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Research Grants and Awards

The National Alopecia Areata Foundation offers competitive awards and grants to members of the research and medical community who help advance alopecia areata research and care. Our grants support investigators at every professional stage and include opportunities specifically designed to help talented young scientists establish careers in alopecia areata research. Applications related to all aspects of alopecia areata are strongly encouraged, including basic science, translational research, technology, epidemiology, health services, and clinical research. Applications undergo a rigorous scientific review by a panel of experts and are then selected for funding based on patient input and Foundation priorities. Click here to learn about past projects funded by NAAF.

NAAF is updating its grant opportunites; follow this page for updates. To be placed on NAAF’s email list for grant anouncements, contact Lisa Anderson, PhD, Senior Director of Research, via email.

NAAF is planning for a new Request for Applications for 2023 grants. Learn about types of grants offered in past application cycles here.

2023 Pediatric Alopecia Areata Challenge Grant – OPEN

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Status: Accepting applications Deadline to Apply: Thursday, September 21, 2023 Description:

In collaboration with the Pediatric Dermatology Research Alliance (PeDRA), NAAF is pleased to offer a grant opportunity for research explorations focused on pediatric alopecia areata.

Overview

Alopecia areata (AA) is a common autoimmune skin disease that causes hair loss on the scalp, face, and sometimes on other areas of the body, and affects as many as 160 million people worldwide. Nearly half of patients experience their first episode of alopecia areata before age 20. A diagnosis early in life is linked to higher disease severity and poorer prognosis, making pediatric alopecia areata an important target for research and therapeutic intervention. Despite recent advances, there are no FDA-approved treatments for pediatric alopecia areata. The burdens on these patients, and their families, can be significant and many important research questions remain unanswered.

To address this need, NAAF and PeDRA are collaborating to support research investigations focused on pediatric alopecia areata with the Pediatric Alopecia Areata Challenge Grant. Through this grant, NAAF and PeDRA intend to accelerate research that improves the lives of pediatric alopecia areata patients and their families.

Focus

This Challenge Grant is intended to stimulate scientists to establish or sustain research programs focused on pediatric alopecia areata. Investigators with any innovative research idea are encouraged to apply for the challenge grant, with priority consideration given to proposals that address one or more of the following areas of interest:

• Investigations of targets or pathways that will advance understanding of the pathophysiology of pediatric AA
• Investigations of epidemiology or the natural history of pediatric AA
• Elucidation of the burden of pediatric alopecia areata on patients and families including the psychosocial impact
• Advances in treatment or tools for treatment decision-making by patients and families

Priority consideration will be given to projects led by early-to-mid career principal investigators collaborating with senior mentors and projects that address high-priority research questions. Additional priority will be given to applications that support NAAF and PeDRA’s commitments to advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion across all facets of their organizations and the research they support.

Important Details

  • Up to $50,000 to support one year of research
  • One award anticipated for this funding cycle
  • Earliest project start date: February 1, 2024
  • Application deadline: Thursday, September 21, 2023

View the RFP

View the Application

2023 Travel Grant Awards – OPEN

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Status: Accepting applications Deadline to Apply: Rolling Description:
NAAF Travel Grants support early career researchers attending scientific conferences or meetings to present accepted alopecia areata-related abstracts as talks or posters. Meetings of particular interest include: the Society for Investigative Dermatology, American Academy of Dermatology, the International Congress on Autoimmunity, World Congress for Hair Research, and other relevant meetings in immunology, skin, and hair research.
Applicant Eligibility: To be considered for this award, you must be a graduate student, postdoctoral fellow, or a newer MD and/or PhD in early stage career development. You must attend the meeting in its entirety and be presenting an alopecia areata-related abstract or poster.
**Please note that the number of  travel awards to any one research group or laboratory may be limited to encourage broad particpation.
Terms: Grants may be used for travel to a scientific meeting to present alopecia areata-related abstracts or posters. Travel Grants for up to $1,000 to attend domestic meetings and up to $1,500 to attend international meetings are available. Grants may be used for registration fees, round-trip transportation to the meeting, lodging, and meeting-associated expenses (e.g., poster preparation).
Deadline: Travel Grant applications must be received by NAAF at least 30 days prior to the anticipated meeting or travel. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until funds are exhausted.
Download the application and instructions: 2023 NAAF Travel Grant Application
Email completed applications to lisa@naaf.org.

2023 Student Internship Awards – CLOSED

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Status: Closed Description:
NAAF’s Student Internship Awards support students (undergraduate, graduate, medical), residents, or fellows interested in conducting research focused on alopecia areata. The goal is to enable promising young scientists and physicians to hone their research skills and go on to become investigators focused on improving the lives of those living with alopecia areata.
Applications related to all aspects of alopecia areata are strongly encouraged, including basic science, translational research, burden of disease, epidemiology, and clinical research.
Awardees will receive $3,000 as salary/stipend. Awards will be paid to and administered by the mentor/supervisor’s host institution.
Eligibility: The applicant must be a student (undergraduate, graduate, medical), resident, or fellow for the duration of the award; have the endorsement of an investigator willing to host the applicant in their lab; and be committed to conducting a research project focused on alopecia areata.
Project supervisors must be capable of mentoring the applicant during the proposed study period, be affiliated with an institution capable of administering the internship, have an active interest in alopecia areata research.
**Please note that the number of  student internship awards to any one research group or laboratory may be limited to encourage broad particpation.
Project Period: Between May 1, 2023 and December 31, 2023
Deadline: The deadline to apply is February 15, 2023. Email completed applications to lisa@naaf.org.
Download the announcement and instructions: 2023 NAAF SIA Announcement and Instructions
Download the application template: 2023 Student Internship Award Application Template

2022 Pediatric Alopecia Areata Challenge Grant – CLOSED

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Status: Closed Description:
In collaboration with the Pediatric Dermatology Research Alliance (PeDRA), NAAF is excited to offer a new opportunity for research explorations focused on pediatric alopecia areata (AA).
The 2022 Pediatric Alopecia Areata Challenge Grant will award up to $50,000 to stimulate scientists to establish or sustain research programs focused on pediatric AA and advance novel insights into pediatric AA. Investigators with any innovative research idea are encouraged to apply, with priority  given to proposals that address one or more of the following areas of interest:
  • Investigations of targets or pathways that will advance understanding of the pathophysiology of pediatric AA
  • Investigations of epidemiology or the natural history of pediatric AA
  • Elucidation of the burden of pediatric AA on patients and families including the psychosocial impact
  • Advances in treatment or tools for treatment decision-making by patients and families
Priority consideration will be given to projects led by early-to-mid career principal investigators collaborating with senior mentors and projects that address high-priority research questions. Additional priority will be given to applications that support NAAF and PeDRA’s commitments to advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion across all facets of their organizations and the research they support.

The deadline to apply is Tuesday, November 15, 2022.

 

View the RFP: RFP NAAF PeDRA Challenge Grant

 

View the Application:  Application NAAF PeDRA Challenge Grant