Graduate Student Award – UMDF 2026 Research Grant Program
The Graduate Student Award – UMDF 2026 Research Grant Program funds PhD students conducting innovative research into the biology, diagnosis, or treatment of primary mitochondrial disease.
Funder: United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation
Due Dates (Anticipated): March 2027 (Graduate Student Award full application, projected)
Funding Amounts: Up to $25,000 total for one year; salary stipend only; no indirect costs allowed
Summary: Supports PhD graduate students conducting research to advance the understanding, diagnosis, or treatment of primary mitochondrial disease.
Key Information: Applicants must have advanced to candidacy and be supervised by an advisor in mitochondrial disease research; only direct costs are allowed.
Description
The United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation (UMDF), in partnership with the Mito Foundation, offers the Graduate Student Award as part of its annual Research Grant Program. This award provides seed funding to PhD graduate students for innovative research projects aimed at advancing the understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of primary mitochondrial disease (PMD). Areas of high interest include mitochondrial fatty acid synthesis disorders (such as MEPAN syndrome), single large-scale mitochondrial DNA deletions (e.g., Kearns–Sayre syndrome), and Leigh syndrome, but applications addressing any aspect of PMD are welcome. The goal is to foster impactful research that moves the field closer to effective therapies and cures.
