This exciting project will develop therapies for devastating muscle wasting diseases and shows the power of collaboration across borders via EU networks. Working as part of the MAGIC consortium will allow us to test state-of-the-art therapies and lead on investigating the cause and potential therapies for muscular dystrophies.
Professor Peter Zammit, Professor of Cell Biology, School of Basic & Medical Biosciences
12 July 2023
MAGIC consortium to accelerate development of gene therapies for muscular dystrophies
The MAGIC consortium brings together 15 international partners to transform the treatment landscape for muscular dystrophies
The MAGIC project (Next-generation Models And Genetic therapIes for rare neuromusCular diseases) is a four-year (2023-2027) initiative with the goal of transforming the treatment landscape for muscular dystrophies. Jointly funded by Horizon Europe and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the MAGIC consortium brings together 15 international partners from research hospitals and institutions to businesses and charities.
The primary goal of the MAGIC consortium is to create accurate humanised models of skeletal muscle diseases to enable the precise development of advanced gene therapies and genome editing strategies. By using cutting-edge technologies, the consortium will engineer disease-specific muscle-on-chip devices which will allow researchers to assess safety and efficacy of novel gene therapies.
Researchers at King’s will investigate the causes and potential therapies for muscular dystrophies, using sophisticated models to test state-of-the-art therapies developed by consortium members.
King’s is one of eight institutional partners of the MAGIC consortium, which is led by Professor Francesco Saverio Tedesco (University College London and The Francis Crick Institute) and includes group leaders Andrea Serio (King's College London and The Francis Crick Institute) and Sam Rodrigues (The Francis Crick Institute).
MAGIC partners also include charities and patient advocacy groups (Muscular Dystrophy UK, Duchenne Data Foundation, and Parent Project APS) to ensure that patients’ perspective remains central to the research.
The consortium aims to overcome the barriers that have hindered the translation of genetic therapies into clinical applications. Through collaboration, innovation, and a patient-centred approach, the MAGIC consortium is committed to making a meaningful impact on the lives of individuals affected by muscular dystrophies.
This project represents a significant step forward in the search for effective treatments for muscular dystrophies. Through cutting-edge bioengineering, innovative genetic therapies, and advanced preclinical translation, we aim to make a difference in the lives of people affected by these devastating diseases.
Professor Francesco Saverio Tedesco, University College London and The Francis Crick Institute
You can connect with MAGIC via Twitter and LinkedIn to stay up to date on the latest project developments.
For more information about the MAGIC project, please visit https://magic-horizon.eu or contact: info@magic-horizon.eu
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Professor of Cell Biology
Reader in Neural Tissue Engineering