After a record breaking Gala and another incredible year for the DM Community, the MDF Board of Directors has approved over $1 million in funding for myotonic dystrophy research grants and fellowships in 2023! Projects focused on DM1 & DM2 faced a highly competitive application process with a review by a panel of internationally recognized DM research experts, the MDF’s Scientific Advisory Committee.

Early Career Myotonic Dystrophy Research Grants

For 2023, MDF has focused its funding opportunities on early career scholars, who often struggle to obtain research funding and face job insecurity as they are reliant on short-term funding. This funding insecurity can impact research, as projects are not pursued or completed. This can be especially difficult with translational research and can lead to a lack of retention in medical research fields. The number of clinician–investigators, in particular, is in decline due to the duration of clinical training, limited or interrupted opportunities for research, high levels of educational debt, and stiff competition for research funding. MDF recognizes the importance of recruiting and retaining basic science early career researchers, as well as the critical need to recruit and retain clinical early career researchers to focus on the field of DM.

Learn more about MDF's Research Grant program and past awardees.

Myotonic Dystrophy Foundation Research Fellowships

Since 2008, MDF has provided over 47 two-year doctoral and postdoctoral research fellowships to support new and innovative studies relevant to the pathogenesis of DM, disease progression, best practices in clinical management of the disorder, and therapeutic and diagnostic development for myotonic dystrophy. The goal of the Research Fellows program is to provide adequate early career and ongoing funding in order to establish and drive a robust professional research community with a long-term commitment to the disease. The specific objectives are to: Support young investigators pursuing DM discovery; and Increase the scope and quality of publications of DM research. Over 90% of former fellows have remained in the DM research field after completing their fellowships and cited that they chose to continue in the field due to their interaction with the community.

Learn more about MDF Research Fellowships and past and present fellows.

Strengthen the Future of Myotonic Dystrophy Research

Fund-A-Fellow - The Myotonic Dystrophy Foundation has committed over $4M in total research funding to 47 fellows from dozens of different distinguished institutions in five countries. Many former fellows have remained in the DM research field after completing their fellowships and cited that they chose to continue in the field due to their interaction with the community, interest in the disease, and the research skills they gained. MDF is proud to support the development of new DM researchers, the advancement of DM academic research and discoveries, and to provide hope for the DM community by expanding our Fund-a-Fellow Program.

Contact MDF at 415-800-7777 or click here to learn more about our Fund-a-Fellow Program.

Contribute to Community, Care, and a Cure! - The Myotonic Dystrophy Foundation (MDF), a non profit public charity, focuses on Community, Care, and a Cure for people living with myotonic dystrophy (DM). Every contribution you make helps us deliver essential support and information to patients, families and the medical community. We also fund and support important research efforts, raise awareness, and advocate with legislators and federal agencies. We couldn't do it without you!

Change the future of myotonic dystrophy and support MDF today!