HTORR Pilot Award Program

This Pilot Award Program is intended to facilitate the generation of preliminary data necessary for an investigator to obtain subsequent funding, and will support individuals that meet at least one of the following three high priority areas:

1.       Individuals from underrepresented populations in the U.S. biomedical workforce, including women, minorities, persons with disabilities and persons from disadvantaged backgrounds.

2.       Early-stage investigators that are within 10 years of a terminal degree or completion of clinical residency.

3.       Established investigators that are transitioning to use human biospecimens.

The 2-year awards provided through our Pilot Award Program will include up to ~10 biological samples per awarded investigator, covering all costs associated with obtaining the biospecimens, including tissue preservation reagents and shipping costs. Beyond the service period and experimental analysis phase, the awardee will also receive supplementary support to develop grant applications to the NIH Institute that supported their award, and only applications that fall into the fields covered by these institutes will be reviewed. The institutes currently included are the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), the National Eye Institute (NEI), the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), and the Office of Research Infrastructure Programs (ORIP).

Key dates for the first round of applications are:

Request for Applications Open: June 1, 2024

Application Deadline: October 1, 2024, 5 p.m. US EST

Anticipated Award Decision: December 2024

Anticipated Earliest Start Date: January 2025

For more information, please visit https://ndriresource.org/pilot-award-program/ or reach out to Grants@ndriresource.org.

FSR Pilot Grant

Applications for the 2024 Pilot Grant are now closed.

The FSR Pilot Grant aims to support smaller scale or pilot research projects, which can be supported either singularly by FSR or through a partnership with additional funders. FSR will award a limited number of grants, totaling $100,000 for the first time. In assessing applications, we look for strength in overall strategy, methodology, and analysis. Proposals are encouraged from investigators across a variety of disciplines, submitting projects which will lead to direct and significant impact upon sarcoidosis research. This grant funds various field-initiated proposals in clinical and basic science settings.

The 2024 FSR Pilot Grant is the latest of FSR’s pilot grant program, which began in 2018. FSR is excited to announce that the Pilot Grant Award has now increased to $100,000 in support of innovative sarcoidosis research. This opportunity allows for researchers to apply with an existing or new project and aims to support smaller scale or pilot research projects, which can be supported either singularly by FSR or through a partnership with additional funders. The FSR will award one grant over a three-year period. 

Cardiac Sarcoidosis Grant

Applications for the 2024 Cardiac Sarcoidosis Grant are now closed.

This is an opportunity to drive research in a manifestation of sarcoidosis that severely impacts the community. FSR is excited to provide $100,000 for the first time in support of innovative approaches to cardiac sarcoidosis research. This opportunity allows for researchers to apply with an existing or new project.

The 2024 FSR Cardiac Sarcoidosis Grant aims to support research conducted in cardiac sarcoidosis. This grant, which can be supported either singularly by FSR or through a partnership with additional funders, is open to all investigators wishing to apply. The FSR will award one grant over a three-year period to either a single institution or a multi-institution project. This funding has increased to $100,000 for the first time.

FSR Fellowship Eligibility Criteria

• FSR will fund fellowships for a two-year period. Total funding is $75,000 per year per fellow ($150,000 per Fellow over a two-year period).
  • Applicant must include a detailed budget, as well as a budget justification.
• Applicants must provide a personal statement which includes their career development plan as well as a description of their career goals relating to a long-term commitment to sarcoidosis research and clinical care.
• Fellow and Mentor’s NIH Biosketch must be included in submission
• The funding, restricted to the compensation package of the Fellow, will be provided directly to the hosting institute in two payments for each year. Funding does not allow overhead.
• As funded by FSR, host will provide stipend or salary for a year, at a locally competitive rate, payable directly to the Fellow
• There is no obligation by a potential Host Institution to make an offer or by a Fellow to accept an employment offer beyond the Fellowship agreement.
• Applicants may be either U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or non-U.S. citizens. International applicants must have the ability to obtain the appropriate visas, as applicable.
  • Fellowships currently only allowed at US institutions.
  • Applicants must include description of institutional environment and demonstrate the institutions commitment to training.
• Applicants must include their research project summary.
• Letter of recommendations must be included, as well as a letter of support from mentor. If mentor is the one applying, any fellows working on the project or wish to work on the project, must include a personal letter.
• Applicants may submit only one grant application per fellowship cycle
• Applicants must submit proof of IRB submission or IRB approval before funding is provided.
• All applications must follow NIH Fellowship Grant formatting and page limit guidelines, where applicable.
• Formatting and page limits follow NIH Early Career Investigator (K) Grant guidelines. These guidelines can be found here.

To learn more, click here.

FSR launched our Clinical Studies Network – the world’s first clinical research network specific to sarcoidosis – in 2015 with 8 inaugural sites. This consortium brings together an international partnership of world-renowned medical institutes and researchers for unprecedented collaboration in studies and drug trials toward the treatment of sarcoidosis. In its first two years, the network has conducted two internal studies and multiple industry-initiated trials. The second grant period of the FSR-CSN opened in Fall 2017, with total investment of $1,280,000 since the CSN was formed.

Learn more about the Clinical Studies Network.

A major limiting factor in discovering new insights into the pathogenesis of sarcoidosis is the lack of a viable disease model. In a two-phase plan, FSR is funding early stage research in this area. The FSR Sarcoidosis Disease Model grant opportunity serves to ignite additional research and will help bridge funding for much-needed larger investments into the disease model space. The first grant amount totaled $750,000 for five awardees, and FSR recently awarded an additional $300,000 to bring the total investment in finding a sarcoidosis disease model up to $1,050,000 to date.

Learn more about the Sarcoidosis Disease Model.

Abstracts are brief summaries designed to succinctly communicate complex research projects. At scientific conferences, these are often presented in both text summary and poster form. FSR selects outstanding abstracts submitted to select medical and scientific conferences in order to provide an opportunity for young investigators to travel to meetings and present their data.

Through FSR’s partnership with ATS, we have funded $795,000 since 2005 in research grant funding, which has led to even more significant funding post-award.  Below are the details of the funding:

National Disease Research Interchange (NDRI) Rare Disease Biospecimen Alliance (Ongoing)
This new alliance will facilitate tissue donation for research studies and accelerate the procurement and placement of sarcoidosis tissues with researchers.

Lecture Support for the 5^th International World Association of Sarcoidosis and Other Granulomatous Disease (WASOG) Conference on Diffuse Lung Diseases (2009)
FSR provided financial support for this international conference focused on diffuse lung diseases.

Lecture Support for 2006 Aspen Lung Conference: Immunologic Diseases of the Lungs (2007)
FSR sponsored a lecture at this conference focused on the discovery of the cellular and molecular basis of immunologic lung diseases and the translation of these discoveries to novel treatment strategies.

WASOG Membership for Seven Young Investigators (2005)
FSR provided one year of WASOG membership with subscription to the scientific journal Sarcoidosis, Vasculitis & Diffuse Lung Diseases to seven investigators identified by abstract submission.

FSR Supports the University of Chicago (2004)
The University of Chicago Section of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine is
comprised of a world-class group of physicians and scientists who treat and
investigate the underlying causes of sarcoidosis and other similar diseases. As part of the Foundation’s mission to provide direct support to critically needed sarcoidosis research, a portion of proceeds from our Spring 2004 fundraiser were shared with the University of Chicago.

FSR Awards Grants through WASOG (2002-2017)
FSR awarded their first grants to two researchers selected at the 7th World Congress of The World Association of Sarcoidosis and Other Granulomatous Disorders (WASOG) Conference, held in Stockholm, Sweden. Helene Stridh, researcher at Karolinska Insitute, Stockholm, Sweden and Elske Hoitsma, researcher at University Hospital Maastricht, Holland, were chosen based upon questionnaires and abstracts they submitted to a peer review panel composed of some of the top sarcoidosis clinicians and researchers worldwide. Dr. Stridh’s work was focused on the study of the mechanisms of the overreaction of T-Lymphocytes in sarcoidosis patients and Dr. Hoitsma’s work was focused on small fiber neuropathy and autonomic dysfunction.

FSR has also supported WASOG and AASOG with sponsorship and research funding for its annual World Congress and U.S.-based meetings.