#USA #Cleveland #Rare Disease #Oxford-Harrington #Scholar Award

Oxford-Harrington Rare Disease Centre 2026 Scholar Award

The Oxford-Harrington Rare Disease Centre (OHC) has recently issued a call for proposals for its prestigious 2026 Rare Disease Scholar Award. This initiative, a collaboration between the University of Oxford and the Harrington Discovery Institute, aims to foster innovative therapeutic projects that can advance significantly in treating rare diseases. Researchers in the United States, Canada, and the UK are invited to propose groundbreaking projects that reflect strong potential for clinical translation.

Focus Areas for Proposals

The award targets novel approaches across various therapeutic modalities, focusing primarily on neurological disorders, rare cancers, as well as developmental and metabolic disorders. The OHC encourages applications that meet several criteria, including:

• - Therapeutic potential: Selection of projects demonstrating capabilities for rapid safe clinical translation to patients.
• - Well-defined pre-clinical applications: Applications should ideally build on established technologies that have shown promising clinical outcomes.
• - Technology validation: Proposals that leverage rare diseases to test new delivery methods or platform technologies are particularly welcome.
• - Broader impact: Programs that are anticipated to benefit both rare and larger patient populations through unique therapeutic strategies are encouraged.

Award Benefits

Successful applicants of the Scholar Award will benefit significantly from the following:

• - A monetary grant of $100,000 for applicants from the US and Canada, while UK-based applicants will receive £100,000.
• - Comprehensive support for one year from development through project management, with potential renewal for a second year based on project milestones.
• - Access to advanced core facilities, including those focused on oligonucleotide synthesis, small molecule screening, and gene therapy developments.
• - The opportunity to compete for acceleration funding up to $300,000 or £250,000 based on project requirements.
• - Eligibility to seek investment funding reaching up to $1,000,000.
• - Invitations to present findings at symposiums hosted by the Harrington Discovery Institute or the OHC.

Importantly, intellectual property rights will be maintained by the awardees or their respective institutions, and the OHC plans to select and announce up to 10 recipients by October 2026.

Application Deadline and More Information

Interested researchers must submit their full applications by March 9, 2026, at 11:59 PM ET. For more details about the application process and to apply, researchers can visit the official OHC website at OxfordHarrington.org/Award. The OHC looks forward to supporting the development of critical therapies that can transform the lives of patients with rare diseases.

Conclusion

The Oxford-Harrington Rare Disease Centre's initiative stands as a beacon of hope for advancing treatment avenues in rare disease research. With substantial funding, expert support, and a commitment to fostering innovation, this award is poised to make a significant impact in the field of therapeutics, benefiting patients who are often overlooked in medical research.

For further updates on this initiative, keep an eye on developments through the OHC and Harrington Discovery Institute's communications.