Myasthenia Gravis Network (MGNet) Scholar Program Grant

The Myasthenia Gravis Network (MGNet) Scholar Program is designed to enhance research capabilities in myasthenia gravis through individualized training and mentorship. Funded by the Rare Diseases Clinical Research Network (RDCRN), this program supports scholars with up to $75,000 for salary and research costs, aiming to prepare them for independent careers in clinical and translational research. Eligible candidates include MDs, PhDs, and mid-career faculty committed to advancing MG research.

Rare Diseases Clinical Research Network
The network is an initiative of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), led by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences through is Division of Rare Diseases Research Innovation (formerly the Office of Rare Diseases Research). It is funded by collaborating NIH institutes, centers, and offices.
Now in its fifth funding cycle, RDCRN supports 20 rare disease research groups (consortia) that partner with 127 affiliated patient advocacy groups. In total, 180 diseases are currently being studied at 273 active clinical sites, both in the United States and internationally.
Myasthenia Gravis Rare Disease Network (MGNet)
The Myasthenia Gravis Rare Disease Network (MGNet) is part of the Rare Diseases Clinical Research Network (RDCRN), which is funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and led by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) through its Division of Rare Diseases Research Innovation (DRDRI). MGNet is funded under grant number U54NS115054 as a collaboration between NCATS and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).
Goal: The MGNet Scholar Program provides individualized training and mentorship in one of two tracks, Clinical Research or Biomarker Development Research.
Objectives
There is a critical need for investigators prepared to conduct clinical and translational research in myasthenia gravis (MG). The MGNet Scholar Program provides individualized training and mentorship for researchers pursuing Clinical and Translational Research and/or Biomarker Discovery.
Award Description
The MGNet Scholar Program provides mentored research training to prepare Scholars for an independent research career in the field of MG. Selected Scholars receive up to $75,000 to support salary, research costs and didactics. Ten percent indirect costs are provided. After year one, Scholars are encouraged to transition to NIH, departmental or private foundation support, or to compete for a second year of funding after submission of a second application that includes a description of accomplishments and pilot data.
Research must constitute at least 50% of each Scholar’s professional effort. Each Scholar must form a 2-3 member advisory committee to include a primary mentor and an additional clinician-investigator or collaborator. After award a MGNet faculty mentor will be assigned.

Eligibility

Applicants must have a MD (or equivalent) or PhD clinical fellows, post-doctoral fellows, or junior faculty are eligible. Mid career faculty wanting to pursue more dedicated MG research or to transition into MG research are also encouraged to apply.Applicants must identify a primary mentor with appropriate content expertise and experience mentoring young investigators.Candidates should be U.S. citizens, US permanent residents, or non US citizens with a valid visa to work in the US. Applicants with training outside the field of neurology are particularly encouraged to apply.