Ann Theodore Foundation Learning Opportunities in Medicine and Sarcoidosis

Sponsor

Ann Theodore Foundation

For More Information

For more information please visit the Ann Theodore Foundation website.

Description

Recognizing that support for early-career talent in the sarcoidosis research and clinical field is key to accelerating breakthroughs, the Ann Theodore Foundation is launching the next cycle of the Ann Theodore Foundation Learning Opportunities in Medicine and Sarcoidosis (ATF-LOMAS) initiative, to provide funding support for early-career researchers interested in sarcoidosis research. The Milken Institute Science Philanthropy Accelerator for Research and Collaboration (SPARC) will administer the initiative. 

ATF-LOMAS is now accepting applications for awards of up to $100,000 per year for two-year research projects led by early-career investigators who seek to advance the foundational understanding of sarcoidosis through projects focused on the biology, epidemiology and clinical care of the disease. Successful applicants will be paired with a mentor to provide guidance throughout the initiative.

Sarcoidosis is a disease hallmarked by clusters of immune cells, known as granulomas, that can form in various organs. The lungs are the most frequently affected, but virtually any organ can be impacted. For some people, the condition resolves on its own, but for others, it can be chronic and debilitating. Symptoms can include difficulty breathing, fatigue and heart arrhythmia and if the granulomas persist, they can cause severe organ damage and death. The sarcoidosis field needs a strong, stable workforce pipeline to ensure that future generations of researchers will sustain and build upon progress made thus far. 

ATF-LOMAS will award up to five two-year research grants led by doctorate-level investigators at qualifying research-based institutions worldwide. Mentorship will be a key component of the program, so applicants must indicate the expertise and professional background that they seek in a mentor; additionally, applicants are welcome to provide specific names of potential mentors. 

Importance of Early-Career Investigators

Historically, it has been difficult for early-career investigators to find sustainable funding for sarcoidosis research. Promising researchers often leave the sarcoidosis community in favor of fields with more robust funding opportunities. Early-career investigators need enough resources to create a foothold in the form of initial data and publications that can, in turn, enable them to garner consistent funding and build a career studying sarcoidosis. When the field grows, so will the ability to discover life-saving interventions. 

Importance of Mentorship

Mentorship is a key component of career development in any setting, but its importance is especially pronounced in fields like sarcoidosis with limited research communities. Guidance from an experienced sarcoidosis researcher can be a vital asset for a junior faculty member as they navigate the ecosystem and develop their own research focus.

A Need for Novel Approaches to Study Sarcoidosis

Sarcoidosis is a multidimensional condition and answering its most pressing questions will require attention and dedication from researchers in various fields. We encourage researchers who study sarcoidosis as well as those who study other granulomatous, rheumatic, infectious or inflammatory conditions, autoimmune diseases or related fields to apply their insights and expertise to understanding sarcoidosis. 

Sarcoidosis requires study from various perspectives, including but not limited to genetics, epidemiology, molecular biology, immunology and cardiology. We encourage investigators to develop research approaches that allow for assessment and understanding across multiple relevant disciplines.

Projects investigating sarcoidosis that may be selected for funding should display novelty, creativity and promise in seeking innovative approaches to understanding the etiology, genetics, epidemiology or molecular basis of sarcoidosis. 

Scientific Focus on Sarcoidosis

ATF-LOMAS welcomes proposals to investigate sarcoidosis regardless of organ system. The scientific focus of ATF-LOMAS proposals must address one or more of the following focus areas: 

• Studies that seek to elucidate the underlying causes of clinical heterogeneity in sarcoidosis, employing approaches inclusive of genetics, molecular biology, epidemiology and evaluations of determinants of sarcoidosis development and progression.
• Studies of sarcoidosis immunology, including studies of granuloma biology.
• Studies of other potential causes of sarcoidosis, including autoimmune and/or infectious risks for sarcoidosis.
• Studies that elucidate the mechanisms of downstream effects and comorbidities in sarcoidosis (e.g., fibrosis).
• Studies that involve the application of new tools or technologies that will improve understanding of the basic biology of sarcoidosis.
• Ancillary studies that examine the cellular and molecular biological effects of repurposed existing therapeutics.

Studies may be performed in digital, human, animal or cell models. Applicants proposing to use human samples must describe the demographics of their cohort.

Eligibility

• Each applicant organization must be a nonprofit academic or research institution, including domestic and non-US nonprofit organizations and domestic and non-US public/private academic universities or institutions of higher learning (including colleges, universities, medical schools and other related academic research institutions). Certain qualified governmental agencies with active biomedical research programs may also apply.
• All proposed research projects must be led by a principal investigator (PI) who holds a doctorate (e.g., PhD, MD or related research doctorate). The PI must be an independent investigator.
• Institutions may submit more than one proposal, but a unique PI must lead each proposal.
• Each applicant must be within the first five years of their first independent faculty appointment and must not have obtained an R01 from NIH or a similar award.

For this program, “early-career” investigators are defined as being within the first five years of an independent faculty appointment who have not yet obtained an R01, P01 or P50 grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) or a similar award (e.g., typically multiyear grants that provide substantial support for independent research programs, >$250,000 per year in direct costs).

If you are interested in participating in the program as a mentor and are not an early-career investigator, please contact sarcoidosisgrant@milkeninstitute.org.

Funding Availability

Up to five grants.

Maximum Project Value

$100,000 USD per year ($200,000 USD total)

Indirect Costs

15%

Project Duration

2 years

Attachment(s)

Attachment	Size
RFPSarcoidosis.pdf	453.38 KB