Welcome to the researcher noticeboard. Here you can find information on the latest MND-related news, grant deadlines, awards and meetings. To receive updates on current grants, awards and events relating to MND straight into your inbox, you can subscribe to our quarterly e-newsletter 'The Researcher'.

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If you would like to list a news piece, event, grant deadline or job posting in the newsletter, please contact us.

Grant deadlines, awards and job postings

See MND Association grant page or view other grants and awards available to MND/ALS researchers below.

NIHR Doctoral and Advanced Fellowships

The Doctoral and Advanced Fellowships, in partnership with the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), aim to support individuals on their trajectories to become future leaders in health and social care research. This new partnership will build research capacity in MND and help researchers receive valuable input from public and patient MND groups along with greater research exposure.

Awards under this scheme are available at two levels:

Doctoral Fellowships - aimed at those wishing to undertake a PhD and offered for 3 years 

Advanced Fellowships - aimed at those wishing to continue their career in research after a PhD and offered for 2-5 years 

Application Deadline: 18th January 2024 for Advanced Fellowships and 1st February 2024 for Doctoral Fellowships

Find out more- Doctoral Fellowships

Find out more- Advanced Fellowships

BMA Foundation: Vera Down grant

The BMA Foundation will be awarding the Vera Down grant to assist research into neurological disorders.

The grant for up to £65,000 is inviting applications from registered medical practitioners in the UK and members of the BMA and can be either research in progress or prospective research.

Deadline for applications is 1st March.

Find out more.

LifeArc: MND drug repurposing grant

LifeArc is excited to announce the launch of an international funding call in February as part of its drug repurposing programme in Motor Neuron Disease (MND).  This £5 million funding initiative aims to expedite the development of more effective repurposed treatments for a wider spectrum of MND patients.

LifeArc is actively seeking expressions of interest from research teams in academia and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) possessing a repurposed drug and therapeutic target, accompanied by preliminary experimental evidence showcasing its potential in treating MND. 

Funding of up to £750,000 will be made available for successful applicants.

Deadline for applications is May 2024.

Find out more

Parkinson's UK College of Experts Chair

Parkinson's is the fastest growing neurodegenerative condition. Parkinson's UK's mission is to accelerate research that will lead to life-changing new treatments to slow or stop Parkinson’s.

Help decide what research Parkinson's UK fund as the new Chair of their College of Experts. The College is made up of expert Parkinson’s researchers and people affected by Parkinson's. It makes recommendations for funding at all stages of the review process for our project grants, non drug approaches grants, and fellowship schemes.

Parkinson's UK are looking for someone with a minimum of 10 years' research experience in a field closely related to Parkinson’s research (such as Alzheimer’s, ALS, Multiple Sclerosis, or Huntington's) so as to avoid conflicts of interest. This can be either from clinical practice or lab-based research.

They are looking for a Chair who has:
●    experience in leading research programmes, chairing groups, grant reviewing and involving lay people in research
●    good leadership, communication and interpersonal skills
●    a demonstrated commitment to the aims and values of Parkinson’s UK, including our equality, diversity and inclusion goals.

 

Application deadline: 29th March

Find out more
 

My Name'5 Doddie Foundation awards

My Name'5 Doddie Foundation have announced that they are accepting expressions of interest for two award schemes. 

The Discovery Network is a new funding opportunity for multi-disciplinary, multi-institutional teams to apply for £1 million over 3 years. Teams will take on bold ideas and innovative approaches to better understand the biology of MND, with a focused goal of identifying new therapeutic targets. The Network will be underpinned by a culture of collaboration and open science.

The 2024 Advancing Treatments Award will support the early-stage development of new treatments to slow, stop or reverse MND disease progression. The development of treatments to better manage the symptoms of MND will also be considered, where they could transform the lives of people living with the condition. Applications are encouraged for projects with the potential to be effective across a broad range of people living with MND. The Award aims to help researchers build data packages that will attract onward investment and strategic partnerships to accelerate promising treatments through further testing and towards commercialisation. Awards are for a maximum of £500k for up to 5 years.

Expressions of interest deadline: 17th May (12pm GMT)

Find out more

Events and meetings

See below for information on events that might be relevant to you.

Standing up for science workshop

Do you want to learn how to effectively engage with the media, understand how evidence is used by policymakers, and confidently communicate your research? Sense about Science are hosting their Standing up for Science workshop on 01 March, 10:30-16:00 at the Institute of Physics.

As part of the Voice of Young Science, a network of 4000+ of Early Career Researchers from across the UK and Europe, this workshop encourages early career researchers (ECRs) to make their voices heard in public debates about science. During this in person event, ECRs meet scientists who have engaged with the media and learn from respected science journalists, hear from policymakers on how to inform policy. 

To apply for a free place, fill out the application form by Friday 23rd February.

Find out more about this event

Science Media Centre: Introduction to news media

The Science Media Centre: Introduction to the News Media - will take place in person on Tuesday 5th March at the University of Sheffield (Firth Hall, Firth Court, Western Bank, S10 2TN) from 12:00 until 17:00.

This event is a seminar which aims to encourage scientists with little or no media experience to engage with the media. There will be lots of speakers – press officers, journalists and scientists- who have all played their part in the accurate reporting of science and health in the mainstream news, sharing their experiences and advice. There are also two panel sessions where the audience get to ask questions. 

Register interest in attending the event

17th UK Neuromuscular Translational Research Conference 2024

The UK Neuromuscular Translational Research Conference is being held in London, England on the 17th and 18th April.

The event is designed as a scientific meeting to promote and share cutting edge clinical and scientific advances in the neuromuscular field, and to encourage new research and collaborations. The event will include invited guest lectures with Q&A, research posters, and flash presentations from early career scientists.

Registration is now open. 

Find out more and register

ENCALS 2024

The European Network for the Cure of ALS (ENCALS) aims to develop a European trial network and initiate collaborations in Europe. Membership is open to Universities/Hospitals in Europe with ALS clinical/research activity.

The ENCALS meeting 2024 will be hosted in Stockholm, Sweden on the 17th to 20th June.

Registration is now open and abstracts are being accepted until 18th March. 

Find out more

14th International Conference on Frontotemporal Dementias (ISFTD2024)

The 14th International Conference on Frontotemporal Dementias (ISFTD 2024) is scheduled for 19 - 22 September 2024 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. The conference will cover basic science, through to clinical trials, genetics and clinical research. 

A pre-worshop titled "Defining the FTD & ALS Spectrum" will be held on September 18. More details will be available soon.

Abstracts are being accepted until 1 April

Find out more

MND EnCouRage UK 2024

Planning is now underway for MND EnCouRage UK 2024 which will be held in Staverton Park Hotel, Daventry on the 9th-10th July

Summary submissions will open at the end of February, and we welcome summaries from all early career researchers who have chosen MND research as their field of study. 

Keep an eye on our web page for more information or email [email protected] to be added to our mailing list. 

35th International Symposium on ALS/MND

The key to defeating MND lies in fostering strong collaboration between leading researchers around the world, and sharing new understanding of the disease as rapidly as possible. This was the MND Association’s rationale behind the creation of the International Symposium on ALS/MND.

Each year, the Symposium attracts over 1,000 delegates, representing the energy and dynamism of the global MND research community. It is the largest medical and scientific conference specific to MND/ALS and is the premier event in the MND research calendar for discussion on the latest advances in research and clinical management. 

The 35th Symposium will be held in Montreal, Canada from 6-8 December 2024

Keep an eye on our Symposium website to find out more over the coming months.

If you would like us to help you promote funding deadlines, meetings, awards or any job opportunities, please email us at [email protected]