The Hereditary Disease Foundation funds innovative research to cure Huntington's disease (HD) and impact other brain disorders. HD is an inherited, neurodegenerative disease causing irreversible declines in control of mood, memory, and movement. Currently there is no cure. Since HD is caused by a single gene, it serves as a model to potentially unlock cures for other brain disorders like Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and Lou Gehrig’s (ALS) diseases.

Our unique approach to searching for a cure began in 1968 when Dr. Milton Wexler established the Hereditary Disease Foundation after his wife Leonore was diagnosed with Huntington’s disease, which meant their daughters Alice and Nancy were also at risk.

FUNDING GROUNDBREAKING RESEARCH

The Hereditary Disease Foundation provides Postdoctoral Fellowships and Grants to researchers to advance the discovery and development of treatments for Huntington’s disease and other brain disorders. We are passionate about finding and funding the most promising, creative and paradigm-changing research.

Our Scientific Advisory Board is composed of over 30 distinguished scientists from around the world who set the scientific priorities for the Foundation. Each year the Board reviews more than 100 grant and postdoctoral fellowship applications and selects the most groundbreaking research projects for funding.

HDF Postdoctoral Fellowships fund the work of young, promising scientists. These fellowships are intended to cultivate interest in Huntington’s disease research by encouraging scientists early in their careers. The Hereditary Disease Foundation awards two-year fellowships of up to $100,000 per year.

HDF Grants provide more experienced researchers with the seed funding to enable them to collect preliminary data. This data generated has allowed many researchers to receive major long-term funding from other sources, including the National Institutes of Health. The Hereditary Disease Foundation awards one-year grants of $100,000.

PARTNERS IN RESEARCH

Our Research Program is supported by a partnership between loyal and generous donors and HDF-funded scientists. The research we fund together can be transformative. We welcome new partners to join us in pursuing game-changing scientific research that will make a powerful difference in the lives of families around the world impacted by HD and other neurodegenerative disorders. Our Partners in Research make a significant annual contribution to the Foundation’s Research Program and often encourage friends and family to do the same. If you would like to discuss becoming a Partner in Research, please email us.

FOSTERING COLLABORATION

Our programs have critically changed the paths of many scientific careers, capturing imaginations to study genes and the brain. Extraordinary partnerships in the quest to find treatments and cures for Huntington’s disease are often forged at HDF meetings.

Our Young Investigators Forum brings together HDF-funded researchers to discuss new pathways to discovery. Led by a postdoctoral fellow or junior grantee, each session creates opportunities to share novel techniques and form collaborations, opening doors to future funding and more rapid advancements in research.

Every two years, the Hereditary Disease Foundation’s Milton Wexler Symposium brings together some 300 of the world’s foremost experts in HD and other neurological diseases. For three days, scientists share their latest discoveries and explore cutting-edge approaches to research, sparking discussions of new ways to design and create therapies.

Hereditary Disease Foundation Workshops bring together small groups of scientists from different disciplines to brainstorm and explore new directions for research. Participants are urged to collaborate and share unpublished data and often come away from our Workshops with new ideas and the impetus to apply for HDF funding.

INNOVATING RESEARCH - DISCOVERING CURES

The future of Huntington’s disease research is exciting, promising and hopeful. The cure for HD is on the horizon.


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