The NCL Foundation aims to help find a cure for the most prevalent form of childhood dementia caused by mutations in the CLN3 gene. Together with the existing NCL research community our goal is to support and move forward promising research and therapeutic avenues to help JNCL patients.
CLN3 disease (Batten disease) belongs to a subgroup of rare lysosomal storage diseases referred to as Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis (NCL). Together, the NCLs are the most common dementia-causing neurodegenerative diseases in children. All NCL forms – including CLN3 disease – lead inevitably to early death. Clinical manifestations of CLN3 disease typically start with visual impairments around school age (5-6 years), which rapidly progress to blindness. As the disease progresses patients develop cognitive and motor deficits, seizures, lose speech and communication skills, and eventually become completely helpless, wheelchair bound and bedridden. Most patients succumb to the disease in their second or third decade of life.
We are happy to announce that also this year the NCL Foundation will evaluate proposals for its NCL Research Award (50,000 EUR). The goal of this award is to support an innovative pilot project at the Postdoctoral fellowship level. We highly encourage junior scientists, clinical researchers and medical fellows worldwide to submit project proposals that hold promise to help find or to facilitate the moving forward of therapies for CLN3 disease. Note, we also encourage applicants that work in disease areas outside NCL, provided the proposed research project includes a strong CLN3 focus.
Please, note. Applicants are requested to follow our 2-stage process. Please, contact our scientific officer Herman van der Putten (herman.vanderputten@ncl-stiftung.de) either before or when submitting a Letter of Intent. The LOI serves as a basis for discussion before submitting a full proposal. Both documents are attached.
Deadline for handing full proposals: November 30, 2019
We are looking forward to your application via email to: Research@ncl-foundation.com
Application Documents:
