The Advisory Board of the Advocacy for Neuroacanthocytosis Patients has the pleasurable task this year of awarding a prize in honour of the late Glenn Irvine, co-founder of the Advocacy. This prize will be an award of GBP 5,000 to a junior investigator, to encourage them to pursue further research in the field of neuroacanthocytosis, with the ultimate aim of curing this relentlessly progressive neurodegenerative disorder. We are currently considering a number of basic science contributions on VPS13A function, published between 2016 and 2019, and will choose the most promising candidate with respect to their potential future contributions in advancing towards a cure for neuroacanthocytosis.

The recipient of this award will receive the prize money as support for their ongoing and future laboratory work in the field, and will be invited to give a presentation at our next international conference on neuroacanthocytosis, which will take place in Barcelona in March 2020. We anticipate that this prize will be awarded biennially to coincide with our annual meetings.

The Advisory Board is comprised of Ruth H. Walker, MB, ChB, PhD; Adrian Danek, MD; Nancy Glynn and Bella Starling.