ACP Data Challenge Pilot Launching fall 2026
What happens when you bring 150+ MS studies into a single research environment and invite the brightest minds in the field to explore them with the latest in analysis, AI and machine learning? The ACP Data Challenge Pilot is about to find out.
About the event
Think of it as part science fair, part collaborative research sprint, and entirely focused on moving MS science forward. Researchers and multidisciplinary teams will get secure access to ACP’s research ecosystem on DNAnexus, including decades of multi-omic data (biological information spanning genes, proteins, and immune markers) drawn from more than 6,000 people living with MS, as well as a decade-long longitudinal study conducted through iConquerMS—ACP’s people-powered research network. The ACP Data Challenge is designed to generate new ideas fast and to surface the kind of unexpected insights that only emerge when researchers can synthesize data across one of the most comprehensive multi-omic and longitudinal data ecosystems in MS.
Why this matters
ACP has spent more than two decades building the infrastructure for this kind of research: a biosample repository, a returned multi-omics data resource, and iConquerMS, a research network governed by the people most invested in finding answers. The ACP Data Challenge Pilot brings that infrastructure to the scientific community in a bold new way.
We expect this event to generate new hypotheses, surface novel computational approaches, and catalyze collaborations that outlast the challenge itself. And we’re building it to grow: each edition will deepen the datasets, broaden the community, and sharpen the science.
Who participates
The challenge is open to researchers and multidisciplinary teams, including computational biologists, MS neurologists, data scientists, early-career investigators, trainees, and people living with MS who want to engage directly in the science. Mentorship and subject-matter expert access are built into the program.
Interested in applying? Download the application below. Applications are due by July 20, 2026!
Support the ACP Data Challenge Pilot
This event runs on community investment. Fund early career investigators, honoraria for expert advisors, platform compute costs, and getting post-event findings into researchers’ hands.
Make a gift
You don’t have to be a scientist to be part of this. A gift at any level helps make this first event possible and helps us build toward an annual ACP Data Challenge that grows more impactful every year. The people who support this pilot are the reason it exists.
Become a founding sponsor
Organizations that sponsor the ACP Data Challenge Pilot gain visibility with MS researchers worldwide, early access to cutting-edge analyses, and a direct role in shaping how this event evolves year over year. Sponsorship opportunities start at $5,000 and include recognition across all event materials, access to final findings and the post-event white paper, and opportunities to engage directly with participating teams and ACP leadership. Premier presenting sponsorship is available at $50,000 and is exclusive.
To learn more, contact Stephanie Buxhoeveden, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer, at sbuxhoeveden@acceleratedcure.org.