Grants at a Glance — Winter 2011
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ALS — Barrett
Ellen Barrett, professor of physiology and biophysics at the University of Miami (Florida) Miller School of Medicine was awarded an MDA grant totaling $297,102 over three years. The funds will support Barrett's study of the disease process and potential therapies in familial, or inherited, ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease).
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ALS — Berry
MDA has awarded a clinical research training grant totaling $180,000 to clinical research fellow James Berry at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in Boston. The grant will support completion of a two-year fellowship during which Berry plans to study the effects of a drug called ISIS-333611 in familial, or inherited, ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig’s disease).
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ALS — Berthod
MDA has awarded a grant totaling $347,094 over three years to François Berthod, a professor in the department of surgery at Laval University in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The funds will help support Berthod's study of the underlying molecular mechanisms and disease process in ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease).
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ALS — Israelson
MDA has awarded a research development grant totaling $180,000 over three years to Adrian Israelson, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California, San Diego in La Jolla, Calif. The funds will help support Israelson’s study of the underlying mechanisms governing motor neuron (nerve cell) death in SOD1-related familial ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease).
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ALS — Muotri
MDA has awarded a research grant totaling $362,466 over three years to Alysson Muotri, assistant professor at the University of California, San Diego in La Jolla. The new funds will help support Muotri’s generation of a new research model of ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig’s disease).
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ALS — Sockanathan
MDA has awarded a research grant totaling $396,000 over three years to Shanthini Sockanathan, associate professor of neuroscience at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore. The new funds will help support Sockanathan’s study of motor neuron (nerve cell) development in neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig’s disease).
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ALS — Wang
MDA has awarded a research grant totaling $330,000 over three years to Jiou Wang, assistant professor of biochemistry & molecular biology and neuroscience at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. The new funds will help support Wang’s study of the molecular mechanisms underlying ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig’s disease).
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ALS/SMA — Miller
MDA has awarded a research grant totaling $350,133 over three years to Michael Miller, associate professor in the department of biology at the University of Alabama, Birmingham. The grant will help support Miller's research into the fundamental molecular mechanisms responsible for the death of nerve cells called motor neurons in ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease) and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).
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CMD — Durbeej-Hjalt
MDA has awarded a research grant totaling $442,023 over three years to Madeleine Durbeej-Hjalt, a professor in muscle biology at Lund University (Sweden), Department of Experimental Medical Science. The grant will help support Durbeej-Hjalt's study of muscle-protein degradation processes in type 1A congenital muscular dystrophy (CMD1A).
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CMD — Lamande
MDA has awarded a research grant totaling $251,596 over two years to Shireen Lamande, senior research fellow and group leader for muscular dystrophy research and musculoskeletal disorders at Murdoch Childrens Research Institute in Parkville, Victoria, Australia. The new funds will help support Lamande’s research into the identification of new genes responsible for two types of congenital muscular dystrophy (CMD), Bethlem myopathy and Ullrich congenital muscular dystrophy.
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CMT — Nguyen
MDA has awarded a research grant totaling $420,000 over three years to Thien Nguyen, assistant professor in the department of neurology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore. The new funds will help support Nguyen’s research into the breakdown of peripheral nerves (nervous tissue that connects the spinal cord with muscles and sensory organs) in Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT).
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CNM/MTM — Laporte
MDA has awarded a research grant totaling $341,250 over three years to Jocelyn Laporte at the University of Strasbourg, France. The new funds will help support Laporte’s efforts to identify genes responsible for centronuclear/myotubular myopathies (CNM)/(MTM).
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DMD — Duan
Dongsheng Duan, professor in the department of molecular microbiology & immunology at the University of Missouri in Columbia, has received an MDA grant totaling $527,670 over three years. The funds will help support Duan's continued research into gene therapy in Duchenne muscular dystrophy DMD).
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DMD — Goldhamer
MDA has awarded a research grant totaling $375,000 over three years to David Goldhamer, associate professor, director of the Center for Regenerative Biology, and associate director of the UConn Stem Cell Institute at the University of Connecticut in Storrs. The new funds will help support Goldhamer’s study of muscle stem cells and the repair of damaged muscle in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).
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DMD — Olwin
MDA has awarded a research grant totaling $369,165 over three years to Bradley Olwin, professor of molecular, cellular & developmental biology at the University of Colorado in Boulder. The new funds will help support Olwin’s study of muscle regeneration in injured and diseased skeletal muscle — particularly in the muscular dystrophies, including Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).
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DMD — Pavlath
MDA has awarded a research grant totaling $295,269 over three years to Grace Pavlath, professor in the department of pharmacology at Emory University in Atlanta. The new funds will help support Pavlath’s study of abnormal muscle regeneration in the muscular dystrophies, particularly Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).
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DMD — Puri
MDA has awarded a research grant totaling $309,336 over three years to Pier Lorenzo Puri, professor of pediatrics at the University of California, San Diego, and associate professor of muscle development and regeneration at the Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute, both in La Jolla, Calif. The funds will help support Puri's study of the molecular underpinnings of, and the identification of treatments for, Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).
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DMD — Shi
MDA has awarded a research development grant totaling $180,000 over three years to Hao Shi, associate research scientist at Yale University in New Haven, Conn. The new funds will help support Shi’s study of muscle repair and regeneration in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).
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DMD — Son
MDA has awarded a research grant totaling $375,000 over three years to Young-Jin Son, associate professor of developmental neurobiology at Temple University in Philadelphia. The new funds will help support Son’s study of nerve and muscle interaction in muscle diseases such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).
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DMD — Wang
MDA has awarded a research grant totaling $220,000 over two years to Jen-Chywan Wang, assistant professor at the University of California, Berkeley. The new funds will help support Wang’s study of the effects of chronic glucocorticoid (steroid) treatment in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).
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DMD — Wehrens
MDA has awarded a research grant totaling $313,500 to Xander Wehrens, associate professor in the departments of molecular physiology & biophysics and medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. The new funds will help support Wehrens’ research into abnormal heart function in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).
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DMD/BMD — Bernstein
Harold Bernstein, professor of pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco, has been awarded an MDA research grant totaling $540,000 over three years. The award will help support Bernstein's study of human muscle development and potential cell-based therapies for treatment of degenerative muscle diseases such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).
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DMD/BMD — Brack
Andrew Brack, an assistant professor at the Center for Regenerative Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, was awarded an MDA research grant totaling $353,259 over three years. The funds will help support Brack's research into the function of adult muscle stem cells called "satellite cells" in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and possibly in other muscular dystrophies as well.
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DMD/BMD — Hoshijima
MDA awarded a grant totaling $367,386 over three years to Masahiko Hoshijima, professor of medicine at the University of California, San Diego in La Jolla, Calif. The funds will help support Hoshijima's research into connections between cardiac and respiratory failure in muscle diseases such as Duchenne (DMD), Becker (BMD) and other muscular dystrophies (MDs).
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DMD/BMD — Kass
MDA has awarded a research grant totaling $210,618 over two years to David Kass, professor of cardiology, medicine and biomedical engineering at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. The new funds will help support Kass’ study of the disease process and potential therapeutic strategies in Duchenne (DMD), Becker (BMD) and other muscular dystrophies.
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DMD/BMD — Liu
MDA has awarded a research development grant totaling $179,912 over three years to Jianming Liu in the department of cell and tissue biology at the University of California, San Francisco. The new funds will help support Liu’s study of the disease process in Duchenne (DMD) and Becker (BMD) muscular dystrophies. Using research mouse models for DMD and BMD, Liu and colleagues plan to investigate a potential stem-cell-based therapy for the two diseases using engineered stem cells designed to help regenerate healthy skeletal muscle tissues.
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FA — Coppola
MDA has awarded a research grant totaling $398,541 to Giovanni Coppola, assistant professor and co-director at the University of California, Los Angeles, Informatics Center for Neurogenetics and Neurogenomics. The funds will help support Coppola's research into biological indicators, called "biomarkers," in Friedreich's ataxia (FA).
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FA — Sarsero
MDA has awarded a research grant totaling $416,250 over three years to Joseph Sarsero, head of the Friedreich Ataxia Laboratory Research Program at the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute in Parkville, Victoria, Australia. The new funds will help support Sarsero’s development of a new mouse model of Friedreich’s ataxia (FA).
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IBM — Greenberg
MDA has awarded a grant totaling $444,314 over a period of three years to Steven Greenberg at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston. The funds will help support Greenberg's study of the role of a protein called TDP43 in sporadic and hereditary inclusion-body myositis (IBM).
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LEMS — Atchison
MDA awarded a research grant totaling $336,503 to William Atchison, professor of pharmacology/toxicology and acting dean for research at Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine in East Lansing. The funds will support Atchison's research into the biological mechanisms underlying Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS).
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LGMD — Hauser
Michael Hauser, an associate professor in the Section of Medical Genetics, Department of Medicine at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C., has been awarded an MDA grant totaling $383,856 over a period of three years. The funds will help support Hauser's efforts to identify mutations responsible for dominantly inherited (type 1) limb-girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD). (Dominant inheritance means only one gene mutation, inherited from one parent, is sufficient to cause the disease. As a result, offspring of affected individuals have a 50 percent probability of inheriting the condition from their parents.)
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LGMD — Kang
MDA has awarded a research grant totaling $299,722 over three years to Peter Kang, assistant professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School and director of the electromyography laboratory at Children’s Hospital Boston. The funds will help support Kang’s research into identification of gene mutations that can cause limb-girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD).
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MC — Rich
MDA has awarded a research grant totaling $53,358 to Mark Rich, an associate professor at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. The new funds will help support Rich’s study of the disease process in myotonia congenita (MC).
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MD — Wu
MDA has awarded a research grant totaling $224,863 over three years to Xiaohua Wu, research faculty for the drug discovery group at the McColl-Lockwood Laboratory for Muscular Dystrophy Research at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, N.C. The new funds will help support Wu’s research into effective therapies for various types of muscular dystrophy (MD).
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MG — Lee
MDA has awarded a research development grant totaling $180,000 over three years to Chi Wai Lee, postdoctoral fellow in the department of cell biology at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta. The grant will help support Lee’s research into therapeutic strategies to ameliorate the symptoms in myasthenia gravis (MG).
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MG — Lindstrom
MDA has awarded a research grant totaling $450,000 over three years to Jon Lindstrom, professor of neuroscience and pharmacology at the Medical School of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. The new funds will help support Lindstrom’s continued efforts to develop an immunosuppresive therapy for myasthenia gravis (MG).
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MG — Patel
MDA has awarded a research grant totaling $121,139 to Pragna Patel, professor at the Institute for Genetic Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. The new funds will help support Patel’s research aimed at determining the faulty gene responsible for myasthenia gravis (MG) in a particular family with the disease.
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MMD — Lueck
MDA has awarded a research development grant totaling $180,000 over three years to John Lueck, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine in Iowa City. The new funds will help support Lueck’s research into the mechanisms responsible for muscle weakness and degeneration in type 1 myotonic muscular dystrophy (MMD1, or DM1).
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MMD — Mahadevan
MDA has awarded a research grant totaling $435,000 over three years to Mani Mahadevan, professor in the department of pathology, medical director of the molecular diagnostics lab and associate director of the cytogenics lab at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. The new funds will help support Mahadevan’s study of the underlying molecular mechanisms in type 1 myotonic muscular dystrophy (MMD1, or DM1).
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MMD — Puwanant
MDA has awarded a clinical research training grant totaling $173,400 to Araya Puwanant at the University of Rochester (New York) Medical Center. The new funds will support completion of a two-year fellowship during which Puwanant will study the disease process in myotonic muscular dystrophy (MMD, or DM).
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MTM — Dowling
MDA has awarded a research grant totaling $353,679 to James Dowling, assistant professor in the departments of pediatrics and neurology at the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor. The funds will help support Dowling's research into potential therapies for myotubular myopathy (MTM).
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Mito. Myopathy — Barrientos
MDA has awarded a research grant totaling $346,500 over three years to Antoni Barrientos, an associate professor in the departments of neurology and biochemistry and molecular biology at the University of Miami (Florida) Miller School of Medicine. The grant will help support Barrientos' study of the underlying molecular mechanisms in some forms of mitochondrial myopathy.
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SBMA — Taylor
J. Paul Taylor, associate member of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., has received an MDA research grant totaling $330,000 over three years. The funds will help support Taylor’s continued research into a number of possible therapeutic targets in spinal-bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA).
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SMA — Sette
MDA has awarded a research grant totaling $219,000 over three years to Claudio Sette, associate professor for the department of public health and cell biology at the University of Rome Tor Vergata in Rome, Italy. The new funds will help support Sette’s study of the molecular mechanisms underlying spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).
In December 2010, the MDA Board of Directors funded 44 research projects targeting nearly two dozen neuromuscular diseases. These projects are in addition to some 330 grants currently funded by MDA.
For an overview of grants awarded by MDA in Winter 2011, see:
For a list of the more than 330 grants currently being funded by MDA, view this PDF.
Grants at a Glance
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