Letters of Intent: 2024 Research Grant

The primary purpose is to fund the most promising research leading to improved outcomes for individuals living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Projects with the greatest chance of translating to clinical practice in a timely and affordable manner will be prioritized.

Purpose

• Defeat Duchenne Canada is a partnership of science and families dedicated to improving the health, drug discovery, and treatments for individuals living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
• The organization invites research proposals of a translational or clinical nature focused on improving the health and quality of life for individuals living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
• The organization places particular emphasis on the project’s clear relevance to Duchenne and the potential to be translated into clinical practice. Therefore, successful proposals are expected to be of high scientific merit, demonstrate a probable and preferably timely path to clinical implementation that is costeffective, and have the most significant impact on individuals living with Duchenne, particularly in areas of large unmet needs.
• Research groups funded by DDC are highly encouraged to be open to collaboration with other investigators and open to exploring additional partnerships with other foundations.
• Projects may be 1-3 years in duration and the organization will no longer have a maximum limit on the funding amount. Larger projects are welcome and encouraged, including Phase I-III clinical trial proposals provided they are of outstanding scientific quality and merit, meet the organization’s mandate described above, and would otherwise have no clear funding pathway for advancing the work. A detailed budget justification must be provided.
• As part of the ongoing commitment to treating and improving the lives of those with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, they are funding more than $850,000 toward research in 2024, including previously funded researchers that are now completing years two and three of their projects.

Eligibility

• The Principal Investigator must be formally affiliated with an eligible host organization (university, college, Biotech/Pharma, hospital, research institute or other qualifying not for-profit organization). The Principal Investigator must have a doctoral degree (including MD, Ph.D. or equivalent), and have formal research training.
• Proposals from both Canadian and International applicants are welcomed. Funding will be awarded in Canadian dollars.
• Applications are limited to only one (1) application from any given individual Principal Investigator. Co-Investigators may participate in more than one application.
• The Principal Investigator or Co-Investigators are not eligible to receive salary support from Defeat Duchenne Canada. Indirect/overhead costs are not to be included.
• Graduate students, medical students, post-doctoral researchers, and other trainees are not eligible to hold a research grant from DDC as a Principal Investigator; however, they may apply as co-applicants or receive salary support.
• Applicants must describe their project in a layman summary to be reviewed and scored by the organization’s Duchenne Family Advisory Committee. These are non scientists with an excellent grasp of the lived experience for individuals effected by Duchenne, but very little to no knowledge of the science.
• An acceptable application must describe the potential benefits for individuals living with Duchenne and include a clear timeline and proposed budget.
• Acceptable applications will describe work to be carried out in compliance with standards established by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and comparable national institutes in other countries regarding personnel, safety, the ethical treatment of human and animal research subjects and the publication of interim or end-point data.
• Progress and results of investigations should be accessible to other researchers and/or have an intention to present to recognized scientific or medical journals for publication.
• At such time that scientific findings resulting from successfully funded applications are presented and/or published by the investigator(s), the investigator(s) must recognize/cite Defeat Duchenne Canada as a source of grant funding for this work.
• The open exchange of information among investigators is encouraged.
• DDC will consider funding of investigations intended to produce private, patentable information or knowledge. However, the investigator must clearly and satisfactorily justify why this knowledge must be patented in order to be beneficial to the end goal of treatment/cure for Duchenne.
• Investigators will be required to submit interim and final reports (as outlined in a granting agreement) to DDC for review of research progress. This must also include layman summaries that will be shared publicly with the Duchenne families, supporters, and/or to support the fundraising efforts.

For more information, visit Defeat Duchenne Canada.