The SPIN (Scientific Progress - Immunoglobulins in Neurology) Awards are part of the Grifols Scientific Awards program, which is committed to promoting scientific research as the cornerstone of a process that will lead to better health and quality of life for patients.

The SPIN Award Program supports the development and testing of innovative ideas and hypotheses in the field of immunoglobulin research in neurology. It was launched in 2008 under its former name, eSPIN (European Scientific Progress - Immunoglobulins in Neurology). As of this year, the scope of the SPIN Awards has been extended and now invites applications from around the globe.

The first winner of the new, global 2015 SPIN Award is: Krista Kuitwaard, MD, from The Netherlands.

Her project "Genetic biomarkers associated with IVIg treatment response or dependency in CIDP" aims to answer a relevant and pertinent question, which may have a positive impact on the therapy of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP). The project has the potential to improve the treatment in patients suffering from this rare neurological condition and, therewith, convinced the international jury to award Dr. Kuitwaard with a research grant for funding of the proposed project for one year.

About the SPIN Award Program

The SPIN Award Program offers a prize of 50,000 euros for the proposal that best matches the program's objectives:

  • To develop novel concepts in immunoglobulin research in neurology
  • To encourage the discovery of beneficial immunoglobulin applications in neurological disorders
  • To promote research on novel therapeutic options for patients with neurological conditions.

The application process for the 2016 cycle commences on August 1, 2015, and will remain open until January 31, 2016.

Applicants should submit a letter of intent outlining the aims of their research project. The Review Committee, which is comprised of experts from healthcare and research, will then decide upon a short list of candidates to submit a full proposal. The full proposals in which the projects are described in detail are then evaluated before a final selection is made.

The program is open to all young clinicians and researchers up to 40 years old who are working in hospitals and/or scientific research centers, independently or as a team. Profit-oriented projects and projects with the participation of pharmaceutical companies will not be considered.

More information regarding the SPIN Awards, candidate requirements, and the application process can be found at: www.spin-awards.com

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