The Minns Labor Government has awarded $2 million to three outstanding motor neurone disease (MND) reseachers, to support people in NSW affected by the disease and to better understand its causes.

Motor neurone disease is a rare, progressive neurological disorder that causes rapid degeneration of muscle activity and can impair walking, talking, breathing and general functioning. There is no cure for the disease.

MND affects approximately eight in every 100,000 Australians, and 90 per cent of cases occur sporadically, without any apparent reason or family link.

The MND Grants will fund research to help improve the wellbeing and health outcomes for people living with the disease, and drive advancements in diagnostic tools to improve rates of early detection and referral.

The merit-based funding will also support researchers to improve gaps in understanding about why incidences of MND is more prevalent in parts of NSW, by exploring environmental and occupational factors. 

The MND Researcher Grants recipients are:

• Professor Dominic Rowe AM, Macquarie University. Awarded $997,808 to undertake systematic identification of sporadic MND patients in NSW to try and better predict random occurrences of the disease and improve delivery of care and therapy.
• Dr Rachel Tan, University of Sydney. Awarded $485,515 to identify blood measures of brain changes to improve diagnosis, prognosis and accelerate targeted intervention.
• Professor Steve Vucic, Sydney Local health District. Awarded $500,000 to develop a new multimodal diagnostic approach for Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis – a MND of the nervous system.

For more information on the Motor Neurone Disease Research Grants, visit: Motor Neurone Disease Research Grants

Minister for Medical Research David Harris said:

“This research is an important step to ensure we improve treatment and outcomes for people in NSW with a motor neurone disease diagnosis.

“It is a privilege to support these three remarkable researchers and invest funds to improve treatment outcomes for a disease that currently has no cure.”

Minister for Health Ryan Park said:

“I want to congratulate the recipients of the Motor Neurone Disease Research Grants, who work incredibly hard to improve our understanding of this debilitating condition, so the health system can continue to provide care and support to the people in NSW suffering with the disease.

“This grant program delivers on our 2023 election commitment to invest funding to support research into motor neurone disease in NSW, including in the state's Riverina.”

Member for Murray Helen Dalton said:

“The people in my electorate have been deeply concerned about this crisis for more than a decade. With this continued funding for research hopefully we are another step closer to treatment and a cure.

“Rates of motor neuron disease are up to seven times higher around Lake Wyangan, located near Griffith, than in other areas of Australia and this allocation of funds is great news for communities in the Riverina.

“I’m pleased the Minns government has listened to our community and delivered on their election commitment to continue this vital research, because ultimately it’s our lives that are at stake here.”