For Scientists

FSHD Grant Funding Opportunities

FSH Society Research Grants and Fellowship Program

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

The FSH Society has worked since 1992 to improve funding opportunities for the muscular dystrophies through the National Institutes of Health (NIH), including the creation of a study section for muscular dystrophy. In 1997, the NIH launched a highly effective program for increasing the number of projects in its muscular dystrophy portfolios -- known as “Pathogenic Approaches for the Muscular Dystrophies.” Subsequently, the NIH established a muscle study group which later became a study section for muscular dystrophy now known as MOSS/SMEP. On August 3, 2006, PA-06-508, the R21 version of “Muscular Dystrophy: Pathogenesis and Therapies (R21)” was released. This was followed on December 12, 2006 by the R01 version PA-07-125 “Muscular Dystrophy: Pathogenesis and Therapies (R01).” Both PA-06-508 and PA-07-125 expired on January 8, 2008 and are actively being considered for reissue.

In the meantime, it is very important for researchers to know that FSHD and other muscular dystrophy grants may be submitted under the parent R21 and parent R01 grant funding programs while the “Muscular Dystrophy: Pathogenesis and Therapies” program is being considered for renewal.

There’s much energy and excitement around the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and economic stimulus. It is very important for you to know that the bulk of stimulus funds will go towards “recently peer reviewed, highly meritorious R01 and similar mechanisms that have a reasonable expectation of making progress in a two-year grant, as well as new R01 applications that meet this expectation.” This creates an opportunity for our entire FSHD community. Since grants will be funded to some range/level below the pay line under the bulk of ARRA, these grants will funded for two years and are out of circulation for the next round of review. This might create an opportunity for those submitting regular non-stimulus R01s and R21s in the next round(s). Both Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entity (Foreign Organization) and domestic (U.S.) Entity can apply.

FSHD research grant applications may be submitted under the NIH “parent” R21 and parent R01 grant funding programs.There are no quotas for FSHD or muscular dystrophy funding at the NIH and portfolio sizes are largely dependent on sufficient numbers of applications being submitted by you. We are aware that funding is extremely competitive but none-the-less we ask that researchers submit grant applications on FSHD as it is a priority area for the NIH.

NIH Muscular Dystrophy: Exploratory/Developmental Research Grants and Research Project Grants

R21 info is @:

PA-09-164 is the NIH Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant Program (Parent R21) and expires on May 8, 2012.
“The total project period for an application submitted in response to this funding opportunity may not exceed 2 years. Direct costs are limited to $275,000 over the two years of the R21 award, with no more than $200,000 in direct costs allowed in any single year.”
See internet link:
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-09-164.html

      R01 info is @:

PA-07-070 is the Research Project Grant (Parent R01) and expires on January 8, 2010.
     The Research Project Grant (R01) is an award made to an institution/organization to support a discrete, specified, circumscribed project to be performed by the named investigator(s) in areas representing the specific interests and competencies of the investigator(s). The R01 research plan proposed by the applicant institution/organization must be related to the stated program interests of one or more of the NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs) based on descriptions of their programs.
      Because the nature and scope of the proposed research will vary from application to application, it is anticipated that the size and duration of each award will also vary. The total amount awarded and the number of awards will depend upon the numbers, quality, duration, and costs of the applications selected for award.
      See internet link:
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-07-070.html

We encourage researchers, clinicians and scientists to contact the NIH scientific contacts for muscular dystrophy programs to discuss funding opportunities for your ongoing research and studies under the current ongoing Parent R21/R01 and future programs.

NIH Scientific/Research Contacts:

John Porter, Ph.D.
Program Director, Neuromuscular Disease
Channels, Synapses, and Circuits Cluster
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 2142, MSC 9523
Bethesda, MD 20892-9523
Telephone: (301) 496-5745
Fax: (301) 402-1501
e-mail: porterjo@mail.nih.gov

Glen H. Nuckolls, Ph.D.
Director, Muscle Disorders and Therapies Program
Musculoskeletal Diseases Branch
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
6701 Democracy Boulevard, Suite 800
Bethesda, MD 20892-4872
Telephone: (301) 594-4974
e-mail: glen_nuckolls@nih.gov

James Hanson, M.D.
National Institute of Child Health and Development
Center for Developmental Biology and Perinatal Medicine (CDBPM)
Office of the CDBPM Director
6100 Executive Boulevard
Room 4A05, MSC 7510
Bethesda, MD 20892-7510
Phone: (301) 496-8535
Fax: (301) 480-4520
e-mail: hansonj@mail.nih.gov

Jonathan R. Kaltman, M.D.
National Institutes of Health
NHLBI (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
RKL2 - Two Rockledge Ctr, 8222
Mail Stop: 7940
6701 Rockledge Drive
Bethesda, MD 20892 USA
(301) 435-0528
(301) 480-1454
kaltmanj@mail.nih.gov

NIH Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Research Centers

Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Cooperative Research Centers (U54):
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-HD-09-027.html

Three of NIH currently funded Wellstone Centers will complete their funding cycles in 2010. This solicitation and competition is for both new and renewing Wellstone Center applications.

We encourage researchers, clinicians and scientists to contact the NIH scientific contacts listed above for Wellstone MD CRC programs to discuss funding opportunities for your ongoing FSHD research and studies under the current U54 announcement.

NIH NINDS Funding for Therapeutics Development Projects

Developing Milestones for NINDS Translational Research Cooperative Agreement Applications

NINDS Exploratory/Developmental Projects in Translational Research. Funding for pilot projects to generate tools and proof-of-principle for therapeutics development.
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-08-232.html

NINDS Cooperative Program in Translational Research - Single-Component Research Projects (U01) Funding for full-scale single-component research projects directed at developing new therapies.
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-08-233.html

NINDS Cooperative Program in Translational Research - Multi-Component Research Projects (U54) Funding for full-scale multi-component research projects directed at developing new therapies.
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-08-234.html

NINDS Cooperative Program in Translational Research - Small Business Awards (SBIR [U44]) SBIR funding for full-scale single-component research projects directed at developing new therapies.
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-08-235.html

NINDS Cooperative Program in Translational Research - Resource Centers (U24) Funding for resource centers directed at developing new therapies.
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-08-236.html

Cooperative Program in Translational Research for Neuromuscular Disease (U01)- Funding for full-scale single component research projects directed at developing new therapies for neuromuscular diseases. http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-08-229.html

NIH NINDS Funding for Animal Models and Drug Testing

Administrative Supplements for the Sharing and Distribution of Mouse Genetic Models -
http://grants2.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-NS-04-009.html

Announcement of NINDS High Throughput Drug Screening Service and Call for Assay Proposals -
http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-NS-04-005.html

NIH NINDS Funding for Muscular Dystrophy and NMD Therapeutics Development Projects

U01 info is @:

R21 info is @:

Exploratory/Developmental Projects in Translational Research for Neuromuscular Disease (R21)- Funding for pilot projects to generate tools and proof-of-principle for therapeutics development in neuromuscular disease. http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PAR-08-228.htm

We encourage researchers, clinicians and scientists to contact the NIH scientific contacts for muscular dystrophy programs to discuss funding opportunities for your ongoing research and studies under the current ongoing U21/U01 and future programs.

NIH NINDS Scientific/Research Contact:

Other Funding Opportunities

MDAUSA Funding Opportunities

Research Grants
Development Grants

The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDAUSA) supports research aimed at developing treatments for facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD). For more information on the MDA Research Grants Programs, see: http://www.mda.org/research/guidelines.html

Therapeutic Targets for Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy
A Joint MDAUSA and and Friends of FSH Research Co-funding Initiative

Calls for grant proposals on “Therapeutic Targets for Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy” that is designed to advance approaches to elucidating and intervening with the molecular underpinnings of FSHD.

The award is limited to $100,000 (indirect costs can not exceed 10%) per year for two years, for a total award of $200,000. Applications will be received through the MDAUSA web-based research grant proposal system https://proposalcentral.altum.com/

Timeline:
RFA release:               October 19, 2009
Letter of intent:           November 30, 2009 (5:00 P.M. Eastern)
Application due:           December 30, 2009 (midnight Eastern)
Award announced:        March 15, 2010
Grant start date:           April 1, 2010

Please see the MDAUSA/Friends of FSH RFA for contacts and details.

Association Francaise contre les Myopathies (AFM)

Created in 1958 by a group of patients and their families, and recognized as being of public utility in 1976, Association Francaise contre les Myopathies [AFM -- French Muscular Dystrophy Association] is calling for grant proposals from the international FSHD research/clinical community in three key areas to be funded in 2010, that will:

Lead to a better fundamental understanding of the neuromuscular system
Encourage the development of therapies for neuromuscular diseases and rare genetic diseases
Improve care and quality of life of patients with neuromuscular diseases

Please note that this concerns the 2010 call for proposals. Deadlines for applications and notification dates:October 2, 2009 (first session) - notification expected mid-February 2010.March 5, 2010 (second session) - notification expected mid-July 2010.

For more information on AFM calls for proposals and fellowships please see: http://www.afm-france.org/afm-english_version/ewb_pages/r/research_callforproposals-2010.php

Please note that this concerns the 2010 call for proposals. Deadlines for applications and notification dates: October 2, 2009 (first session) - notification expected mid-February 2010. March 5, 2010 (second session) - notification expected mid-July 2010.

FSHD Global Research Foundation

The FSHD Global Research Foundation, founded in 2008 and based in Australia, funds health and medical research on the causes, prevention, control, relief and cure for FSHD. The Foundation is interested in basic and translational scientific and clinical research. For more information on the FSHD Global Research Foundation Research Grants and application guidelines please see: http://www.fshdglobal.org/research/

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