The Myotonic Dystrophy Foundation (MDF) received applications from doctoral students and postdoctoral scholars from institutions all over the world for the 2022 MDF Research Fellowship Program.

The applications for this year’s Research Fellowship Program were among the most competitive the MDF’s Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) had ever seen, with pre- and postdoctoral scholars proposing exciting new and innovative studies relevant to the pathogenesis of myotonic dystrophy (DM), disease progression, best practices in clinical management of the disorder, and therapeutic and diagnostic development for DM. Applicants had been encouraged to submit research proposals focused on DM2, and proposals for both DM1 and DM2 were accepted.

In November 2021, twelve members of SAC and additional selected reviewers who are leaders in the field of DM research met to review the applications. Based on the recommendations, in December 2021 the MDF Board of Directors selected eight applicants from six institutions in two countries for the two-year fellowships. Through the generous support of the DM donor community, MDF was able fund an unprecedented number of fellows—and support all eight of the selected applicants. The pre- and post-doctoral research will focus on a range of studies including testing potential therapeutics, understanding excessive sleepiness, and exploring a new DM2 mouse model.

Click here to learn more about MDF's myotonic dystrophy resarch fellowship program.