News
News
Find out about what's been happening in the trial.
Poole joins MND-SMART
May 2023: We are delighted that University Hospitals Dorset in Poole is now recruiting participants to MND-SMART.
Northern Ireland joins MND-SMART
Mar 2023: We are delighted that The Southern Health and Social Care Trust, Craigavon, is now open as a recruiting site for MND-SMART
PhD success for early-career researcher
Feb 2023: Euan MacDonald Centre PhD student successfully defends her PhD thesis.
New publication: How we selected drugs for the MND-SMART clinical trial
Feb 2023: We have published the detailed strategy for selection of the first two drugs in the MND-SMART clinical trial.
CURE-ND Clinical Workshop
Feb 2023: Dr Arpan Mehta was the winner of the Best Talk Award at this year's CURE-ND symposium.
Statistical analysis plan published
Jan 2023: Scientific publication describing the MND-SMART statistical analysis plan
Doddie Weir Statement
Nov 2022: A tribute to Doddie Weir OBE
Autumn 2022 Newsletter
Nov 2022: Our latest newsletter is now available
International Clinical Trials Methodology Conference 2022
Oct 2022: Earlier this month our trial manager Rachel Dakin and Clinical Fellow Charis Wong attended the International Clinical Trials Methodology Conference in Harrogate.
MND-SMART enrols 400th participant
Oct 2022: Four hundred people living with MND have now joined MND-SMART.
Making drugs for MND-SMART
Aug 22: Update on the manufacturing of drugs for the MND-SMART trial.
MND-SMART protocol published
Jul 2022: The full MND-SMART trial protocol, containing details of the trial design, has now been published.
European Network to Cure ALS (ENCALS) annual meeting 2022
June 2022: MND-SMART researchers attended the ENCALS 2022 conference.
The Pharmacy Team in MND-SMART
We caught up with Emma Galloway, clinical pharmacist at Ipswich Hospital and asked her about the role of pharmacy in MND-SMART.
Bringing MND Research to Wessex
Dr Ashwin Pinto (Principal Investigator for the Southampton trial centre) shares the background on bringing MND-SMART to the Southampton MND Care Centre.
MND-SMART Trial update
April 2022: Stage 1 analysis of memantine and trazodone.
MND-SMART Trial Update
Feb 2022: Update on trial recruitment and next stages.
Thank you and farewell
Feb 2022: We say farewell to two of our research nurses.
MND-SMART launches in Cardiff
Jan 2022: A new trial centre has opened to participants in Cardiff, Wales.
Innovation Influencer Award 2021
Nov 2021: Hayley Williams, MND-SMART research nurse, wins Innovation Influencer Award
MND-SMART Sub-study-1
Nov 2021: The sub-study will examine the attitudes and experiences of MND-SMART participants.
The Island Experience
Nov 2021 A viewpoint from some of our island participants and research staff.
MND-SMART launches in St George's, London
Oct 2021: A new trial centre has opened to participants in London.
A day in the life of Tanya Van Der Westhuizen
Oct 2021: We caught up with Tanya Van Der Westhuizen, Research Practitioner in Edinburgh.
MND-SMART launches in Exeter
June 2021: A new trial centre has opened to participants in Exeter. This is the trial’s eighth UK centre.
A day in the life of ... Jill Williamson
April 2021: Dr Jill Williamson, Assistant Trial Manager opens her home office door to give us a glimpse into her working day.
Frequently asked FAQs
April 2021: A summary of the questions we're most currently asked about the trial and our answers.
Researcher Interview
March 2021: Tiffany Stewart, works on the MND-SMART trial in Dundee and took some time out of her day to tell us about her experiences of the trial.
MND Voices in MND-SMART
March 2021: We review how people with MND are at the heart of MND-SMART.
MND-SMART launches in Inverness
March 2021: A new trial centre has opened to participants across NHS Highland. This is the trial’s seventh UK centre.
MND-SMART launches in Southampton
February 2021: A new trial centre has opened to participants in Southampton. This is the trial’s sixth UK centre.
New trial Centre for MND-SMART in Aberdeen
January 2021: Approvals are in place for the MND trial to begin recruiting participants across NHS Grampian.
MND-SMART opens in Salford
November 2020: A new trial centre has opened to participants in Salford. This is the trial’s fourth UK centre and the first in England.
MND-SMART opens in Glasgow
October 2020: A new trial centre for MND-SMART has opened to participants in Glasgow. This is the trial’s third UK centre.
New trial centre for MND-SMART opens in Dundee
August 2020: The MND drugs trial has today opened to participants in Tayside - the trial’s second UK centre.
MND-SMART Trial Recruitment Update
July 2020: We are pleased to announce that recruitment to the MND-SMART clinical trial has re-opened in Edinburgh.
MND-SMART - the participant's perspective
July 2020: Alan Gray, one of the first people to take part in MND-SMART, tells us about his experience of participating in the trial.
Paper published on the reliability of videoconferencing for MND appointments
June 2020: Researchers involved in MND-SMART have had a research paper published that shows MND appointments via videoconference are as effective as face-to-face appointments.
Trial management team during lockdown
Jun 2020: Trial Manager, Rachel Dakin, and Trial Management Administrator, Jill Williamson, give us a brief update on what they've been busy with during lockdown.
Trial recruitment paused due to COVID-19
Mar 2020: In response to the rapidly evolving circumstances surrounding Coronavirus (COVID-19) we have, in accordance with guidance from our research sponsors (University of Edinburgh and NHS Lothian), taken the difficult decision to pause recruitment to MND-SMART.
First MND-SMART trial centre opens
Mar 2020: MND-SMART, the pioneering new MND clinical trial from the Euan MacDonald Centre has opened its first clinical trial centre in Edinburgh.
Landmark MND trial launches.
Jan 2020: Innovative clinical trial seeks people with MND from across the UK to test potential new treatments.