Professor of neurology Michael Shy received a Research Infrastructure Grant from the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA), the nation’s leader in advancing treatments for individuals with neuromuscular diseases.

Shy’s grant of $439,250 will allow him to develop infrastructure necessary to evaluate therapies for patients with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. The disease is a group of inherited disorders that cause nerve damage mostly in the arms and legs resulting in smaller, weaker muscles. A common symptom is difficulty walking.

“We are pleased to invest an additional $17 million during this grant cycle to continue to fund the research that will lead to increasing advancements in neuromuscular disease treatments and cures,” Donald S. Wood, president and CEO of the MDA, says in a release.

The MDA is the top voluntary health organization in the United States for individuals living with muscular dystrophy, ALS, and other related diseases. For more than 70 years, MDA has worked to accelerate research, care, and support for families.