UCI researchers awarded a NIAMS T32 grant for PhD training

Kyoko Yokomori, PhD, professor in the Department of Biological Chemistry, Tahseen Mozaffar, MD, professor in the Department of Neurology, and Armando Villalta, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Physiology & Biophysics, were awarded a NIAMS T32 grant titled "MAXIMUS: MAXimizing Training in MUScle Research."

The grant will allow UCI researchers to develop a robust training program to move the field of muscular dystrophies (MDs) forward. The major objective of this T32 grant is to cultivate future muscle biology and MDs researchers through multidisciplinary training. Mentees will be three predoctoral students and one postdoctoral fellow per year. The T32 program also will be affiliated with a newly formed Muscle Biology and Disease Research Center at UCI.

Muscular dystrophies occur worldwide affecting all races. Muscle mass accounts for approximately 65%-85% of our body and there are many genetically distinct MDs that affect different body muscles. While mechanistic studies led to some promising therapeutic strategies to slow disease progression, these options are still limited and there is essentially no cure for MDs. As such, it remains critical to understand the disease mechanisms and utilize the knowledge to develop innovative therapeutic strategies. 

UC Irvine has one of the highest number of clinical trials in the U.S. for muscle-related therapy, including immune myopathies, muscular dystrophies and rare and ultra-rare genetic non-dystrophic muscle disorders.