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The MND Association grants for PhD Studentships (biomedical and healthcare), Healthcare research and Non-Clinical research fellowships will be opening for applications in March 2025. 

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The ENCALS young investigator award recognises the brightest and best young scientists in ALS, and is given for outstanding research. 

Researchers must be working on a project which is novel, challenges  existing ideas about ALS, results in patient benefit, or impacts on our understanding of ALS. The competition is open to researchers aged 35 or younger on 1 September 2025, or who will be within 8 years of having been awarded their PhD if a basic scientist, or still in training (Resident or Fellow) if a medical graduate. Adjustments are made for career breaks. Researchers must be based at a university or ALS Centre in Europe, Turkey or Israel. 

Deadline for award submissions: 5 May.

Find out more and apply

The MND Association, MND Scotland, My Name'5 Doddie Foundation and LifeArc are launching the call for funding for the next phase of the UK MND Research Institute. 

Applicants can apply for up to £5 million in total for a five-year period starting from 1 January 2026.

This award will fund the core staff required to run the UK MND Research Institute and coordinate the research community. It will also support core research infrastructure costs i.e. facilities that provide resources and services for the research community to conduct research and foster innovation - this may include but is not limited to disease registries, biosampling efforts and patient reporting applications.

The award will not support research activities such as basic science, translational research projects or clinical trials. The applicants are expected to apply for external research grant funding from funding bodies for individual research projects, studentships and fellowships and leveraging external grant funding will be a key measure of success of the UK MND Research Institute. 

The host institution will need to be a UK research institution/ Higher Education Institution. The Co-Directors and other co-applicants need to be based at UK research institutions. The Co-Directors should have employment contracts at their research institutions for the full duration of the award i.e. to December 2030.

Application Deadline:  Wednesday 30 April (12pm)

Please note this application will need to be submitted through My Name’5 Doddie Foundation’s online grants system, Flexigrant.

To request a copy of the guidance and application form or submit any queries please contact [email protected]. 

The Corsalex Postdoctoral Fellowship Program is designed to support promising early-career researchers who wish to enter or continue research in the field of C9orf72 MND/FTD. 

Fellows receive up to $210,000 over 3 years to support research of high scientific merit and relevance to C9 MND.

Applications are open to Junior postdoctoral researchers with a designated advisor in an ALS or FTD-focused lab. Researchers must be no more than 1 year into postdoctoral fellowship.

Corsalex are interested in projects that focus on:

• The underlying biology of C9orf72 MND/FTD
• Novel drug targets or biomarkers
• Gene therapies
• Drug delivery into the CNS
• Disease models

Application Deadline: 1 July

Find out more and apply

The 2025 BMA Foundation grants are now open and we are accepting applications.

The Vera Down Grant is for £65,000 to assist research into neurological disorders.

Applicants must be registered medical practitioners in the UK and a member of the BMA.

Application deadline: 16 March

Find out more and apply
 

The Science Media Centre are holding an Introduction to the News Media event for researchers. 

The event includes a number of talks and panel discussions from those who work in science media and also researchers who have experience of science media. These events are designed specifically for scientists with little or no media experience. The greatest benefit will be for scientists who work on issues likely to be in the news but who are either media shy, feel negatively about engaging with journalists or are scared that they will get it wrong. 

It's free to attend but places are limited.

The event will take place at King’s College London on the 5 February (13:30 until 17:30 with a drinks reception until 18:30).

Find out more or register your interest in attending 

The UK Dementia Research Institute are hosting a symposium for researchers using stem cell models to study the biology and treatment of neurodegenerative dieases like MND. The main aims of the event are to compare approaches and facilitate collaboration to explore successes and challenges of the field. 

The meeting is being held in Edinburgh, Scotland from the 26 to 28 March. 

Abstract submission deadline: 31 Jan 2025

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The 18th UK Neuromuscular Translational Research Conference 2025 aims to bring together basic scientists and clinical scientists involved in neuromuscular disease research. 

The event promotes and shares cutting edge clinical and scientific advances in the neuromuscular field, and encourages new research and collaborations. 

This meeting is being held at the Frederick Douglass Centre Helix Science Square in Newcastle upon Tyne from the 15 to 16 April.

Find out more and register.

The British Neuroscience Association is hosting the 7th International Festival of Neuroscience which brings together all those with an interest in brain research at a single event to share the highest quality science and form lasting connections. The focus of the event is to connect, inform and influence the future of neuroscience by providing opportunities to engage with like-minded peers, learn from leading experts in the field and advance science and careers.

This festival will be held in Liverpool from the 27 to 30 April. 

Abstract submission deadline: 31 Jan 2025.

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The European Network for the Cure of ALS (ENCALS) aims to develop a European trial network and initiate collaborations in Europe. Membership is open to Universities/Hospitals in Europe with ALS clinical/research activity. 

The ENCALS meeting 2025 will be held in Turin, Italy from 3 to 6 June. 

Abstract submission deadline: 18 March 5PM (CEST)

Register and Find out more

MND EnCouRage UK is a unique two-day UK event which aims to recognise, retain and encourage the important work of early career researchers (ECRs) who have chosen MND as their area of investigation. It is specifically planned to support them in their career, with inspiring and interactive talks and workshops from well-respected and experienced scientists, clinicians and experts. The event focuses on networking, fostering collaboration and engagement. It provides an important opportunity to bring together ECRs with people living with and affected by MND, to build partnerships and gain a greater understanding of the research interests of the MND community. 

MND EnCouRage UK 2025 will take place on 15-16 July at the Burleigh Court Hotel, Loughborough University, Loughborough.

Abstract submission will open on 11 February.

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World Congress of Neurology are committed to delivering a high-level scientific program, an international stage for your research, and plenty of networking opportunities. 

The XXVII World Congress of Neurology (WCN 2025) will take place on 12-15 October and will be held in Seoul, Korea. 

Abstract submission deadline: 2 April 2025

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The key to defeating MND lies in fostering strong collaboration between leading researchers around the world, and sharing new understanding of the disease as rapidly as possible. This was the MND Association’s rationale behind the creation of the International Symposium on ALS/MND.

Each year, the Symposium attracts over 1,000 delegates, representing the energy and dynamism of the global MND research community. It is the largest medical and scientific conference specific to MND/ALS and is the premier event in the MND research calendar for discussion on the latest advances in research and clinical management. 

The 36th Symposium will be held in San Diego, USA in December.

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