The National MS Society has developed a strategic roadmap -- the Strategic Response: 2011-2015 -- that strives to be a response to the brutal facts of living with MS and identifies what must be done to achieve a world free of MS. Through this response we strive to be a driving force of MS research and treatment to stop disease progression, restore function, and end MS forever. The five research objectives outlined in the Strategic Response were developed through recommendations from our Research Programs Advisory Committee and other stakeholders in the community including researchers, physicians, and people with MS. These objectives are:

• We better understand the mechanisms that lead to disease progression and we accelerate the development of new therapies.
• We pursue new avenues to discover how nerve cells are damaged and potentially repaired.
• We pursue new rehabilitation techniques and symptomatic treatments to restore neurological function and enhance quality of life.
• We identify risk and triggering factors that cause MS, and understand the biological interactions that lead to its development so that MS can be prevented.
• We expand and strengthen the quantity and quality of MS research worldwide to accelerate new discoveries and treatments for people with MS.

Going forward, we will be announcing program priorities, RFAs and other funding mechanisms to help us achieve these objectives. Some areas of interest include:

• Immunologic basis of MS
• CNS repair and neuroprotection
• Biology of glia/myelin
• Genetics and gender differences
• Understanding and preventing disease progression
• Infectious triggers and risk factors
• Cognitive and psychosocial issues
• Patient management, care and rehabilitation
• Pathology of MS
• Clinical trials
• Health care delivery and policy
• Measures of disease activity, imaging, surrogate and biomarkers

The Society also emphasizes industry partnerships by providing milestone-driven drug development funding to private companies. Read more about our Fast Forward initiative.

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

• Research Grants
  Multi-year investigations by university-based scientists and clinicians for basic, clinical and rehabilitation research
  Deadlines: February 6, August 7
• Pilot Research
  Funding for one year to test innovative, cutting-edge ideas or untested methods and gather sufficient preliminary data to apply for longer-term funding
  Deadline: Pilot applications will be reviewed on a quarterly basis. January 9, April 3, July 3, October 2
• Training Grants and Fellowships
  To attract and train promising young investigators and doctors and help more established investigators learn new techniques, we offer the following research training programs. For training related to patient care, refer to clinical training opportunities.)
  • Postdoctoral Fellowships
    Research projects from 1-3 years by investigators working under the mentorship of senior scientists
    Deadline: August 15
  • Sylvia Lawry Physician Fellowships
    Support for up to 3 years to train young doctors to conduct MS clinical trials
    Deadline: August 15
  • NMSS-ABF MS Clinician Scientist Development Award
    Three years of support to young physicians to receive training in MS clinical research
    Deadline: August 15
  • Career Transition Fellowships
    Awards up to 5 years to facilitate the advancement of promising young fellows into full faculty positions
    Deadline: Preliminary applications April 17, full applications August 15
  • Harry Weaver Neuroscience Scholar Awards
    Five-year projects by promising young investigators starting their careers as independent researchers
    Deadline: August 15
  • Daniel Haughton Senior Faculty Awards
    Research by established investigators to provide specialized training to facilitate moves into new areas of MS research
    Deadline: August 15
  • Mentor-Based Postdoctoral Fellowship In Rehabilitation Research
    Multi-year support for a mentor-institution combination to train young clinician scientists to conduct MS-specific rehabilitation research
    Deadline: August 7
• Health Care Delivery And Policy Research Contracts
  Multi-year projects to investigate aspects of health-care delivery and health policy issues related to people with MS 
  Deadline: Letter of intent due September, application due January 9
• Collaborative MS Research Centers
  Five-year grants to interdisciplinary teams of researchers to stimulate cross-pollination of ideas and attract new minds to the field of MS
  Deadline: September 4
• Patient Management, Care And Rehabilitation Research Grants
  Support for research projects in the areas related to clinical care and management of people with MS (See individual programs for deadlines)
  • Research Grants
  • Pilot Research
  • Mentor-Based Postdoctoral Fellowship In Rehabilitation Research