Pilot Research Program
National MS Society, New York City – Southern New York Chapter
Shari Alpert, Vice President, Major Gifts
1 year grant, $220,000
In 1947, the National MS Society sponsored its first three research projects. Today, the Society is a driving force of MS research, supporting and stimulating global research into ways to prevent, better treat and cure this unpredictable disease of the brain and spinal cord. Its $600 million investment into research has fueled many advances, and the hope for new, more effective treatments and a cure for MS has never been greater.
Even in these challenging economic times, the Society is dedicated to propelling MS research forward. In 2009 alone, the Society raised over $33.5 million to support 345 new and ongoing projects in its core research portfolio. It pursues key areas of emerging opportunity and need, on a broad range of topics relevant to MS, including immune aspects, nerve tissue repair, clinical trials, rehabilitation, psychosocial issues and health care delivery. Its research projects are identified through various avenues, including targeted initiatives, such as Promise: 2010, which concentrates on four underexplored but highly promising areas of research, through short-term high-risk pilot research projects, through an "investigator-initiated" process, and through partnerships with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies as part of its Fast Forward initiative, as well as with Collaborative MS Research Centers.
The Society feels strongly that one way to propel MS research forward is by funding high-risk, high-potential Pilot Projects to investigate new, untested ideas and attract new researchers to the field. These unique one-year grants allow researchers to gather data quickly that is needed to determine if their novel ideas are worth pursuing.
Due to the current economic crisis, and decreased support to non-profits in general, the Society was compelled to place a temporary hold on awards through its Pilot Research Program in June 2008. Support from MS Hope for a Cure in the amount of $220,000 will fund the direct and indirect costs of five unique projects through the Society's Pilot Research Program during the 2010 fiscal year, by providing seed money to investigators to allow them to explore areas with the potential to increase our understanding of MS, but where insufficient data exists.
Pilot research awards are for a maximum of $40,000 (direct costs) for one year, with indirect costs of up to 10%. Since the beginning of the program, nearly $23.6 million has been spent on pilot research projects. Applications for support under the pilot research program are peer-reviewed on an ad hoc basis by members of the Society's scientific and medical advisory committees and others as appropriate. All projects recommended for funding by reviewers since the beginning of the program have been paid, and between 25 to 78 pilot projects have been funded each year since 1994.
FY 2007
In Fiscal Year 2007 (October 1, 2006 – September 30, 2007), the Society received a record number of 175 applications for pilot research projects. Peer reviewers recommended funding for 78 (45%) of the applications. Awards for these 78 projects totaled $3.42 million, with an average award of $43,846.
Attracting new investigators to research on multiple sclerosis is one of the goals of the pilot research program. In FY 2007, 44 (56%) of the grantees were not previously supported by the National MS Society. This proportion exceeds that in the regular grant program, where fewer than 30% of the applicants are new to us, a trend seen since the program's inception.
Investigators receiving pilot awards in FY 2007 studied a wide range of topics. The largest numbers of projects dealt with glial cell biology (23%), followed by immunology (22%), and measuring disease activity (14%). Other projects concentrated on psychosocial effects of MS, rehabilitation, central nervous system repair, genetics, neuropathology, infectious agents, neurophysiology, therapy and epidemiology.
FY 2008 through 2009
Two-thirds of the way through the fiscal year, by the beginning of June 2008, the Society had already received 120 applications for pilot research awards. Sixty-three percent (75) of the 120 applications were from investigators not previously supported by the Society.
Of the applications reviewed in 2008, 58 were funded and 62 were not recommended for funding. Fifty-three percent of the awards went to investigators not previously supported by the Society. The funded projects covered a wide range of topics, with the highest percentage studying central nervous system repair (21%), followed by immunology (20%).
Unfortunately, by June 2008, the adverse affects of the economic crisis had taken hold of the Society's fundraising capacity, decreasing the number and amounts of the gifts received from individuals, foundations and corporations. These budgetary constraints forced a change in funding priorities, and led to the decision by the Society to put the pilot research project on temporary hold. This application is the Society's first step to reinstate this vital program.