He has worked so hard for so many years to get funding. That is a very large grant which will hopefully find a cure.

This was published two months ago from UofW. I think there were 6 grants linked to this work:

Mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor (MANF), a new player in endoplasmic reticulum diseases: structure, biology, and therapeutic roles.
Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Mo

Quote:

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In contrast, in mice, MANF deficiency leads to diabetes and activation of the unfolded protein response. Recent studies in rodent models have demonstrated that MANF mitigates diabetes, exerts neurotrophic function in neurodegenerative disease, protects cardiomyocytes and neurons in myocardial infarction and cerebral ischemia, respectively, and promotes immune cell phenotype switch from proinflammatory macrophages to prorepair anti-inflammatory macrophages. The cytoprotective mechanisms of MANF on ER stress are currently under active investigation. In addition, for the first time, we have discovered that MANF can potentially serve as a urinary ER stress biomarker in ER stress–mediated kidney disease. These studies have underscored the diagnostic and therapeutic importance of MANF in ER diseases.

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http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/...4417302190

From China in July:
Mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor and its role in nervous system disease.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28685189

From Finland, Belgium, Italy
Pancreatic β-cell protection from inflammatory stress by the endoplasmic reticulum proteins thrombospondin 1 and mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neutrotrophic factor (MANF)
http://www.jbc.org/content/early/2017/07/11/j...7.abstract

From China
Identification of Mesencephalic Astrocyte-Derived Neurotrophic Factor as a Novel Neuroprotective Factor for Retinal Ganglion Cells
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5355452/