The MND Association’s Research Foundation, the first of its kind in the UK, was officially launched in London yesterday.
The Foundation is a new research funding initiative by the MND Association, which aims to raise £10 million over the next five years to support national and international efforts to end MND.

As well as funding project grants and PhD studentships, money from the Research Foundation will also go to supporting Clinical Fellowships.
Guest of Honour at the launch was the eminent scientist, Prof Stephen Hawking, who has unusually had MND for over 40 years.
He said: “Motor Neurone Disease is as common as Multiple Sclerosis, but it has received much less public attention and awareness. This may be because it often kills its victims in two or three years from the first appearance of symptoms, so they aren't around to be noticed.

“I am one of a few long term survivors, so I have a duty to call attention to this terrible disease, and to press for research into its causes, so we can find ways of curing it, or at least preventing it in the future."

The Research Foundation’s flagship project is ‘A Whole Genome Scan in MND’. This project will support a major international genetic research collaboration, which could revolutionise MND research. By scanning the human genome, scientists hope to identify specific genetic mutations that might be involved in the development of MND.
Prof Hawking added: "We know that biological processes are controlled by DNA, so a natural first step is to study the DNA of those with Motor Neurone Disease, and compare it to the DNA of those without. For this reason, I strongly support the Whole Genome Project, and will be contributing my own DNA to it.”
The Foundation has also attracted the personal support of the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, who wrote a letter of support, saying: “Having met and known a number of people with Motor Neurone Disease, I am very much aware of what a cruel and devastating condition it is.

“I share the MND Association’s vision of a world free of MND. Finding effective treatments, and ultimately a cure, for MND will require the combined efforts of governments, scientists and the voluntary sector.”

“That is why I warmly welcome the MND Association Research Foundation.”

http://www.mndassociation.org/news_a...ering_mnd.html