Research we fund
The MND Association has over 30 years of experience identifying and funding the most promising MND research. As of 31 December 2018, our research portfolio is £16 million, which includes grants that are currently active or those we are committed to fund. These are categorised into four themes:
Identifying therapeutic targets
These projects aim to understand the causes of MND and focus in on the pivotal biochemical processes involved in the disease that will provide a starting point for the development of new treatments.
Developing treatment pipeline
These projects aim to turn the most promising scientific discoveries into potential new treatments. New treatments that have been proven safe and effective by all other methods are then carefully tested in people.
Understanding clinical progression
These projects aim to develop a detailed understanding of how the disease manifests and progresses in humans in order to ensure that fundamental laboratory research can be clearly linked to the ‘real world’ events occurring in people with MND.
Improving standards of care
These projects aim to ensure that the clinical management of MND is informed by the priorities of people living with the disease and their families, and supported by a strong evidence base.
We are a leader in the funding and promotion of cutting-edge MND research, both within the UK and across the world. All of the research projects that we fund have clear clinical relevance and/or therapeutic potential.
How do we decide what research we fund?
Decisions to award research grants are made following rigorous peer review and guidance from the MND Association’s Biomedical Research Advisory Panel (for biomedical and clinical research) and Healthcare Research Advisory Panel (for healthcare research). Peer review is essential in research and is used to ensure that all of the projects we fund are of the highest calibre and can realistically achieve the aims of the project.
What type of research do we fund?
- Project grant
Grant of up to £255,000 for up to 3 years. Allows an in-depth investigation of an area of biomedical or healthcare research. - PhD Studentship
Grant of up to £100,000 for up to 3 years. A cost-effective method that allows high calibre graduates to undertake PhD training in MND-related projects. - Small grant
Grant of variable amounts for up to 4 years to facilitate the rapid follow-up of important new findings; small pump-priming grants are considered on an ‘ad-hoc’ basis.
The Lady Edith Wolfson Fellowship Programme
Our Lady Edith Wolfson Fellowship programme, run in partnership with the Medical Research Council (MRC), aims to attract and develop outstanding young clinicians wishing to pursue research into the pathogenesis and treatment of MND.
- Clinical Research Fellowship
Grant of up to £280,000 for up to 5 years. Jointly funded by the MND Association and Medical Research Council (MRC), these grants support clinicians wishing to pursue scientific research and aim to strengthen the links between laboratory and clinic. - Non-Clinical Fellowship
Grant of up to £270,000 (Junior Fellowship) or £440,000 (Senior Fellowship) for up to 4 years. Aim to retain and develop early and mid-career MND researchers conducting biomedical or clinical research.