As we continue accelerating work on CAR-T therapy, JAK inhibitors, and other breakthrough opportunities, we are thrilled to announce five additional grants that will help families in new ways. Our latest grant cycle drew an outstanding group of fifteen proposals, demonstrating the strength and quality of research underway across our community. After a rigorous review with third-party advisors, Cure JM Foundation leadership selected three scientific projects, one mental health project, and one fellowship award for funding.
Here is a look at what is coming and what it means for your family.
Understanding How Genetics Shape Juvenile Myositis Subtypes
Dr. Shannon O’Connor
Fellowship Cincinnati Children’s Hospital
Funding: $170,000
JM includes several subtypes, each with its own disease characteristics. This fellowship supports a future JM specialist as she studies these subtypes, known as autoantibodies. Dr. O’Connor will examine how these autoantibodies form and how they shape disease patterns. Her work aims to improve treatment decisions, help predict flares, and reduce the trial and error that families often face in managing JM.
The MyoPal Study: Can At-Home Strength Testing Be as Accurate as in the Clinic?
Dr. Brian Feldman
Hospital for Sick Children
Toronto, Canadá
Funding: $130,000
A new app called “MyoPal” guides parents and children through an at-home strength test. It provides an automatic score, reducing wait times and improving access. If validated, it may allow earlier flare detection, shorter clinic visits, better consistency across clinicians, and expanded access to clinical trials. Dr. Feldman will lead an international team of researchers to test the app in the U.S., Canada, U.K. and India.
Understanding the JM Subtype known as “NXP2”
Dr. Jessica Neely
University of California, San Francisco (UCSF)
Funding: $130,000
JM is known to have several subtypes, known as MSA’s or antibodies, each with their own characteristics. This study explores whether T-cells contribute to muscle damage in children with the NXP2 subtype. The findings may lead to more personalized care, new treatment pathways, and a clearer understanding of why the NXP2 subtype can be harder to treat.
Investigating Immune Triggers of Calcinosis in JM
Drs. Jessica Turnier and Ray Zuo
Universidad de Michigan
Funding: $140,000
This project aims to learn how immune system factors interact to drive inflammation and calcinosis. We hope this project will reveal early triggers of tissue damage and guide the development of more effective treatments for calcinosis.
Designing a Parent Support Program to Reduce Parenting Stress in JM Families
Drs. Tamar Rubenstein and Amanda Zaid
Montefiore Medical Center
New York City
Funding: $90,000
This project creates the first JM-specific mental health program for parents, aiming to reduce stress and burnout, strengthen family resilience, and offer a scalable model that JM centers nationwide can adopt.
Our Community Makes This Progress Possible
These five new projects reflect Cure JM’s commitment to improving care, accelerating discoveries, and supporting every JM family. It is our families who make this progress possible. Your support, advocacy, and determination fuel every breakthrough and help bring better treatments within reach. Together, we are building a stronger and more hopeful future for all children living with JM.