Motor Neurone Disease is a life-shortening disease affecting 1 in 300 people. There is no known cure.
The MND Translational Accelerator (MNDAcc) is a £6m investment by the Medical Research Council and the National Institute for Health and Care Research to quicken the development of treatments for MND, and the related condition of Frontotemporal dementia (FTD). MNDAcc is part of a national drive to translate new discoveries into treatments, providing infrastructure, facilities, services, and funding for high quality in-human research.
NEWS - Accelerating motor neurone disease research by harnessing the power of health data
Research into the life-shortening neurological condition motor neurone disease (MND) will receive a major boost through the formation of a new data catalyst led by Health Data Research UK (HDR UK) and Dementias Platforms UK (DPUK).
Despite decades of research, several scientific challenges continue to impede the development of effective therapies for the thousands of people living with MND in the UK.
The MND Research Data Catalyst is a new initiative led by HDR UK and DPUK, with the UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI) and in partnership with the MND research community, to accelerate the discovery of new diagnostics, treatments and support better care for MND patients. This will be achieved by harnessing the UK’s trustworthy, large-scale health data infrastructure and fostering collaborative partnerships across the MND research landscape.
Professor John Gallacher, Director of DPUK, said: “DPUK is delighted to add to our growing MND portfolio by supporting the MND Research Data Catalyst. We expect the Catalyst will make a fundamental contribution to MND therapeutics; delivering high-quality translation science. Through our project management and SeRP-led informatics solutions, DPUK will provide the necessary infrastructure for rapid project delivery and data access.”
NEWS - Funded projects start work
We are excited to announce that a total of £5.8 million has been awarded to 12 MND projects across the UK. The projects which were successful in applying for funding from the MND Accelerator have begun working after final approval from the Medical Research Council. These projects cover trial methodology, genetics, physiology, proteomics, and biomarkers, all aimed at accelerating the development of treatment for Motor Neuron Disease. This funding decision follows a robust and expedited process involving independent peer review, rebuttal, and evaluation by the MNDAcc Scientific Steering Group and Executive Committee.
The successful projects were selected from a total of 24 applications. Each project has undertaken to complete their research within 2 years. The teams, all now part of the MND Accelerator programme represent 8 institutions from across the UK.
Find out more about the MNDAcc funded research projects here.
NEWS - Minister welcomes acceleration of MND research
At the launch of the MND Translational Accelerator, Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said:
“Motor Neurone disease has a devastating impact on people’s lives. That is why I am cutting red tape to accelerate funding for cutting-edge research by leading scientists into finding a cure. This collaboration will help identify new potential treatments for MND – backed by £6 million of government investment as part of our pledged £50 million funding for MND research to help find a cure. I encourage researchers from a range of disciplines to join the scheme and harness the world-leading facilities available at Dementias Platform UK and UK Dementia Research Institute.”
