Targets to Therapies: Target Validation Programs

MJFF Targets to Therapies: Mitochondrial Target Validation

Supports mitochondrial target validation in Parkinson's research to build stronger therapy-ready evidence.

Eligibility · Global — open worldwide

⚠ This may reflect a past cycle — verify the current call on the funder's site.

The Michael J. Fox Foundation Targets to Therapies: Mitochondrial Target Validation program is a two-stage competitive grant designed to build a robust evidence base for mitochondrial targets with high potential relevance to Parkinson's disease. MJFF, which has committed over $2 billion to PD research and is one of the world's largest private funders in the field, structured this program around funded activities that include target modulation studies, development of human relevance evidence, mechanism clarification, biomarker identification, and safety characterization via animal models. The award range from parent program guidance is $250,000 to $2,000,000 per project, positioning this as a mid- to large-scale target validation investment.

The 2026 cycle followed a two-stage process: pre-proposals were due May 27, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time, with pre-proposal decisions expected by the end of June 2026. Only invited teams proceed to the full proposal stage, with full proposals due September 15, 2026 and award announcements in November 2026. Eligibility is open to researchers with mitochondrial PD target projects; the program does not specify organizational type or geographic restrictions in published materials. There are no geographic limits — the broader MJFF grant portfolio is open internationally.

All funded teams must comply with MJFF's Open Science Policy, requiring that preprints, articles, data, code, and software are shared with persistent identifiers. Applications are submitted through grants.michaeljfox.org. Because the pre-proposal stage has now closed for the 2026 cycle, teams not invited to submit a full proposal should monitor MJFF's grants portal for future Targets to Therapies cycles. Researchers planning future submissions should track pre-proposal openings, as the two-stage structure means preparation of the pre-proposal is the effective entry point.