Oxford-Harrington Rare Disease Centre Opens 2025 Call for Proposals

Scholar Award Accelerates Novel Therapies for Rare Diseases

OXFORD, England and CLEVELAND, Jan. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Oxford-Harrington Rare Disease Centre (OHC), a partnership between the University of Oxford, UK and Harrington Discovery Institute at University Hospitals, Cleveland, Ohio, is seeking innovative projects for its 2025 Rare Disease Scholar Award, which advances promising discoveries from academic labs into clinical practice. In addition to grant funding, the award includes drug and business development support from pharma-experienced industry leaders.

The OHC's 2025 Rare Disease Scholar Award seeks novel approaches to treat rare diseases, with a focus on neurological disorders, developmental and metabolic disorders, and rare cancers. Applications directed to other rare, genetic indications with a high unmet need are also of interest. Any therapeutic modality will be considered. Intellectual property rights are retained by the award recipient or their institution.

Researchers in the US, UK, and Canada are eligible to apply for this award. Successful applicants will receive:

• Guaranteed grant award of USD$100,000 for US- and Canada-based awardees and £100,000 for UK-based awardees
• One year of therapeutics development support and project management with potential to renew for a second year based on milestones met
• Access to core facilities and infrastructure including oligonucleotide synthesis and screening, small molecule and protein platforms, cell and gene therapy facilities
• Opportunity to compete for acceleration funds up to USD$300,000 / £250,000
• Opportunity to qualify for investment funds up to USD$1,000,000 according to project requirements
• Invitation to present at a Harrington Discovery Institute or Oxford-Harrington Centre Symposium

Award recipients will be selected by the OHC Scientific Advisory Council and announced in October 2025. Up to 10 OHC Scholars will be selected.

The deadline to submit a full application is March 10, 2025, 11:59 PM ET.

To learn more and apply: OxfordHarrington.org/Award