Research Grant Program

Since 2002, BSF and its affiliates have awarded a total of US $6.4 million through research grants and have catalysed over $33 million in additional funding from other agencies. These efforts advance global scientific discoveries aimed at developing new treatments to end the suffering and loss of life caused by Barth syndrome.

Nurse with syringe

Application Types

Idea

  • Funding: Up to US $50,000 (Total Cost)
  • Duration: 1–2 years
  • Best suited for:
    • Basic research
    • Discovery science
    • Projects with limited preliminary data

Development

  • Funding: Up to US $100,000 (Total Cost)
  • Duration: 2–3 years
  • Best suited for:
    • Projects with stronger preliminary data
    • Research with clear implications for therapeutic development

For full details, visit the Barth Syndrome Grant Program – Call for Applications

Grants Funded by Barth Syndrome UK

Investigating the Basis of Neutropenia in Barth Syndrome

Principal Investigator:
Borko Amulic, Professor, University of Bristol

Award Type:
Idea Award — $50,000 over one year

Project Overview

We are pleased to announce a new research project co-funded equally by Barth Syndrome UK and the Barth Syndrome Foundation of Canada.

Led by Professors Borko Amulic and Colin Steward in Bristol (UK), this project aims to deepen understanding of neutropenia in Barth syndrome, specifically:

  • Why people with Barth syndrome develop neutropenia
  • Why neutrophil counts fluctuate significantly over time

Aim 1: Understanding Neutrophil Development

The team will study precursor cells that develop into neutrophils under normal conditions, comparing:

  1. Cells from healthy individuals (controls)
  2. Cells from healthy individuals with the TAFAZZIN gene knocked out using CRISPR
  3. Cells from Barth syndrome patients in Bristol

Key question:

Are there detectable differences between Barth cells and normal cells under baseline conditions?

The experiments will then be repeated under stress conditions such as infection, inflammation, or illness to determine whether differences only emerge during physiological stress.

Aim 2: Granule Release in Barth Syndrome

This aim focuses on understanding:

  • Why granules are excessively released by neutrophils in Barth syndrome
  • What impact this excessive release has on immune function

Neutrophils normally kill invading bacteria and fungi using multiple mechanisms. This research will explore how these processes are altered in Barth syndrome and how that contributes to disease pathology.