Every scientist has ideas in the back of their mind. Too often these ideas stay there because it’s almost impossible to get research funding without having evidence an idea might work. Our Big Ideas Fund aims to solve this problem, and bring those novel, untested ideas into the lab.
A restricted fund
Every donation you make to the Big Ideas Fund will be ‘restricted’. That means we’re legally obliged to use your donation to support a Big Ideas project, so every penny you donate will go towards funding exciting new research projects.
Why is this appeal important?
For parents of a child affected by the life-limiting condition Duchenne muscular dystrophy, knowing that a scientist may have an idea that can’t be tested due to a lack of funding is devastating. An untested idea might represent a life changing treatment. Or even, the hope for all Duchenne parents, a cure…
Research funding applications ask scientists to submit an idea alongside supporting evidence; getting funding for a totally new idea where there is no supporting evidence is almost impossible.
How will the Big Ideas Fund work?
All advances start with an idea; we want to bring the next research ideas into the lab.
We will award small grants for scientists to bring new ideas to the lab. Projects will need minimal supporting data, and will aim to generate evidence to form part of larger grant applications.
Pushing limits to make Big Ideas possible
We have funded pioneering research before; we know this funding is high risk. However, the potential benefits are huge so we will maximise chances of success by inviting independent scientists to review each project.
Duchenne families closely follow the approaches being tested by scientists across the world. Our Big Ideas Fund aims to show families that research is progressing and, most importantly, that no stone is left unturned with new avenues being explored all the time.
Every idea tested, even unsuccessfully, moves us closer to treatments. By rigorously assessing proposals, we aim to fund those most likely to generate a breakthrough. These funds will allow us to support one project; that’s an idea being brought into the lab that may otherwise never be tested!
We aim to provide scientists with an opportunity to generate the evidence needed to attract large grants from other funders. This will bring more scientists and research funding into our Duchenne community, boost investment and accelerate vital research.
By funding the very early stages of research, we aim to promote ideas. Many of the biggest scientific discoveries have been made following an initial instinct. We want scientists to know there is a way to develop those ideas, to gain funding and develop new treatments.
The future is in your hands
Parents of a child with Duchenne must watch as their child’s muscles waste away. They are desperate for treatments, and the prospect that some ideas are not tested is devastating.
If an idea we bring to the lab is developed further the potential impact is huge. It could give families the chance to take part in clinical trials, help clinicians improve care and help families better understand the condition. One of the ideas might even represent an effective future treatment or even a cure.

Become a donor, make a BIG impact
Keep the Duchenne research pipeline flowing by making a donation.
- £50 could fund one hour of research for a Big Ideas Fund scientist.
- £250 could fund the cost of an antibody to analyse a sample in the laboratory
- £10,000 could fund an entire Big Ideas research project
Thank you for your generosity and for helping us make the impossible, possible.
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