General Movement Disorders
 

Ataxia
 

Dystonia
 

Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome
 

Huntington's Disease
 

Parkinson's Disease
 

Progressive Supranuclear Palsy
 

Restless Legs Syndrome
 

If you have suggestions, corrections or comments for this page,

please contact David Riley M.D. via David.Riley@uhhs.com

Organization:

National Organization for Rare Disorders

Link:

http://rarediseases.org/research/requests

Scope of projects funded:

Grants are awarded for research on specific diseases or disease groups. Funds for a specified disorder trigger a Request for Proposals when they reach an unstated threshold. Proposals are sought for only a few of the listed disorders at any one time. Many are limited to clinical research only.

Deadlines:

Annual; April-May for letters of intent and July-August for full proposals

Awards:

Up to $30,000 for one year

Investigator specifications:

None specified

Application:

Download form from web site

Comments:

Among the disorders NORD considers part of its purview are many one would expect (the common focal dystonia syndromes, the major atypical parkinsonian disorders, Huntington’s disease, neuroacanthocytosis, neuroleptic malignant syndrome, tardive dyskinesia, stiff-person syndrome, Wilson’s disease, and others). Also listed are disorders that are not “rare”, including Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor, restless legs syndrome, and Tourette syndrome. Some disorders take some searching to detect in the database. Essential tremor is found under “Benign” in the alphabetized index; orthostatic tremor is listed under “Primary”. Spinocerebellar ataxias are included under the umbrella of “Olivopontocerebellar Atrophy, Hereditary”, while Machado-Joseph disease is listed separately. GTP cyclohydrolase I deficiency (dopa-responsive dystonia) is but one of a half-dozen varieties of “Tetrahydrobiopterin Deficiency”.

Nevertheless, if you wish to study Sydenham’s chorea, or even Jumping Frenchmen of Maine, this may be the only possible source of funding.

Organization:

American Parkinson Disease Association, Inc.

Link:

www.apdaparkinson.org/user/ViewFellowshipAndGrants.asp

Scope of projects funded:

Basic science and clinical research

Deadlines:

Annual, usually in March

Awards:

Research Grant: Up to $50,000 for one year (renewable once)

Cotzias Fellowship: $80,000 ($60,000 salary) per year for 3 years

Duvoisin Fellowship: $80,000 per year for 2 years

Post-doctoral fellowship: $35,000 for one year

Advanced Center: $130,000 per year for 5 years

Summer Fellowship: $4,000

Investigator specifications:

Investigator must be affiliated with U.S. academic institution.

Research Grant: “Young investigator”

Cotzias Fellowship: Neurologists, neurosurgeons, neuropathologists (U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the U.S.) within 8 years of medical school graduation

Duvoisin Fellowship: “Established investigators” sponsored by a not-for-profit institution and presently not working on Parkinson’s disease research.

Post-doctoral fellowship: Within 2 years of doctorate

Advanced Center: Institutions “should have at least three successful research programs, preferably NIH funded, that include significant patient-oriented research”.

Summer Fellowship: Full-time medical students

Application:

Apply online, or download form from web site.

Comments:

Number of grants funded in 2005-2006: Research grants (25), post-doctoral fellowships (10), Cotzias fellowships (3), summer fellowships (2), Duvoisin fellowship (1), advanced center (none listed)

Organization:

Michael J. Fox Foundation, Inc.

Link:

www.michaeljfox.org/research/fundingopps.php

Scope of projects funded:

Basic science and clinical research

Deadlines:

Irregular, specific to each Request for Applications (RFA)

Awards:

Variable. Project duration is usually specified. Some programs offer “multi-year, multi-million dollar” grants.

Investigator specifications:

Usually there are no geographic or affiliation specifications. RFA may state that students or fellows may not serve as principal investigators.

Application:

Provided with each Request for Applications. Two-page letter of intent (submitted online) is required before submission of a full proposal.

Comments:

Grant applications are solicited with specific themes in mind; recent examples include “DOPA Non-Responsive Symptoms of PD”, and “Development of Progressive Mammalian Models of PD”.

Organization:

National Parkinson Foundation, Inc.

Link:

http://www.parkinson.org/ →  [Grants] →  [Individual Research Grants]

Scope of projects funded:

Basic science and clinical research “directly relevant to the study of causes of and a cure for Parkinson disease”; “High-risk, high-yield” projects are encouraged.

Deadlines:

Annual, second Monday in March

Awards:

Individual Research Grant: Up to $40,000 for one year (competitive renewal up to 2 more years)

Mega Project: Up to $1 million for 3 years

Investigator specifications:

Preference given to “scientists who are at an early stage of their professional careers”.

Application:

Download form from web site; submit via e-mail or hard copy mail.

Comments:

14 Individual Research Grants funded for 2005-2006

Organization:

Parkinson’s Disease Foundation, Inc.

Link:

www.pdf.org/Research/

Scope of projects funded:

Basic science and clinical research

Deadlines:

Annual, usually early February

Awards:

International Research Grant: Up to $40,000 for one year

Postdoctoral Fellowship for Neurologists: Up to $40,000 for one year (competitive renewal for one more year)

Postdoctoral Research Fellowship: Up to $40,000 for one year (competitive renewal for one more year)

Summer student fellowship: Amount not specified.

Investigator specifications:

International Research Grant: Preference given to “scientists who are at an early stage of their professional careers”.

Postdoctoral Research Fellowship: “Young scientists, fresh from their residencies”

Summer student fellowship: High school seniors, undergraduates, and medical students

Application:

Download form from web site; submit via e-mail.

Comments:

A major supporter of movement disorders research at Columbia University

Organization:

Parkinson Study Group (PSG)/Parkinson’s Disease Foundation, Inc.

Link:

www.parkinson-study-group.org/  →  [Request for Proposals]

Scope of projects funded:

Patient-oriented research in Parkinson’s disease or related parkinsonian disorders

Deadlines:

Annual, usually April 15

Awards:

Up to $100,000 for one year

Investigator specifications:

New investigators who are within 5 years of having completed formal training. Trainee or mentor must be a member of the PSG.

Application:

Download form from web site; submit via e-mail.

Comments:

Junior investigator operates under the guidance of an investigator with extensive research experience.

Organization:

Society for Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (SPSP)

Link:

www.psp.org/research_center/research_grant_app.asp

Scope of projects funded:

Basic science and clinical research

Deadlines:

Biannual, April 1 and October 1 each year

Awards:

Up to $50,000 for one year

Investigator specifications:

None stated

Application:

Hard-copy submission requirements are listed on the website on the page linked above.

Comments:

Investigators present results at annual SPSP research symposium (satellite to Society for Neuroscience meeting)

Organization:

Dystonia Medical Research Foundation

Link:

www.dystonia-foundation.org/research/other.asp?id=1

Scope of projects funded:

Basic science projects. “Past studies have focused on genetics, new treatments, and the anatomy and physiology of the basal ganglia … new areas of study include the development of immunoreagents for TorsinA protein and studies of both normal and mutant TorsinA biology, including protein-protein interactions, structural biology, and the development of model systems for studies of TorsinA biology.”

Deadlines:

Annual, late December or early January

Awards:

Research Grant: Up to $75,000 per year for up to 2 years

Stanley Fahn Award: $100,000 per year for 3 years

Post-doctoral fellowship: $50,000 per year for 2 years

Investigator specifications:

Research Grant: None specified.

Stanley Fahn Award: Young investigators with an earned doctorate holding an untenured tenure-track appointment at the Assistant Professor level or equivalent

Post-doctoral fellowship: Post-doctoral students

Application:

Download form (“Awards Programs”) from web site; submit both electronic and hard-copy versions.

Comments:

Projects regarding “early-onset, primary, generalized dystonia” are “of special interest”. Contract proposals involving development of new research technology are accepted.

Organization:

Benign Essential Blepharospasm Research Foundation

Link:

www.blepharospasm.org/res-prop.html

Scope of projects funded:

“Research proposals must relate specifically to benign essential blepharospasm and Meige syndrome to include new treatments, pathophysiology and genetics, photophobia and dry eye.”

Deadlines:

Annual, usually July 1

Awards:

Up to $150,000

Investigator specifications:

M.D. or Ph.D. required for principal investigator

Application:

Download form (“Grant Guidelines”) from web site; submit via hard copy mail.

Comments:

Most prior grants have been in the range of $35,000-70,000.

Organization:

The Huntington’s Disease Society of America (HDSA)

Link:

http://www.hdsa.org/site/PageServer?pagename= HDSA_Research_Grants_and_Fellowships_Programs

Scope of projects funded:

Basic science and clinical research “directly related to understanding Huntington’s disease”

Deadlines:

Annual, recently May 1^st

Awards:

Research Grant: Up to $50,000 for one year (non-renewable)

Research Fellowship: Up to $40,000 for one year

(renewable once)

Investigator specifications:

Research Grant: M.D. or Ph.D. and faculty appointment required for principal investigator

Research Fellowship: Postdoctoral investigators

Application:

Download form from web site; submit as single PDF file via e-mail.

Comments:

None

Organization:

Tourette Syndrome Association (TSA)

Link:

www.tsa-usa.org/research/callforresearch.html .

Additional research information available by clicking link to home page →  [Research & Science]

Scope of projects funded:

Basic science and clinical research, including Basal Ganglia Physiology, Neuroimaging, Animal Models, Neuropathology, Neurochemistry, and Clinical Treatment Studies

Deadlines:

Annual, usually October for letters of intent

Awards:

Research Grant: Up to $75,000 for one year

Post-doctoral Research Fellowship: Up to $40,000 for one year

Investigator specifications:

Research Grant: M.D. or Ph.D. required for principal investigator

Application:

Download Cover Page from web site; submit with letter of intent via e-mail.

Comments:

22 funded grants in 2005-2006.

Organization:

Restless Legs Syndrome Foundation

Link:

http://www.rls.org/NetCommunity/ →  [Medical & Scientific Info] →  [RLS Foundation Research Grant Program] →  [Application for Grant Submission]

Scope of projects funded:

Basic science and clinical research. “Basic science leading to a better understanding of RLS, innovative approaches, interdisciplinary studies, and support of promising postdoctoral candidates will be given priority.”

Deadlines:

Annual, usually December 1 for letters of intent

Awards:

$20,000-35,000 per year (renewable once)

Investigator specifications:

“Support of promising postdoctoral candidates will be given priority.”

Application:

Download form from web site; submit via e-mail or hard copy mail.

Comments:

3-5 grants funded per year.

Organization:

The National Ataxia Foundation

Link:

http://www.ataxia.org  →  [Ataxia Research]

Scope of projects funded:

Basic science and clinical research; all forms of ataxia, both sporadic and hereditary (dominant and recessive).

The Young Investigator Award is intended for Friedreich’s ataxia, SCA-3 or sporadic ataxia research only.

Deadlines:

Annual, August-September (staggered for the three types of awards)

Awards:

Research Grant: Up to $35,000  (average $5000-$15,000) for one year

Research Fellowship: $35,000 to $45,000 for one year

Young Investigator: $50,000 per year for 2 years

Investigator specifications:

Research Grant: None stated for Research Grants.

Research Fellowship: 1-2 post-doctoral years, and “should have shown a commitment to research in the field of ataxia”.    

Young Investigator: M.D. or Ph.D., faculty appointment below the level of Associate Professor, and must have completed residency or post-doctoral training within 5 years of application. Clinicians must devote at least 50% of time, and investigators 75% of time, to the project.

Application:

Download form from web site; submit via e-mail or hard copy mail.

Comments:

None

If you have suggestions, corrections or comments for this page,

please contact David Riley M.D. via David.Riley@uhhs.com