DYSTONIA MEDICAL RESEARCH FOUNDATION

PROGRAM: SCIENCEISSUING 3 REQUESTS FOR APPLICATIONS FOR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH; MANAGING THE PEER REVIEW PROCESS OF 24 SUBMITTED GRANT RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP AND CLINICAL FELLOWSHIP APPLICATIONS; SELECTING, FUNDING AND MANAGING 7 RESEARCH GRANTS, 4 RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS AND 2 CLINICAL FELLOWSHIPs, ALL AIMED AT CREATING A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF DYSTONIA, IDENTIFYING AND MODIFYING CARRIER GENES, AND DEVELOPING IMPROVED TREATMENTS AND ULTIMATELY A CURE FOR DYSTONIA; ANDMEETING WITH PHARMACOLOGICAL AND BIOTECH COMPANIES TO ENGAGE THEM IN THE DEVELOPMENTOF TREATMENTS FOR DYSTONIA; ANDPLANNING AND SPONSORING THE SAMUEL BELZBERG 7TH INTERNATIONAL DYSTONIA SYMPOSIUM IN APRIL 2027; ANDCONTINUED FUNDING OF A CLINICAL FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM DESIGNED TO SUPPORT TRAINING OF PHYSICIANS IN PREPARATION FOR A CLINICAL AND/OR RESEARCH CAREER IN MOVEMENT DISORDERS WITH SPECIAL FOCUS ON DYSTONIA; ANDSPONSORING AND PARTICIPATING IN DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS INCLUDING THE INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF PARKINSON'S DISEASE AND MOVEMENT DISORDERS; DYSTONIA COALITION ANNUAL MEETING; AMERICAN NEUROLOGISTS ANNUAL MEETING; AND PATHOGENESIS OF DYSTONIA WORKSHOP.HOSTING A MEETING OF THE PATHOGENESIS OF DYSTONIA WORKING GROUP TO SUPPORT EFFORTS IN DEVELOPING TARGETED EFFECTIVE TREATMENT. ORGANIZING AND HOSTING A MEETING OF 18 INVESTIGATORS TO SUPPORT THEIR EFFORTS TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY AND BUILD SCIENTIFIC WORKSHOPS.REVIEWING CURRENT RESEARCH DATA AND EXPLORING STUDIES NEEDED TO ACCELERATE IMPROVED TREATMENTS; ANDSUPPORTING AND MAINTAINING THE AVAILABILITY OF RESOURCES TO ACCELERATE DYSTONIA RESEARCH GLOBALLY SUCH AS THE DYSTONIA BRAIN COLLECTIVE AND GLOBAL DYSTONIA REGISTRY FOR USE BY THE INTERNATIONAL DYSTONIA COMMUNITY.IN ADDITION, THE DMRF IS SERVING IN ITS FifTEENTH YEAR WITH NO COMPENSATION AS THE ADMINISTRATIVE CENTER FOR THE DYSTONIA COALITION, WHICH is a collaboration of medical researchers and patient advocacy groups supported by the Office of Rare Diseases Research in the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences and The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) at the NIH. The goal of the Coalition is to advance the pace of clinical and translational research into dystonia to find better treatments and a cure. The objectives of the Coalition are to develop a fuller understanding of the many different features of dystonia and how they change over the years, to develop validated diagnostic strategies and rating tools for diagnosis and monitoring patients in clinical trials, to establish a natural history study biorepository where samples of blood and other materials can be stored and distributed for research, to catalyze clinical trials for promising new treatments and to promote education and awareness. THE DMRF WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGING $651,904 RESTRICTED FOR DYSTONIA COALITION WORK NOT INCLUDED IN THE FOUNDATION'S REPORTED ANNUAL REVENUES AND EXPENSES. THE DMRF ORGANIZED THE DYSTONIA COALITION'S ANNUAL MEETING.The DMRF partnerS with Frontiers Media to PUBLISH THE "Dystonia", the first scientific journal dedicated exclusively to the disorder. The journal bringS visibility to the growing Dystonia field and highlightS advancements in science and clinical practice. By gathering together a select group of researchers exploring this important issue, the DMRF'S GOAL IS to establish connections between great scientific minds to better understand the mechanisms of dystonia.

PROGRAM: AWARENESS AND EDUCATIONPUBLISHING THE "DYSTONIA DIALOGUE" NEWS MAGAZINE THREE TIMES A YEAR UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE VOLUNTEER EDITORIAL BOARD AND DISTRIBUTING IT VIA MAIL OR ELECTRONIC COPY TO OVER 53,000 PATIENTS, FAMILIES, AND INTERESTED PERSONS TO INFORM THEM OF THE LATEST RESEARCH AND FOUNDATION ACTIVITIES; ANDCREATING AND DISSEMINATING OVER TWENTY-Nine DYSTONIA RELATED EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES AS WELL AS PROMOTING AND DISTRIBUTING A CHILDREN'S BOOK ABOUT DYSTONIA AND CD/DVDS TO REQUESTING INDIVIDUALS TO EDUCATE THEM ABOUT THE VARIOUS FORMS OF DYSTONIA AND TREATMENT OPTIONS; ANDHOSTING A COMPREHENSIVE WEBSITE, WEBINARS, AND ELECTRONIC SOCIAL NETWORKS SUCH AS THE ONLINE DYSTONIA BULLETIN BOARD, TWITTER, FACEBOOK, AND YOUTUBE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES POSTINGS TO PROVIDE EASY ACCESS TO INFORMATION FOR AFFECTED PERSONS AND THEIR FAMILIES; ANDCREATING AND DISSEMINATING A MONTHLY ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER AND PERIODIC EMAIL ALERTS TO SHARE CURRENT INFORMATION ON DYSTONIA RELATED EVENTS, NEWS, AND ACTIVITIES; ANDCREATING AND DISSEMINATING A DYSTONIA AWARENESS PROGRAM DESIGNED TO EMPOWER PEOPLE TO SHARE THEIR PERSONAL STORIES AND INCREASE THE PUBLIC'S AWARENESS OF DYSTONIA; ANDPARTICIPATING IN ADVOCACY TO PROMOTE AWARENESS AMONGST LAWMAKERS ON TOPICS IMPORTANT TO DYSTONIA PATIENTS. SEE SCHEDULE O, PART III 4D FOR DETAILS.