New $6.25 Million Grant Allows UF To Expand 10-Year Study of Muscular Dystrophy Disease Progression
A new five-year, $6.25 million grant from the National Institutes of Health will support the University of Florida’s continued efforts to develop MRI biomarkers for individuals with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and expand the study to include people with Becker muscular dystrophy.
Duchenne muscular dystrophy, or DMD, is a severe form of the disease that affects about one in 3,500 males born each year in the United States. It occurs when there is a change in DNA that prevents the body from producing dystrophin, a protein that is needed to keep muscles healthy. Without this protein, muscles become weaker over time, lose the ability to regenerate and become replaced by fat and connective tissue.
We are honored that the NIH values the ImagingDMD study, as evidenced by the 15 years of funding, and look forward to continuing to work with the boys and families to help find a cure for this devastating disease,” Krista Vandenborne, Ph.D., a distinguished professor and chair of the department of physical therapy in the UF College of Public Health and Health Professions said. “Expansion of the ImagingDMD study will greatly benefit the DMD community as a whole, as ImagingDMD natural history data are shared with academic colleagues and industry partners across the country to help design new trials and pursue novel therapeutic strategies.”