, grantees are not eligible to apply for three calendar years.

Eligibility Criteria

• Applications are limited to those from academic institutions and/or non-profit research institutes. For-profit organizations are not eligible for this RFA. Applications from non-U.S. academic institutions or non-profit organizations are permitted, as long as they are accredited academic medical centers or research institutes.
• Principal Investigator requirements. The submitting principal investigator must:
  • Be employed at an appropriate educational, medical, or other non-profit research institution and be qualified to conduct and supervise a program of original research.
  • Have both administrative and financial responsibility for the grant.
  • Have access to organizational resources necessary to conduct the proposed research project.
  • Hold a Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Philosophy, Doctor of Science, or equivalent degree.
• Study Requirements. Applicants or teams of applicants must have proficiency in the knowledge, resources, and skills necessary to carry out the proposed research. Proposals may be submitted for basic, clinical, or applied research directly related to myotonic dystrophy in:
  • Pathogenesis
  • Molecular basis underlying phenotype differences (Type 1, 2, congenital)
  • Development of diagnostics and biomarkers
  • Progression/natural history
  • Identification and validation of drug treatment endpoints
  • Standards of care and care integration, including nursing, social work, and psychology
  • Epidemiology, economics, and support services
  • Therapeutic development, particularly, but not limited to, early-stage projects where success can leverage larger investments.

For more information, visit Myotonic Dystrophy Foundation.