Connect Issues Fall 2021

RESEARCH GRANT PROGRAM UPDATED TO FACILITATE TRANSFORMATIONAL SCIENCE

The Marfan Foundation, which has funded 158 research grants and initiatives since 1989, is proud to announce it has updated its research grant program to have a more significant impact on scientific advances to improve the lives of people with Marfan, Loeys-Dietz, VEDS, and other genetic aortic and vascular conditions. “Research funding from the Foundation has provided critical seed money to established scientists and has successfully enhanced the pipeline of young researchers who are interested in genetic aortic and vascular conditions,” said Craig Basson, MD, Chair of the Foundation’s Scientific Advisory Board. “We are now at a crucial juncture where we can more strategically focus on transformational science and aim for cures for these conditions. The new research grants are designed to promote longer, multi-disciplinary, multi-institutional collaborative grants that will help us reach these goals.” NEW AWARD IS THE FOUNDATION’S LARGEST The highlight of the updated Research Grant Program is the establishment of the Everest Award , a single grant of $200,000 per year for four years (a total of $800,000), based on a yearly milestone review. This large, multi-institutional transformational grant is designed to “reach the summit” on a critical path to a breakthrough in basic or translational science that has direct relevance to human health. It must include an institutionally funded graduate student or fellow. The Foundation also encourages the engagement of multi-disciplinary investigators or a pharmaceutical company. The other grants the Foundation offers are: • Innovators Award , a two-year $100,000 grant ($50,000 per year) intended for faculty members to explore an innovative concept in translational science that has applicability to improving human health.

p Dr. Bettina Willie, McGill University, a previous Foundation research grant recipient.

• Career Development Award , a two-year $100,000 grant ($50,000 per year) designed to support investigators early in their career to derive preliminary data in a key concept area that has high potential to lead to extended funding. • Victor McKusick Fellowship , established in 2006, a $150,000 award for an MD and $100,000 for a PhD over two years to support postdoctoral fellows embarking on a scientific career in biomedical research related to Marfan syndrome or any of the genetic aortic or vascular conditions that are within the Foundation’s scope of interest. More details on this program and information about past research recipients are available on our website. Inquiries from researchers should be direct- ed to Josephine Grima, PhD, Chief Science Officer, The Marfan Foundation, at jgrima@marfan.org.

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Fall 2021