Bringing hope to people living with motor neuron disease

The Euan MacDonald Centre for MND Research is a charitable network of over 200 researchers across Scotland. Based at the University of Edinburgh, the Centre uses research to improve the lives of people living with motor neuron disease (MND) and related conditions.

Euan and his dad, Donald, established the Euan MacDonald Centre in 2007, and Euan stayed actively involved right up until he died in August 2024. Euan was an extraordinary man who through his vision, advocacy and leadership brought hope, and helped transform the lives of countless people living with MND and other disabilities.

To uphold Euan’s legacy, we are now more committed than ever to continue, and indeed increase, our research, as we strive to improve the lives of people living with MND.

What is MND?

• MND is a devasting disease that affects cells in the brain and spinal cord, causing progressive muscle weakness and eventual paralysis.

• It is estimated that one in 300 people will be diagnosed with MND.

• There is currently no cure or effective treatment for MND and it is usually fatal within 2-3 years of diagnosis.

• Famous people who had MND include Rob Burrow CBE, Ronnie Corbett CBE, Professor Stephen Hawking and Doddie Weir OBE.

For a small country, Scotland punches well above its weight in the global research community.

The Euan MacDonald Centre unites researchers at different universities and across different disciplines, sparking new ideas and collaborations. The Centre has made real strides in understanding what is going wrong in motor neurons and how to begin to identify and trial drug treatments.

The Euan MacDonald Centre’s urgently needed research involves:

• Conducting drug discovery and pre-clinical laboratory experiments,

• Developing large scale MND clinical trials,

• Training the next generation of MND researchers,

• Promoting awareness of MND by engaging with those with lived experience.

It’s an exciting time for MND research, with a genuine sense of hope that the next decade will bring a step-change for people with MND. With more funding and more research, we hope to bring that day closer.

Euan MacDonald Centre research is funded by grants and donations. We very much hope that you support the Euan MacDonald Centre and help raise funds to continue the vital research into this cruel disease.

Find out more about the Euan MacDonald Centre by watching this short video: