New York, January 27, 2026 — Leads & Copy — A collaborative research initiative is underway to understand human muscle regeneration and its variations in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD), limb-girdle muscular dystrophy 2L (LGMD2L), and other neuromuscular diseases.
The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA), in partnership with Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD), the LGMD2L Foundation, and the FSHD Society, has granted $213,446 to Dr. Abigail Mackey of Copenhagen University Hospital, Bispebjerg Hospital.
Dr. Mackey’s project, titled “Regenerating healthy human skeletal muscle at single nucleus resolution,” aims to create a detailed molecular map of healthy human muscle repair, which will then be compared with muscle samples from individuals with DMD, FSHD, and LGMD2L.
The research is a direct response to priorities identified at the MDA’s Muscle Regeneration Summit.
According to the MDA, the data from Dr. Mackey’s project will be a key resource for researchers, guiding drug development and defining “normal” regeneration versus disease-affected regeneration.
Dr. Mackey said that human muscle has a large capacity to heal, yet this study will observe that process with cellular detail. By capturing regeneration at single-nucleus resolution and comparing healthy and disease-affected muscle, Dr. Mackey said the goal is to reveal where the process succeeds or breaks down.
The MDA Muscle Regeneration Summit, held in Quebec, Canada, on July 19, 2024, convened investigators in muscle biology and neuromuscular medicine to address the field’s dependence on mouse injury models. Discussions at the summit highlighted the need for human-centered data to advance regenerative therapies.
Dr. Angela Lek, Chief Research Officer at MDA, stated that the summit reinforced the need to understand muscle repair across all cell types and the extracellular matrix. This project is designed to accelerate therapies targeting muscle regeneration and repair across multiple neuromuscular conditions.
Lucienne Ronco, Chief Science Officer, FSHD Society, said that the FSHD Society is pleased to collaborate on the investigation of muscle regeneration.
Hal Tily, Vice President of Research, LGMD2L Foundation, said that understanding why muscle breaks down and why repair fails is central to developing future treatments for people living with LGMD2L.
Eric Camino, PhD, Vice President, Research & Clinical Innovation, Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD) said that supporting regenerative research is essential to driving therapies that can meaningfully strengthen or restore muscle for the Duchenne community.
The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) has been involved for 75 years with muscular dystrophy, ALS, and over 300 other neuromuscular conditions. The MDA unites researchers, clinicians, advocates, and families to improve access to expert care, and ensure inclusion in every aspect of life.
The FSHD Society is a research-focused patient organization for facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD).
The LGMD2L Foundation was established in 2018 to unite people afflicted by this rare disease, raise awareness, and provide a forum to connect, discuss, and build community. In 2024 the organization expanded its scope to begin actively funding research towards treatments.
Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy fights every single battle necessary to end Duchenne. The organization demands optimal care standards and ensures every family has access to expert healthcare providers, cutting-edge treatments, and a community of support.
Source: Muscular Dystrophy Association
