We're on a mission to find and fund the smartest, most efficient research to expedite the development of treatments for MND.
People living with MND urgently need effective treatments. To catalyse the search for these treatments, we are launching the Discovery Network.
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. My Name’5 Doddie Foundation will facilitate activities of the network and create opportunities for rapid translation of promising findings.
Aligned to the UK MND Research Institute, the Discovery Network will be joined up within the UK MND research ecosystem, enabling access to expertise and creating a national translational pipeline.
Each team will focus on a specific area of MND biology and build on existing expertise, knowledge and tools already developed and accessible within the team. Examples of areas of MND biology may include: autophagy, ageing, immune system, lysosomal function, mitochondrial function, protein homeostasis, RNA metabolism and vesicle transport, although this is not an exhaustive list. Successful applications will provide preliminary data linking the focus of their project to MND development or progression.
Teams will employ a range of innovative techniques, methodologies and expertise to gain new disease insights. This may include new approaches in omics technologies, functional genomics, imaging, complex cell models, artificial intelligence and data-driven research. We encourage the use of a range of models including human iPSCs, animal models (where absolutely needed) and human tissue samples. Use of high quality patient datasets are also encouraged.
Each team will receive up to £1 million. The total fund available in 2024 is £4 million.
All applications are to be made using our online grant management system, Flexi-Grant. Key dates are outlined below:
Applications will be assessed by our independent Advisory Board, which is currently being established, according to the following criteria:
If you are interested in providing your expertise and becoming part of a team, the Foundation executive will provide a matchmaking function to interested applicants. Get in touch to discuss further on research@myname5doddie.co.uk.
Before you apply, please read our Request for Applications which provides more detailed information on the Discovery Network and application process.
To register for an account and start your application for the Discovery Network, visit Flexi-Grant.
If you are interested in submitting an application, we encourage you to get in touch with us to discuss your proposal first at research@myname5doddie.co.uk.
The Discovery Network is underpinned by a model born out of the Milken Institute and applied in Parkinson’s and bipolar disorder. We would like to extend our thanks to the team at BD² for sharing their knowledge and expertise with us, to help us establish this programme.
Our Director of Research, Jessica Lee, introduces the Discovery Network scope and application details in the video below.
Our 2024 Advancing Treatments Award will support the early-stage development of new treatments to slow, stop or reverse MND disease progression. We will also consider the development of treatments to better manage the symptoms of MND, where they could transform the lives of people living with the condition. We encourage applications 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.
We are accepting applications for projects across two of the strategic priorities in our research strategy:
1. Validate therapeutic targets
We will support studies to robustly validate novel targets for MND treatments
2. Accelerate new treatments
We will support the pre-clinical development of novel or repositioned pharmacological interventions for MND
For projects focusing on validating therapeutic targets, we expect applicants to be able to demonstrate the target's relevance (i.e. biological rationale), differentiation, and safety. Applicants must clearly outline how they will demonstrate that target modulation results in pathway modification and rescue of disease phenotype. Successful projects will seek to define target engagement and downstream pharmacodynamic biomarkers.
For projects focused on accelerating new treatments, we will support the development of new pharmacological interventions and studies to demonstrate their efficacy in pre-clinical models. Projects must assess target engagement and build a robust body of evidence using multiple relevant models or approaches. We will also support safety and pharmacokinetic studies, enabling human dose prediction. Successful studies will consider the development of biomarker and patient stratification approaches.
For further guidance, please read our guidance on implementing the Guiding Principles for Drug Discovery and Development in ALS.
Out-of-scope research includes early discovery research aimed at identifying novel targets (for this, see our Discovery Network, applications for which are now open), clinical trials, and health and social care research.
The total fund available for this grant round is £1.75 million.
We hosted an online webinar aimed at guiding potential applicants through the details of the award. Attendees had the opportunity to ask questions and gain insights on how to perfect their applications. Watch this video to learn more about what matters to us.
All applications are to be made using our online grant management system, Flexi-Grant.
Key dates are outlined below:
Applications will be assessed by our independent Research Review Committee. Please note this committee is made up of scientific experts and people affected by MND, who score the applications with equal weighting.
Applications will be assessed according to the following criteria:
Terms and Conditions for the Advancing Treatments Award can be found here.
My Name’5 Doddie Foundation is committed to supporting you throughout your project funding journey, beginning with the chance for 1:1 support even before you submit your Expression of Interest (EOI). This step can be invaluable in strengthening your submission. Should you have any inquiries regarding the Advancing Treatments Award or the application process, please do not hesitate to contact us at research@myname5doddie.co.uk.
In 2023 for our Advancing Treatments Award (previously “Project Award”) we recieved 9 expressions of interest, 5 were invited to full application stage and 3 projects were awarded funding.
Applications for our 2023 Catalyst Awards have now closed. Please sign up to our mailing list at the bottom of this page to hear about future opportunities.
As part of our commitment to investing in innovative new approaches, we are offering Catalyst Awards for a maximum of £100k for up to 1 year.
We will support projects that aim to gather proof-of-principle data for innovative new approaches and enable researchers to bring early-stage promising ideas to life. Successful projects will generate preliminary data that will unlock further investment opportunities.
Projects should have the ultimate aim of slowing, stopping, or reversing the progression of MND. We will also consider projects aimed at developing treatments to better manage the symptoms of MND, where they could transform the lives of people living with the disease.
All Catalyst Awards must align to one or more of our strategic priorities. Examples of the type of research that would fall into these categories are outlined below but please note, this list is not exhaustive.
Applicants must demonstrate how their proposal aligns to one or more of our strategic priorities, and have a clear plan for follow-on funding if their project is successful.
Please refer to the guiding principles document before submitting your application.
Lead applicants must be based in a UK academic institution. Collaborators can be based anywhere in the world.
Catalyst Awards are a maximum of £100k for up to 1 year.
Eligible costs include research staff costs and consumables. Other costs may be considered if the applicant has discussed it with the Foundation prior to the application being made. The Foundation does not cover the indirect costs of research.
All applications are to be made using our online grant management system, Flexi-Grant. The application form will be available from Friday 1st September and applications must be submitted by midday on Friday 24th November. We anticipate making awards in January 2024.
Applicants are encouraged to get in touch with the Research Team (research@myname5doddie.co.uk) before submitting an application to ensure that proposals are in scope.
Applications will be assessed by our independent Research Review Committee according to the following criteria:
We will prioritise research related to the mechanisms that underpin the development and progression of MND in most people with the disease.
We encourage anyone who is interested in a funding opportunity with us to get in touch and discuss their proposal. We are open to discussion with researchers about their ideas, even if they don’t necessarily fit the remit of our Project or Catalyst Awards. Please send us an email at research@myname5doddie.co.uk.
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