News
News
Find out about what's been happening in the trial.
Autumn 2023 Newsletter
Nov 2023: Our latest newsletter is now available.
Factors Impacting Trial Participation in People with MND
Oct 2023: MND-SMART researchers have recently published a study that aimed to improve understanding of why people with MND choose to participate, or not participate, in clinical trials of potential new treatments.
The role of placebo control in clinical trials for neurodegenerative diseases
Oct 2023: The MND-SMART trial team, and the people living with MND who are co-producing the trial, have considered the pros and cons of including a placebo group in a trial like MND-SMART.
New funding to accelerate opportunities for participation in MND-SMART
Sep 2023: We're delighted to announce that the Alan Davidson Foundation has pledged £1.275M investment in MND-SMART over 5 years to further increase opportunities for people living with MND across the UK to participate in the trial.
Breaking News: An update on Memantine, Trazodone and Placebo arms
Sep 2023: Judy Newton, MND nurse consultant and Beverley Gray, MND-SMART family, and participant representative detail the outcome of the latest results of MND-SMART.
MND-SMART Gathering - Edinburgh July 2023
Jul 2023: The MND-SMART teams from across the UK came together for an informative and enjoyable afternoon symposium to discuss all aspects of the trial.
Webinar recording: Unlocking the Future of MND: A Journey of Discovery and Hope
June 2023: Watch a recording of the Dementia Researcher webinar about MND and the MND-SMART clinical trial.
New investment in MND-SMART
June 2023: Charities MND Scotland and the MND Association have announced £2.5M funding for MND-SMART.
MND-SMART is growing: thank you to all our participants and site teams!
June 2023: MND-SMART has reached several milestones recently in terms of number of participants recruited, number of sites open, and number of drugs being tested.
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
The Island Experience
Nov 2021 A viewpoint from some of our island participants and research staff.
MND-SMART Sub-study-1
Nov 2021: The sub-study will examine the attitudes and experiences of MND-SMART participants.
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.