Funding Opportunities

The Michael J. Fox Foundation will do whatever it takes to speed promising Parkinson’s research toward clinical testing and patients. While our strong emphasis is on translational and clinical research, we also fund high-risk/high-reward discovery work to help keep novel approaches flowing into the drug development pipeline. New funding initiatives are announced throughout the year. Sign up to receive e-mail alerts whenever a new program is announced.

View slides from the Nov. 1, 2011 Webinar, “Research Strategy and Funding Opportunities.”

Pipeline Programs

Pipeline Programs fund investigator-initiated proposals focused on the following critical points along the translational pathway to new therapies for Parkinson’s disease: Testing Novel Hypotheses (high-risk, high-reward projects with little to no existing preliminary data, but potential to significantly impact our understanding or treatment of PD); Validating Novel Targets (work demonstrating whether modulation of a novel biological target has impact in a PD-relevant pre-clinical model); Catalyzing and Expanding Preclinical Development (industry-exclusive support for preclinical development of Parkinson’s disease therapies with potential to fundamentally alter disease course and/or improve treatment of symptoms above and beyond current standards of care); and Clinically Testing Novel Therapies (clinical testing of promising PD therapies that may significantly and fundamentally improve treatment of PD).
Get Detailed Information on the Pipeline Programs and Apply for Funding

Critical Challenges in Parkinson's Disease

Critical challenge programs may recur or be one-offs. These programs provide funding for top MJFF research priorities and areas of particular emphasis. Previous programs have included biomarker development, validation of disease subtypes, directive focus on top therapeutic targets such as LRRK2 and alpha-synuclein, funding for research into dyskinesia and untreated symptoms, and programs dedicated to the development of critical research tools such as improved animal models of PD.
Get Detailed Information on the Critical Challenges in Parkinson's Disease and Apply for Funding

For more information on how we allocate funds to benefit people living with PD, see The MJFF Funding Philosophy. To read about grants previously awarded under any of these programs, use our Searchable Database of Funded Grants. Our driving goal is to fund the right science at the right time to advance progress toward improved PD treatments. If, after reading through the materials available here and elsewhere on our site, you are unsure of which program would best fit your project, please contact our Scientific Staff.

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