FSMA is pleased to announce that we are accepting grant applications for 2010 funding. The deadline for submission is September 4th 2009.   Applications will be accepted for one or two years of funding at this time. 

To apply for a grant, please download an application from our website. Please submit an electronic copy as well as 5 hard copies to Families of SMA.  The electronic copy should be sent to jill@fsma.org while hard copies should be sent to:

925 Busse Road
Elk Grove Village, IL 60007
 
Listed below are the FSMA funding priorities. We would like to encourage applications in the following areas, but also welcome novel proposals that will enhance our understanding of SMA disease pathology and contribute to developing new therapeutic approaches.
 
1. Large animal studies to progress potential SMA therapies towards the clinic and IND applications.  The focus of these studies would likely be on pharmacokinetics, biodistribution and biomarker analysis rather than efficacy.  Envisioned therapies to be assessed are small molecules, cellular therapies, ASO approaches, and gene therapy.

2. Novel phenotypic cellular assays for SMA that can eventually be scaled for drug screening.  These cell-based assays should assess relevant disease markers / phenotypes for SMA as outputs in cell types central to the disease.  Ideally, they would have the capacity for HTS compatibility (96 or 384 well formats) and should not have been previously used in other high-throughput screens.

 

3. Studies focused on determining disease relevance / consequence of alterations in mRNA expression, now being described in SMA models due to a deficiency in SMN protein.  The goal would be to identify and characterize downstream targets of SMN relevant to disease pathology.

4. Pilot clinical studies in SMA patients to assess benefits of particular aspects of clinical care in SMA, such as exercise or nutrition.

5. We also welcome novel scientific approaches that will enhance our understanding of SMA disease pathology and contribute to developing new therapeutic approaches.

Families of SMA will also be accepting specific applications for the “Audrey Lewis Young Investigator Award”.   This is a distinct grant award from those described above.

This grant is intended to make a positive impact on the early phase of a talented researcher’s career by enabling them to focus on the SMA field.  The award will be presented to a newly independent principle investigator who is in the first 5 years of running a laboratory.

This grant will be awarded every other year. The award will provide funding for a three-year period with a maximum budget of $100,000 per year.  Eligibility includes:  1) having been awarded a PhD, MD, or equivalent degree; 2) having secured and accepted an independent principle investigators position, although we will accept applications prior to the starting date for that position*; and 3) being in the first 5 years as an independent principle investigator.

 

 

All grants are reviewed by our Scientific Advisory Board (SAB), using a NIH-like scoring system based on both scientific quality and relevance to the Families of SMA mission to accelerate the discovery of safe and effective treatments and ultimately a cure for SMA.