We have launched a new round of our Pilot Grants Program! This program offers $50,000 in one-year support for researchers focused on myotonic dystrophy (DM). The goal is to provide DM researchers with the opportunity to explore innovative ideas and conduct preliminary investigations. This funding can help generate essential data and preliminary findings, laying the groundwork for larger-scale research projects.

We are thrilled to introduce the recipients of our first round of the Pilot Grant program, each leading groundbreaking research to advance understanding and treatment of myotonic dystrophy (DM). These innovative projects represent the future of DM research, and we are excited to support their important work!

MDF is excited to introduce “Understanding Myotonic Dystrophy”, a new series of short educational animations designed to educate people living with myotonic dystrophy (DM) and their healthcare providers! Our first animation “Understanding Myotonic Dystrophy – The Basics” is a broad introduction to myotonic dystrophy to help increase awareness and understanding.

MDF's Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. Andy Rohrwasser, summarizes a study “Increased frequency of repeat expansion mutations across different populations” published in Nature Medicine in October 2024, an important genetic study examining the presence of repeat expansions including myotonic dystrophy (DM) in over 82,000 individuals. For our myotonic dystrophy community, the study confirms the high prevalence of DM1. The study also highlights the importance of vigilance for healthcare providers suspecting the disease as the repeat expansion might be present with low repeat numbers without any (yet) apparent symptoms.