Batten Disease Global Research Initiative Grant Program

Research Priorities 

• What are the best gene-targeted therapy options for Batten disease? How can this research be accelerated?
• What are valid, reliable biomarkers that can inform Batten disease diagnosis, prognosis or treatment response?
• What impact does Batten disease have on organs and body systems outside the central nervous system?
• Can disease progression be halted or reversed?
• How does Batten disease impact cognition and behavior? What are the best treatment strategies for these symptoms?
• What strategies can be used to enhance early diagnosis (including newborn screening)? What are the impacts of early detection and diagnosis?
• What interventions are best for maintaining function in Batten disease (including communication, learning, motor skills, mobility, etc)?
• Which therapies have the potential for the fastest translation from bench to bedside? How do they accelerate therapy development?
• What can be learned about Batten disease from similar lysosomal disorders? Which disease processes represent shared therapeutic targets?
• Which complementary health approaches (including diet, supplements, exercise, etc) are helpful for improving symptoms or slowing progression in Batten disease?

Funding Information 

• Grants of up to USD $50,000 will be awarded for a one-year period, with potential of renewal based on outcomes in the first year. Exceptional applications may be funded at a higher amount if the budget request is justified. Awards will be granted based on available research funds.
• Funding will be provided by the Global Research Initiative, comprising the leading patient advocacy organizations Batten Disease Support, Research and Advocacy (BDSRA) Foundation, BDSRA Australia and BDSRA Canada, with in-kind support from the Batten Disease Family Association (BDFA), United Kingdom. In addition to the core funding collectively provided by these organizations, co-funding support will be sought from other interested parties. Additional organizations or individuals who contribute funding to specific projects under the Global Research Initiative Grant Program will be recognized as Batten Disease Global Research Initiative Partners.

Use of the Funds

• Grant funds may be used for:
  • Personnel
  • Equipment and/or consumables that are essential to the proposed research
  • Animal costs that are a direct requirement of the research project
  • Travel costs directly related to achieving the objectives of the grant
  • Grant funds may not cover institutional overheads or indirect costs

Eligibility Criteria 

• Eligible applicants must hold relevant professional qualifications in the proposed field of research and hold a relevant current position of employment at any level (clinician or other healthcare practitioner, assistant/associate/full professor, post-doctoral research scientist, allied healthcare professional, educator, etc) with the exception of PhD students.
• Applicants will be considered from any country.

For more information, visit Batten Disease Global Research Initiative.