Myasthenia Gravis Rare Disease Network

**Our Consortium** The Myasthenia Gravis Rare Disease Network (MGNet) is a consortium of [academic medical centers](https://mgnet.rarediseasesnetwork.org/clinical-sites "Learn more about our clinical sites.") partnering with the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America and Conquer MG as well as collaborators in other research groups and industry. We are working together to enhance therapeutic development for this rare disease. MGNet is part of the National Institutes of Health’s [Rare Diseases Clinical Research Network (RDCRN)](https://www.rarediseasesnetwork.org/ "Learn more about the Rare Diseases Clinical Research Network. Opens in New Window.") and is funded by the [National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)](https://www.ninds.nih.gov/ "Learn more about the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Opens in New Window.") and the [National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS)](https://ncats.nih.gov/ "Learn more about the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences. Opens in New Window."). ****Diseases Studied**** [Myasthenia Gravis (MG)](https://mgnet.rarediseasesnetwork.org/about-myasthenia-gravis "Learn more about the diseases we study.") and its subtypes: - Early-onset acetylcholine receptor (AChR) antibody (Ab) positive MG, which primarily affects women - Late-onset AChR Ab positive MG with a disease bias towards men - Paraneoplastic thymoma-associated MG - Muscle specific kinase (MuSK) Ab positive - AChR/MuSK antibody negative MG **Goals, Mission & Vision** The goal of MGNet is to advance therapeutic development. To do so we have four specific aims: 1. Improve the tools scientists and doctors have for performing clinical trials through rigorous monitoring of patients over time and evaluate better measures of how patients are doing. 2. Identify objective measures (biomarkers) to show how the disease is responding to treatment and better predict treatment response or side effects, to improve the design of clinical trials and care of patients in clinical practice. 3. Enhance the education of young investigators focusing their careers on rare diseases and specifically MG. 4. Improve the awareness of scientists, physicians, and the public regarding the unique needs of patients with MG through training of clinician scientists and engagement of the patient and scientific communities in clinical research and therapeutic development.