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Oxford Neuromuscular Centre Researchers rally for MDUK Town and Gown 2024
For a consecutive year, researchers and staff members at the MDUK Oxford Neuromuscular Centre, based in the IDRM, launched a fundraising campaign as part of the annual Muscular Dystrophy UK Town and Gown 10K race in Oxford.
The Oxford Neuromuscular Centre held several fundraisers in the run-up to the race, including a pub quiz, a bake sale, and a raffle draw with prizes donated from local companies. All the proceeds go to Muscular Dystrophy UK, a charity that funds research into muscle-wasting conditions.
The Oxford Town and Gown 10k race was started in 1982 by local runners as a fun run to raise funds for muscular dystrophy, and still to this day, all profits from the events go to MDUK.
Ambra Speciale, a DPhil student at the Rinaldi lab, which researches neurological and neuromuscular diseases, said:
Muscular Dystrophy UK has an extremely important mission. They help people with muscle conditions to live well now, and they fund research to find treatments to cure these diseases. Supporting MDUK is supporting something that really matters - ‘our muscles matter!’
In support of this effort, the members of the centre signed up to run and volunteer at the race, which will take place on Sunday, the 12th of May. Chelsea Larabee, who coordinates the activities leading up to the race, commented:
I’m looking forward to seeing everyone turn out to support Muscular Dystrophy UK (MDUK), a charity that strives to help everyone living with muscle-wasting conditions. The race is always such a lively event, and I’m glad that members of the Oxford Neuromuscular Centre will be playing a role, whether running or volunteering.
Members of the Oxford Neuromuscular Centre have also participated in previous editions of the Town and Gown 10K race, which takes runners through Oxford's historic city centre, finishing in University Parks.
Helping patients with neuromuscular diseases through the delivery of innovative therapies is the mission of the MDUK Oxford Neuromuscular Centre and the team of researchers who will join the race. The Centre was established in January 2019 through a collaboration between Muscular Dystrophy UK and the University of Oxford and aims to drive forward the development of novel experimental therapies and increase national clinical trial capacity in neuromuscular diseases.
Tom Roberts, whose research focuses on developing therapeutic strategies for neuromuscular diseases, said:
There has been tremendous success in the area of neuromuscular disease treatment over the past few years. We now have three drugs approved for spinal muscular atrophy (including availability in the UK) and five drugs approved for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, not yet available in the UK. MDUK has played an important role in funding work into treatments that are now being assessed in clinical trials. All these success stories started as ideas in academic labs, so supporting ongoing research in this area is crucial for enabling future successes.
In 2023, the MDUK Oxford Neuromuscular Centre team raised £1451 for the charity race. This year, the team hopes to match and exceed their fundraising goal of £1500.
To donate, visit: https://www.justgiving.com/page/mduk-onmc-2024