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Funded Research

Global NMO Atlas

Global NMO Atlas (2018)

 

Immune Tolerance

Immune Tolerization (2018)

Therapeutic Response in Pediatric NMOSD

Therapeutic Response in Pediatric NMOSD (2019)

  • Principal Investigator | Tanuja Chitnis, MD
  • Institution | Brigham and Women’s Hospital
  • Aim | To evaluate the effect of different disease modifying treatments on attack and disability prevention in children with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder.
  • Funds Awarded | $10,000
  • Grant Type | Joannie’s Unicorn Grant

Optic Neuritis Treatment Analysis

Severe NMO / MOG / Idiopathic Optic Neuritis Treatment Analysis (2019)

  • Principal Investigator | Kristin Galetta, MD
  • Institution | Massachusetts General Hospital
  • Aim | To address how to best treat patients with attacks of severe optic neuritis.
  • Funds Awarded | $10,000
  • Grant Type | SPARK Grant

Diagnostics for NMOSD

Diagnostics in NMOSD (2020)

  • Principal Investigator | Farrah Mateen, MD, PhD
  • Institution | Massachusetts General Hospital
  • Aim | To pilot a novel point-of-care dry blood spot diagnostic test for patients with aquaporin 4-antibody (AQP4) seropositive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD).
  • Funds Awarded | $25,000
  • Grant Type | SPARK Grant

Autoantibodies in NMOSD

Autoantibodies in NMOSD (2020)

  • Principal Investigator | Stacey Clardy, MD, PhD & Jonathan Galli, MD
  • Institution | University of Utah Health
  • Aim I | To describe the epidemiologic characteristics of all patients who carry a diagnosis of NMOSD within the Department of Defense/Defense Medical Surveillance System (DMSS).
  • Aim II | To confirm the presence of Aquaporin-4 and MOG autoantibodies in pre-symptomatic NMO samples.
  • Funds Awarded | $25,000
  • Grant Type | SPARK Grant

Relapse Biomarker for MOG-AD

Investigating a Relapse Biomarker in MOG (2020)

  • Principal Investigator | Tanuja Chitnis, MD
  • Institution | Brigham and Women’s Hospital
  • Aim I | To evaluate dynamics of TNFAIP3 as a relapse biomarker in adults and children with MOG-AD.
  • Aim II | To evaluate the effects endogenous and exogenous steroids on levels of TNFAIP3 in patients with MOG-AD.
  • Funds Awarded | $25,000
  • Grant Type | SPARK Grant

MOG Statin

Link between MOG & Cholesterol (2020)

  • Principal Investigator | Michael Levy, MD, PhD
  • Institution | Massachusetts General Hospital
  • Aim | To repurpose existing medications to stop the inflammatory process in patients with MOG antibody disease
  • Funds Awarded | $25,000
  • Grant Type | SPARK Grant

Volumetric Analysis in MOG-AD, NMOSD, and MS (2021)

Volumetric Analysis in MOG-AD, NMOSD, and MS (2021)

  • Principal Investigator | Eyal Lotan, MD, PhD
  • Co-Investigators | Itay Lotan, PhD and Ilya Kister, MD
  • Institution | NYU Langone Health
  • Aim | To analyze the different patterns of central nervous system atrophy in MOGAD, NMOSD and MS Patients
  • Funds Awarded | $25,000
  • Grant Type | Light the Way Forward Grant

Mapping the Employment Impact of NMOSD (2021)

Mapping the Employment Impact of NMOSD
(2021)

  • Principal Investigator | Farrah Mateen, MD, PhD
  • Institution | Massachusetts General Hospital
  • Aim | To depict the impact of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) on employment, job loss, and work hours in a multi-country prospective survey-based study of people living with NMOSD
  • Funds Awarded | $25,000
  • Grant Type | SPARK Grant

In vivo assessment of retinal vascular integrity in NMOSD and MOG-AD (2021)

In vivo assessment of retinal vascular integrity in NMOSD and MOG-AD (2021)

  • Principal Investigator | Elias S. Sotirchos, MD
  • Institution | Johns Hopkins Medicine
  • Aim I | To compare retinal vascular plexus densities between eyes with a history of optic neuritis from people with NMOSD, MOG-AD, MS and controls
  • Aim II | To compare retinal vascular plexus densities between eyes without a history of optic neuritis from patients with NMOSD, MOG-AD, MS and controls
  • Aim III | To assess correlations of retinal vascular plexus densities with visual function in NMOSD, MOG-AD and MS eyes
  • Funds Awarded | $25,000
  • Grant Type | SPARK Grant

Blood Biomarkers Predict Cognitive Impairment in NMOSD (2021)

Blood Biomarkers Predict Cognitive Impairment in NMOSD
(2021)

  • Principal Investigator | May Han, MD
  • Institution | Stanford Medicine
  • Aim I | Define the cellular immunopathogenesis of CI in NMOSD
  • Aim II | Define the molecular immunopathogenesis of CI in NMOSD
  • Aim III | Define how immune homeostasis reverses CI in NMOSD
  • Funds Awarded | $25,000
  • Grant Type | SPARK Grant

MOG IgG Titer and its association with clinical outcomes and immune profiles (2021)

MOG IgG Titer and its association with clinical outcomes and immune profiles (2021)

  • Principal Investigator | Jamie McDonald, MD, MSc
  • Institution | Stanford Medicine
  • Aim I | Develop longitudinal database and biorepository for MOG Antibody Disease (MOGAD) patients at the Stanford Neuroimmunology Center, including multi-center collaboration. Demographic, clinical outcomes, biochemical (including MOG-IgG serial titers, presence of co-neuronal antibodies), neuroimaging and neuropsychological outcomes, when available.
  • Aim II | To determine if MOG IgG positivity or titer predicts index event severity or relapse
  • Aim III | To correlate MOG IgG serostatus with serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) immune profiles (pleocytosis, oligoclonal bands, paired serum/CSF IL-6, TNF-alpha, T and B lymphocyte profiles) to inform immunopathogenesis and treatment
  • Funds Awarded | $25,000
  • Grant Type | SPARK Grant

HLA association in Pediatric MOG-AD, NMOSD and ADEM (2021)

HLA association in Pediatric MOG-AD, NMOSD and ADEM
(2021)

  • Principal Investigator | Nusrat Ahsan, MD
  • Institution | Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles
  • Aim I | To determine the presence of HLA association in pediatric onset MOG-AD, NMOSD and ADEM
  • Aim II | To determine HLA association’s role in relapse
  • Funds Awarded | $25,000
  • Grant Type | UNICORN Grant

 

APPLY FOR A TSF GRANT

FAQs

Who is eligible for the grant award?

Clinical, translational and basic researchers with experience in the field of NMOSD / MOG-AD and autoimmune diseases, who are affiliated with academic institutions in the United States are encouraged to apply.

How much funding is available?

At the beginning of every calendar year, the TSF Board determines the dollar amount and number of grants that will be available that year. As part of the application process, investigators are required to outline their plans for the grant funding, and to demonstrate their leadership in patient care and research in NMOSD / MOG-AD for consideration by the TSF Grant Committee.

Is the grant awarded to the individual's institution?

Yes, this award will be granted to an institution.

What is the difference between TSF's SPARK Grant and Joannie's Unicorn Grant?

SPARK grants are for adult NMOSD / MOG-AD research. Joannie’s Unicorn Grant was created to specifically fund pediatric NMOSD / MOG-AD research in honor of Joannie Rios, a 6-year old girl from Rochester, New York who lost her battle to neuromyelitis optica in February 2019.

Who is on the TSF Grant Committee?

To ensure fairness, the grant committee will consist of a member of the medical board, two members of the executive committee and 1 or 2 independent key opinion leaders in NMOSD / MOG-AD research. Committee members have been selected based on their leadership role in the practice of patient’s interest, care and research. The grant committee has sole decision-making authority in determining the winner and runner-up and will score applications based on predetermined criteria.

Once a grant is awarded, will there be any requirements for the investigator to meet certain milestones or report to TSF?

Yes, the winning team is required to share its outcomes through a report at the mid-term and completion of the project.

For more information and/or application instructions, please email grants@sumairafoundation.org