Muscular Dystrophy Association

Research: mda is the largest non-governmental funder of neuromuscular disease research in the country, supporting strategic research for muscular dystrophy, als, and related neuromuscular diseases. Since its inception in 1950, mda has invested more than $1 billion in neuromuscular disease research to uncover new treatments. A single breakthrough can lead to a cure. Our funding research across many neuromuscular diseases means findings from one disease often enable progress in others, maximizing the speed at which we can make progress. Support for mda's research enables mda to fund leading research teams working toward breakthrough therapies, which can have a life-changing impact on patients. (cont. Schedule o)mda-funded breakthroughs include drugs for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (als), duchenne muscular dystrophy (dmd), periodic paralysis, pompe disease, and spinal muscular atrophy (sma). Mda launched the movr (neuromuscular observational research) data hub as a transformative platform, combining mda's care center network with a state-of-the-art information-management system. As the largest centralized data hub for multiple neuromuscular diseases, movr aggregates clinical, genetic, and patient-reported data across broad communities of healthcare providers, researchers, and industry partners that will lead to rapid developments in patient care, treatments, and cures.

Professional and public health education:mda offers a broad and expanding array of resources and events expertly developed to respond to the rapidly changing treatment landscape. Our resources for providing relevant medical education to professionals are unparalleled and our services and initiatives reflect our leadership in this area. We provide both accredited continuing medical education (cme) and non-cme programs. As the most comprehensive neuromuscular disease meeting in the world, our annual mda clinical & scientific conference provides a unique opportunity to learn from, be inspired by, and share ideas with experts from academia, government, and industry. (cont. Schedule o)at the community level, we established mda engage and mda access educational event series that brings local high-impact educational programs to the neuromuscularcommunity in-person and virtually. Each of the engage programs incorporates multiple modules of interest, from therapy development roundtables to disease management to genetic testing, designed specifically for community audiences. Each event also includes a social element for families and participants with the aim of strengthening the community and helping attendees make personal connections.