Grant calls pending a decision

This grant round is closed. Details of the grant scheme will remain here until a funding decision is reached. If you would like to be added to our mailing list to receive information about funding calls contact
researchgrants@musculardystrophyuk.org.

We are inviting proposals for a UK-wide epidemiological study to estimate the prevalence and annual incidence of neuromuscular conditions. This work will provide vital evidence to support our new ten-year strategy, A World Without Limits – Our Strategy 2025–2035, which sets out an ambitious vision to transform diagnosis, accelerate access to treatments, and ensure no one faces their journey alone. By generating robust, stratified data on neuromuscular conditions across the UK, this study will help us better understand the scale and distribution of these conditions, identify gaps in care, and advocate for lasting change.

This is the first of our Neuromuscular Challenge Grants. The purpose of this scheme is to provide focused funding in areas of unmet need that will benefit people living with muscle wasting and weakening conditions.

We will provide funding up to £300,000 for up to two years. Only one project will be funded in this call.

Scope and parameters of the study

Applicants should aim to:

• Estimate prevalence and incidence across a defined time frame (e.g. 2020–2025), enabling analysis of longitudinal trends
• Stratify findings by key demographic variables including age, sex, and ethnicity (where available)
• Explore regional variation in incidence and prevalence across the UK, including devolved nations and, where feasible, more granular geographies such as the NHS regions (or regions regularly used by bodies such as the ONS)
• Use standardised diagnostic codes (e.g. Read codes, ICD codes) to ensure consistency in case identification
• Focus on confirmed diagnoses from specialist sources to ensure clinical accuracy
• Calculate prevalence per 100,000 population, with breakdowns by age (this will help us understand current and future demands on children’s and adults’ services), sex and ethnicity across the UK
• Where possible we would like to see data linked to socioeconomic status (e.g. using the index of multiple deprivation) and urban/rural classifications
• Any forward-looking perspective on future prevalence, if possible, would be welcome.

We encourage the use of large-scale electronic health records, such as the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD), which includes data from approximately 13 million patients annually. Alternative data sources may be proposed where they offer clear advantages and are appropriately justified.

While conditions such as motor neurone disease and Guillain-Barré syndrome may be captured in broader analyses, applicants should note that these are outside the remit of Muscular Dystrophy UK. Data on these conditions may be of academic interest but will not be required for our reporting.

Although the purpose of this study will be to support our ongoing work, we strongly encourage the applicant(s) to publish the outcomes in academic journals.

If you would like to discuss the scope and parameters of the call please contact us at researchgrants@musculardystrophyuk.org.

List of conditions to include

• Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD)
• Bethlem myopathy and other collagen VI-related muscular dystrophies such as Ullrich congenital muscular dystrophy (UCMD)
• Central core disease (CCD)
• Centronuclear and myotubular myopathies
• Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT)
• Congenital muscular dystrophies (CMD)
• Congenital myasthenic syndromes (CMS)
• Congenital myopathy with fibre type disproportion (CFTD)
• Dermatomyositis (DM)
• Disorders of the neuromuscular junction
• Distal myopathies
• Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD)
• Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy (EDMD)
• Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD)
• GNE myopathy
• Inclusion body myositis (IBM)
• Juvenile dermatomyositis
• LAMA2-related muscular dystrophies (LAMA2-RDs)
• Limb girdle muscular dystrophies (LGMD) recognising that this includes over 30 conditions
• LMNA-related congenital muscular dystrophy (L-CMD)
• Manifesting carriers of Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy
• McArdle disease
• Mitochondrial disease
• Multiminicore disease (MmD)
• Myasthenia gravis (MG)
• Myofibrillar myopathies (MFM)
• Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1)
• Myotonic dystrophy type 2 (DM2)
• Nemaline myopathy (NM)
• Non-dystrophic myotonias (NDM) such as myotonia congenita and paramyotonia congenita
• Oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy (OPMD)
• Paediatric-onset myotonic dystrophy type 1
• Periodic paralysis (PP)
• Polymyositis (PM)
• Pompe disease
• Sarcoglycanopathies (LGMDR3, LGMDR4, LGMDR5, and LGMDR6)
• SELENON-related myopathy (SELENON-RM)
• Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA)
• Spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA)
• Valosin-containing protein (VCP) – multisystem proteinopathy type 1 (MSP-1)
• As yet unconfirmed/suspected neuromuscular condition diagnosis

If you feel that other neuromuscular conditions should be included in this analysis please contact us at researchgrants@musculardystrophyuk.org to discuss the inclusion of other conditions in your proposal.

Eligibility criteria

This call is open to researchers and research teams based at UK institutions with a proven track record in epidemiology, public health, health informatics, and/or neuromuscular disease research. Applicants must demonstrate:

• Institutional affiliation with a recognised UK university, NHS organisation, or research institute.
• Expertise in large-scale data analysis, particularly in the use of electronic health records and standardised diagnostic coding systems.
• Experience in neuromuscular or rare disease research is strongly preferred.
• Capacity to deliver the project within the proposed timeframe and reporting requirements.

Collaborative applications involving multiple institutions, including partnerships with data providers or patient organisations, are encouraged. International collaborators may be included, but the lead applicant and primary data analysis must be UK-based.

Financial considerations

Eligible costs include:

• Salary for staff working on the grant, e.g. statistician, data analyst
• Data access fees
• Software resources
• We do not usually fund computing hardware but for the purposes of this call we will consider funding a computer if it is justified in the application as being essential to the project
• Travel that is justified for the conduct of the research only.

Applicants must provide a detailed budget and justification. Value for money will be a key consideration.

Funds will be released in instalments subject to a satisfactory report demonstrating that milestones and deliverables are met.

How to apply

Applications must be submitted using our online application form, which is accessed by a secure login.

If you have used our online system before, go to the Smart Simple login page. Please login and update your profile before starting your application.

If you are new to the system, register as an applicant on the registration page. After that you will be able to log in and select the grant round and type of grant you wish to apply for.

If you work at an institution that is not already listed on our system, you may need to contact us at researchgrants@musculardystrophyuk.org to help you create a profile.

Ensure you use the correct form for your application; we reserve the right to reject applications that are submitted using the wrong form type. If you are unsure of which form to use please contact us at researchgrants@musculardystrophyuk.org.

Before you apply you should refer to our, research strategy,  Terms and Conditions and the guidance for applicants accompanying this call. These are also accessible when you are logged into the online system; please select Help – Support Documents from the home screen.

The deadline for submission of the online application is 3pm on Tuesday 20 January 2026. Applications will not be accepted after the deadline. Please note that applications can be submitted at any time prior to the deadline.

After online submission you must send us a copy of your application signed by the principal applicant and co-investigators, and by your Head of Department and institute’s research office. This should be sent by email to researchgrants@musculardystrophyuk.org no later than three weeks after the submission deadline.

The decision-making process

Muscular Dystrophy UK staff will review grant applications to ensure eligibility and alignment with the call’s remit. Applications will then be sent to a least three reviewers who will be selected from the international community of experts, based on their relevant research experience and ability to comment on the proposal. Applicants will be given the opportunity to respond to reviews.

A triage process may be required if we receive too many applications to handle at the final assessment stage. Under those circumstances applications will be considered, including expert review comments and responses from applicants, by three members of our Medical Research Committee and three members of our Lay Research Panel. These members will provide recommendations on whether the application moves forward to the final assessment. If your application is rejected at this point you will not be informed of the final decision until after our Board of Trustees meets to consider the overall recommendations of the Medical Research Committee, at which point you will receive feedback in the form of a letter.

The application will be considered by a panel of experts in the field of neuromuscular research (our Medical Research Committee) and people with lived experience of muscle wasting and weakening conditions (our Lay Research Panel). Both panels will score applications and only applications that meet the minimum quality threshold will be considered for funding. The Committee will make a recommendation to the Board of Trustees and applicants will receive a decision letter in late July 2025.

The Medical Research Committee and Lay Research Panel are governed by the following policies:

• Medical Research Committee Terms of Reference
• Medical Research Committee Conflict-of-Interest policy
• Lay Research Panel Terms of Reference
• Lay Research panel Conflict-of-Interest policy

Other relevant policies

Other policies relating to research applications can be found here

• Additional requirements for HRA-approved clinical research
• Intellectual property, exploitation and revenue share policies
• Use of generative AI tools in funding applications and assessment
• AMRC position statement on patient and public involvement (PPI) in research
• Expert review policies
• Concordat for the Environmental Sustainability of Research and Innovation Practice

If you have any questions, please contact us at researchgrants@musculardystrophyuk.org

Acceptance of awards

Once the final decision on funding has been made, applicants will receive an email notifying them of the outcome. All principal applicants will receive a summary of feedback. Successful applicants will receive an award letter.

Further details of how grants can be accepted and the grant activation process can be found on our manage your grant webpage.

Grant monitoring

Our Research Team monitors the content of annual and final reports and may contact the grant holder to request further information or clarification. The Principal Investigator will be required to provide follow-up information on the research after completion of the project as and when requested by us.

Successful applicants will be required to provide

• Summary statistics (incidence and prevalence per 100,000 population, stratified by age, sex, ethnicity, and region)
• Methodological documentation (data sources, coding definitions, inclusion/exclusion criteria)
• Trend analysis (2000–2025)
• Data tables and visualisations (including reusable formats such as CSV)
• Interim progress report
• Final comprehensive report

Principal Investigators are also required to submit outputs and impact data annually through the ResearchFish system (details to be provided by the MDUK Research Team).

Applicants should be prepared to engage with MDUK and stakeholders to support interpretation and dissemination.

Feedback will be provided to all applicants. MDUK may request revisions prior to final award.

If you have any questions about this or any of our grant funding schemes please contact the research team at researchgrants@musculardystrophyuk.org

This grant round is closed. Details of the grant scheme will remain here until a funding decision is reached. If you would like to be added to our mailing list to receive information about funding calls contact
researchgrants@musculardystrophyuk.org.

We are currently offering funding for PhD studentships and project grants (including two- to three-year project grants and shorter, proof-of-principle projects of up to one year) that have relevance to one or more types of muscular dystrophy or a related neuromuscular condition. The deadline for submission of the online application is 3pm on Tuesday 20 January 2026.

In line with our new Research Strategy, we strongly encourage applications that will support early-career researchers and PhD students.

Before applying, please ensure you refer to following webpages:

• Guidance for completing the online application form (project grant or PhD studentship)
• Terms and Conditions (project grant or PhD studentship)
• Research Strategy
• Grant FAQs
• Top tips for writing a plain English application

We will invest in research that increases our understanding of neuromuscular conditions and that promotes the development of potential treatments. These may be basic, pre-clinical or clinical projects, but must be in line with our Research Strategy.

We also welcome applications for research that will have a direct, positive impact on the quality of life of people with neuromuscular conditions or will help to establish best practice in symptom management. This could include, but is not limited to, social or psychological research or projects with a focus on exercise, physiotherapy, fatigue or chronic pain.  Please refer to our Research Strategy for further information about the aims and objectives of the charity, which must be reflected in your application.

We will fund research across the breadth of conditions supported by the charity, including rare and very-rare conditions. Please refer to the list of conditions supported by Muscular Dystrophy UK.

If you would like to make an application for research into a neuromuscular condition that is not listed here, or if you are unsure whether your research fits within our strategy and current remit, please contact the research team at researchgrants@musculardystrophyuk.org.

PhD Studentships 

Grants for 4-year PhD studentships are available. The charity will fund stipends (up to UKRI minimum rates), university fees, and consumables (up to £10,000 per year).

Please refer to the guidance for completing PhD studentship applications.

Project grants 

We welcome proof-of-principle and project grant applications from early career researchers as well as existing principal investigators. Applicants can only apply for one of the following:

1. Grants for 2–3-year projects

The charity will cover any combination of salary and consumables up to a maximum of £100,000 per year.

2. Grants for up to 1 year for proof-of-principle projects

If you are applying for a shorter grant of up to one year, for example to show proof of principle in a pilot study, the charity will cover up to £30,000 for salary and consumables. In this case, please apply using the project grant application form; we will not require as much detail to be given in the text boxes as for a full project grant application.

Please refer to the guidance for completing project grant applications.

Who can apply

Each applicant can submit up to one grant application per grant type; multiple grant applications for the same grant type will not be accepted.

If you currently hold a Muscular Dystrophy UK-funded project or studentship grant, you may still apply in this round. A single resubmission of a previous Muscular Dystrophy UK application is permitted.

Whilst we are only able to fund principal applicants who are based in the UK, we strongly encourage international collaborations.

How to apply

Applications must be submitted using our online application form, which is accessed by a secure login. Please ensure you use the correct form for your application; we reserve the right to reject applications that are submitted using the wrong form type. If you are unsure of which form to use, please contact us at researchgrants@musculardystrophyuk.org.

• If you have used our online system before, go to the Smart Simple login page. Please log in and update your profile before starting your application.
• If you are new to the system, please register as an applicant on the registration page. After registering you will be able to log in and select the grant round and type of grant you wish to apply for.
• If you work at an institution which is not already listed on our system, you may need to contact us at researchgrants@musculardystrophyuk.org to help you create a profile.

Please also refer to our Terms and Conditions (PhD studentship or project grant) and guidance for applicants (PhD studentship or project grant), which are also accessible when you are logged into the online system; please select Help – Support Documents from the home screen.

The deadline for submission of the online application is 3pm on Tuesday 20 January 2026. Applications will not be accepted after the deadline. Please note that applications can be submitted at any time prior to the deadline.

After online submission you must send us a copy of your application signed by the principal applicant and co-investigators, and by your Head of Department and institute’s research office. This should be sent by email to researchgrants@musculardystrophyuk.org no later than three weeks after the submission deadline.

The decision-making process

Muscular Dystrophy UK staff will review grant applications to ensure eligibility and alignment with the call’s remit. Applications will then be sent to a least three reviewers who will be selected from the international community of experts, based on their relevant research experience and ability to comment on the proposal. Applicants will be given the opportunity to respond to reviews.

The application will be considered by a panel of experts in the field of neuromuscular research (our Medical Research Committee) and people with lived experience of muscle wasting and weakening conditions (our Lay Research Panel). Both panels will score applications and only applications that meet the minimum quality threshold will be considered for funding. The Committee will make a recommendation to the Board of Trustees and applicants will receive a decision letter in late July 2026.

A triage process may be required if we receive too many applications to handle at the final assessment stage. Under those circumstances applications will be considered, including expert review comments and responses from applicants, by three members of our Medical Research Committee and three members of our Lay Research Panel. These members will provide recommendations on whether the application moves forward to the final assessment. If your application is rejected at this point you will not be informed of the final decision until after our Board of Trustees meets to consider the overall recommendations of the Medical Research Committee, at which point you will receive feedback in the form of a letter.

The Medical Research Committee and Lay Research Panel are governed by the following policies:

• Medical Research Committee Terms of Reference
• Medical Research Committee Conflict-of-Interest policy
• Lay Research Panel Terms of Reference
• Lay Research Panel Conflict-of-Interest policy

Other relevant policies

Other policies relating to research applications can be found here

• Additional requirements for HRA-approved clinical research
• Animal research and the NC3Rs
• Intellectual property, exploitation and revenue share policies
• Use of generative AI tools in funding applications and assessment
• AMRC position statement on patient and public involvement (PPI) in research
• Expert review policies
• Concordat for the Environmental Sustainability of Research and Innovation Practice

If you have any questions, please contact us at researchgrants@musculardystrophyuk.org