Lou Gehrig’s Disease Grants

Prize4Life announced its 2-year $1 million ALS/MND Biomarker Challenge on November 6, 2006.

The Prize4Life Biomarker Prize is divided into two tracks - theoretical findings and real outcomes.

The first track was a call for scientists and researchers from all backgrounds to submit theoretical papers on how they would develop a biomarker for ALS. In May 2007, Prize4Life awarded $15,000 for each of the five best ideas submitted . This track is now closed for submissions.

The second track, currently running, involves identifying an actual ALS biomarker. Anyone can submit a solution to the second track at any time, regardless of whether they participated in the first track.

A prize of up to $1,000,000 will be awarded in track two for the first validated ALS biomarker submitted that meets the desired requirements. Those submitting a solution must provide statistically significant results as proof of the validity of the solution. This challenge will end in November 2008 if a winning solution is not received so send in your solution now!!

A biomarker is a distinctive biological or biologically derived indicator that can mark the presence and/or progression of a disease. A biomarker can take the form of a chemical marker, a mechanical device that measures relevant physiological changes, or combination of the two. Currently, there are no known biomarkers for ALS for either diagnosing or measuring the progression of the disease.

Interested scientists and researchers should REGISTER with Prize4Life.

INNOCENTIVE 4470259
ALS Biomarker
POSTED: NOV 06, 2006
DEADLINE: NOV 06, 2008
$1,000,000 USD

Movement Disorders Research Award
Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology, the Parkinson's Disease Foundation, and the AAN Movement Disorders Section and endowed by the Parkinson's Disease Foundation.

This award recognizes an individual for outstanding work in the field of Parkinson's disease or other movement disorders for either a single outstanding contribution or for lifetime achievement.

Presentation
Recipient is expected to present a 20-minute lecture during a movement disorders scientific session at the 61st AAN Annual Meeting.

Recipient will receive:

Certificate of recognition and $1,500 prize
Complimentary registration for 61st Annual Meeting
Recognition at 2009 Awards Luncheon at 61st Annual Meeting
Eligibility
Must be actively engaged in movement disorders research

Application Procedure
Applicants should submit one complete set of the following materials:

Completed application form Note: Under general description, describe: How applicant’s scientific contributions have created a better understanding of Parkinson’s disease or other movement disorders .
Current curriculum vitae

Deadline

The deadline to apply for 2009 AAN Scientific Awards is November 3, 2008. Applications will be available in August 2008.

For more information, please contact Erin Jackson at ejackson@aan.com or (651) 695-2704.

Jon Stolk Award in Movement Disorders for Young Investigators
Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology and endowed by Kyowa Pharmaceutical, Inc., Lineberry Research, Quintiles, Dr. Dennis Gillings, and VelaPharma.

This award recognizes young investigators who have made significant contributions to movement disorders research. The award is named for Dr. Jon Stolk, a driving force in the drug development field for Parkinson's Disease.

Presentation
Recipient is expected to present a 10-minute lecture during a movement disorders scientific session at the 61st AAN Annual Meeting.

Recipient will receive:

Certificate of recognition and $1,000 prize
Complimentary registration for 61st Annual Meeting
Recognition at 2009 Awards Luncheon at 61st Annual Meeting
Eligibility
Must be within 5 years of completing neurology residency

Application Procedure
Applicants should submit one complete set of the following materials:

Completed application form
Letter of recommendation
Maximum 500-word abstract on movement disorders research in which applicant played an important role (abstract will be ineligible for submission to the 2009 Scientific Program)

Deadline

The deadline to apply for 2009 AAN Scientific Awards is November 3, 2008. Applications will be available in August 2008.

For more information, please contact Kyle Krause at kkrause@aan.com or (651) 695-2733.

Sheila Essey Award - An Award for ALS Research
Presented by the AAN and the ALS Association and supported through the philanthropy of the Essey family and the ALS Association.

This award recognizes an individual who has made significant research contributions in the search for the cause, prevention of, and cure for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The criteria being used to determine the recipient include recent major scientific impact, long-term scientific impact, and overall impact to ALS.

Presentation
Recipient is expected to present a 20-minute lecture during an anterior horn scientific session at the 61st AAN Annual Meeting.

Recipient will receive:
Certificate of recognition and $25,000 prize to be used by recipient to continue ALS research
Complimentary registration for 61st Annual Meeting
Recognition at 2009 Awards Luncheon at 61st Annual Meeting
Eligibility
Must be actively engaged in ALS research

Application Procedure
Applicants should submit one complete set of the following materials:

Completed application form Note: Under general description: describe how scientific contributions have created a better understanding of ALS; why applicant should receive award; and why contributions represent a major advance or hold significance in ALS research in terms of identifying the cause, potential treatment, prevention, or cure.
Current curriculum vitae
Supporting information (not to exceed three pages), including:
Single page biography including previous positions and any awards or recognition received
One- to two-page listing of six to ten peer-reviewed journal references that support statements about contributions to ALS research (do not send reprints or a bibliography)

Deadline

The deadline to apply for 2009 AAN Scientific Awards is November 3, 2008. Applications will be available in August 2008.

For more information, please contact Naomi Soderbeck at nsoderbeck@aan.com or (651) 695-2814.

MDA Research Grants Programs

MDA supports research aimed at developing treatments for the muscular dystrophies and related diseases of the neuromuscular system. These are the muscular dystrophies (among which are Duchenne and Becker); motor neuron diseases (including ALS and SMA); the peripheral nerve disorders (CMT and Friedreich's ataxia); inflammatory myopathies; disorders of the neuromuscular junction; metabolic diseases of muscle as well as other myopathies. Please see diseases for complete list.

RESEARCH GRANT

To be eligible to apply for an MDA research grant, an applicant must:

Hold a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.), Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Doctor of Science (D.Sc.) or equivalent degree (i.e. D.O.);
Be a professional or faculty member (Professor, Associate Professor or Assistant Professor) at an appropriate educational, medical or research institution;
Be qualified to conduct and mentor a program of original research within their own laboratory;
Assume both administrative and financial responsibility for the grant; and
Have access to institutional resources necessary to conduct the proposed research project.
Proposals from applicants outside the United States will be considered for projects of highest priority to MDA and when, in addition to the applicant's having met the requirements noted above the applicant's country of residence may not have adequate sources of financial support for biomedical research.

NOTE: To apply for a Research Grant, you must be an independent investigator, i.e., not a trainee, not a post-doctoral fellow, not a research assistant, not a research associate and not under the supervision of another person (Principal Investigator/Independent Investigator) who is directing the research.

DEVELOPMENT GRANT

MDA will consider an application for a research grant from a candidate who may be a member of a research team in the laboratory of an independent investigator (Principal Investigator) under whose guidance the applicant will be given flexibility to conduct a neuromuscular disease research project.

To be eligible for a Development Grant, an applicant must:

Hold a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.), Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Doctor of Science (D.Sc.) or equivalent degree (i.e. D.O.);
Be a member of a research team at an appropriate institution;
Be qualified to conduct a program of original research under the supervision of a Principal Investigator;
Have an acceptable research plan for a specific disease in MDA's program;
Have access to institutional resources necessary to conduct the proposed research project; and
Have eighteen (18) months of post-doctoral research laboratory training at the time of application.

TENURE

Awards are for either one, two or three years for all grant types.

AWARDS

Funding levels for primary Research Grants are unlimited. Development grants are a maximum of $45,000 per year. Overhead is limited to a maximum of 10% percent of direct costs to be included in the total amount of the grant request.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

A pre-proposal form must be completed to formally request an application for an MDA research grant. Requests for applications can be sent to MDA anytime prior to the applicable deadline date and to the address listed below.

Applications are not sent to institutions for general distribution.

ONLY TWO GRANT REVIEW ROUNDS ARE HELD EACH YEAR.

ONLY ONE "REQUEST FOR GRANT APPLICATION" IS PERMITTED PER GRANT REVIEW ROUND.

DEADLINE DATES

SPRING REVIEW
Request for Grant Application:
Submission of Application:
Award Start Date: December 15
January 15
July 1
FALL REVIEW
Request for Grant Application:
Submission of Application:
Award Start Date: June 15
July 15
January 1

You will need to register with proposalCentral and request a letter of intent. If approved, you will be given access to the full online application.

CONTACT

Muscular Dystrophy Association
Grants Manager - Research Department
3300 E. Sunrise Drive
Tucson, AZ 85718
(520) 529-2000
(520) 529-5454 (fax)
grants@mdausa.org

One approach the organization uses to find a cause and cure for ALS is a peer-reviewed Research Grant Program, in which the investigator selects the area and method of research. The application/review process is modeled after the grant system used by NIH. The organization solicits investigator-initiated research proposals, which are peer-reviewed by the organization's Scientific Review Committee (SRC) and competitively evaluated for their scientific merit and ALS relevance. Grants are reviewed and funded twice yearly. Criteria for funding include:

1. innovative, cutting edge research; 
2. a process which lessens or eliminates favoritism and bias; 
3. to a specific description of the intended use of the grant funds by budgets and experimental design; and 
4. accountability by way of annual progress reports.

The SRC grant process generally involves the review of 200-300 abstracts per year with 20 to 25 grants receiving funding. This NIH-style, peer-reviewed grant process provides The ALS Assocation with a credible and equitable approach for finding and supporting the best possible research into discovering the cause and cure for ALS. The ALS Assocation currently has commitments of more than $7 million to active research grants with new commitments in the range of $2-2.5 million added each fiscal year.