The Muscular Dystrophy Association's Research Grants Program
Since 2007, Dr. Nicholas (Nick) Rauber has served as a dentist in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Outside of his practice, he is the founder of Swollfest, Inc., a Louisiana-based group that hosts fishing tournaments for various charities and nonprofits. Nicholas Rauber, DDS, has led the organization in raising money for a number of organizations, including the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA), which hosts the Research Grants Program. The MDA’s Research Grants Program aims to identify cures and treatments for neuromuscular disease. Twice each year, the MDA accepts applications for Research Grants and Development Grants, the latter of which are awarded to young investigators. Applicants must explain how their proposed research might advance therapy for one of the conditions targeted by MDA, such as muscular dystrophy, myopathies, motor neuron diseases, and neuromuscular junction diseases. Researchers can also apply for MDA funding to conduct research that sheds light on the cause of neuromuscular diseases as well as their pathogenesis. The MDA accepts applications with a variety of research goals, such as a new target discovery or the creation of a cell or animal model of a particular disease. With these grants, the MDA hopes to fund the most innovative research that can expedite the identification of effective treatments for patients with debilitating muscular diseases.















