A $7 million grant from the NIH will help researchers at Nationwide Children’s Hospital translate new scientific findings and technological developments into novel treatments for the muscular dystrophies. The grant designates Nationwide Children’s Hospital as a Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Cooperative Research Center.
“Nationwide Children’s has built an impressive history of innovative research and scientific collaboration with the goal of curing muscular dystrophies,” Mendell stated in a press release.”
The grant will allow Nationwide Children’s researchers to further develop methods to overcome immune barriers to gene correction for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Jerry Mendell, MD, director of the Center for Gene Therapy and Chris Walker, PhD, director of the Center for Vaccine and Immunity, are co-leaders for the new center.
“Receiving this grant and designation as a Wellstone Center … establishes Nationwide Children’s as a national leader in neuromuscular research and treatment,” John Barnard, MD, president of The Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, stated. “I am especially pleased that a major strength of our research program is its multidisciplinary nature, including intensive collaborations with colleagues in the Center for Vaccines and Immunity here at The Research Institute and in various departments on The Ohio State University’s main campus.”
