Autoimmune Liver Diseases Exploratory Research Award
Application Deadline
Award Amount
$20,000
Award Term
One year
Award Type
Project-Based
Clinical / Translational / Outcomes Research
Basic Science Research
Autoimmune Hepatitis-Related Research
Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC)-Related Research
Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC)-Related Research
Career Level
Pre-Doctoral / Graduate
Residents
Fellows / Postdocs
Junior Faculty
View the 2025 Request for Applications [PDF].
Overview
The purpose of this award is to provide supplementary funding during the pilot/exploratory phase of basic, translational or clinical research projects in autoimmune liver disease (e.g., autoimmune hepatitis, primary sclerosing cholangitis, primary biliary cholangitis) in preparation for future grant applications by the recipient. Projects should address focused research questions pertaining to the pathogenesis, diagnosis, management, or outcome of autoimmune liver diseases in children and adults.
Notice of Special Interest
Additional dedicated funding to advance research activities in autoimmune hepatitis is available for the 2025 Awards cycle. Applications in autoimmune hepatitis are encouraged in all early to mid-career research award categories and the Pilot and Autoimmune Exploratory Research Award categories.
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Eligibility
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Award Details
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Selection Criteria
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How to Apply
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Application Resources
Eligibility
In order to be eligible for this award, the applicant must adhere to the following guidelines:
- The applicant must:
- Be at the pre-doctoral/graduate level, post-doctoral level, or junior faculty within the first five years of their first faculty appointment (including prior appointments in universities outside of North America) at the start of the award (faculty appointment starting no earlier than July 1, 2019).
- Be a member of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) at the time of award application and maintain active membership for the duration of the award period.
- Be able to devote at least 20% effort to research activities related to this award.
- Be sponsored by a public or private non-profit institution accredited in the United States, Canada or Mexico engaged in health care and health-related research. Individuals employed at the NIH, FDA, and CDC are not eligible to apply.
- Have a mentor or co-mentor who is an AASLD member in good standing at the time of application and for the duration of the award period.
- The proposed project must:
- Focus on research pertaining to the pathogenesis, diagnosis, management, or outcome of autoimmune liver diseases in children and/or adults.
- Not be an established project with alternate funding.
- Be conducted at the sponsoring institution within the United States, Canada or Mexico.
- Application limits:
- There is no restriction on the number of applicants an institution can sponsor each cycle, but only one applicant may be funded per distinct department within each institution in this award category.
- Applicants may only apply for one AASLD Foundation research award per calendar year. Eligible applicants in this category may also apply for the AASLD Foundation Advanced/Transplant Hepatology Award in the same calendar year.
Award Details
Award Period: July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025
Total Award Amount: $20,000
- Award funds of $20,000 will be provided in a single payment upon grant initiation.
- PI salary support or salary for technical support may include fringe.
- Capital equipment is defined as items that cost $5,000 or greater, have a useful life of more than one year, and will not be expended or consumed in research.
- PIs will receive complimentary registration for The Liver Meeting during their one-year grant term.
- Funds may only be used for PI salary support and/or for technical support/laboratory supplies (excluding capital equipment) for the recipient. No additional or indirect costs, registration fees, or travel expenses are allowed.
The AASLD Foundation does not require, nor does it approve, a detailed project budget for this award category. Budget proposals submitted by PIs to their institution’s sponsored projects office that allocate Award funds to unallowable costs should not be considered approved by AASLD Foundation. The sponsoring institution is responsible for ensuring that Award funds are only used for allowable costs.
How Award funds are allocated to allowable costs is at the discretion of the sponsoring institution. For example, while this award requires a minimum of 20% effort toward the funded research project, it is not required that PI salary must be directly supported by Foundation Award funds. It is expected that additional institutional funds will be available to the investigator to carry out the proposed research.
Unexpended funds at the end of the Award term must be promptly returned to AASLD Foundation.
Selection Criteria
AASLD Foundation is soliciting innovative, small-scale exploratory research grant proposals focused on the pathogenesis, diagnosis, management, or outcome of autoimmune liver diseases in children and adults. Funding is meant to allow investigators to test new ideas or methods to gather sufficient data to apply for longer-term grants.
Candidates will be evaluated based upon their background, their commitment to a research career, the strength of their research project and the environment in which they will conduct this project. The potential for the research to support the recipient in a future academic career as a physician scientist in hepatology will also be considered, if applicable.
Applications will be reviewed based on the written materials submitted. Incomplete applications and applications that fail to adhere strictly to the instructions (including the submission deadline and page limitations) will not be reviewed. All decisions are final.
How to Apply
The application deadline for this award is 11:59 pm Eastern time on December 4, 2023. Applications received after the deadline will not be reviewed.
- Download the 2025 RFA and prepare all components listed in the required documents section.
- The forms on pages 6-10 of the RFA must be completed and included as part of your application.
- Type responses where prompted and provide all requested signatures.
- Prepare your final application as a flattened, single PDF (no portfolios). PDFs cannot be locked or have any password protection. Applications that do not meet the requirements, in content or format, will not be reviewed.
- Assemble your application in the order listed in the required documents section of the program RFA.
- Name the PDF file as follows: 2025 AILD_Last name, first name (Example: 2025 AILD_Smith, Jane)
- Formatting:
- Include a header at the upper right corner of each page with your name (last name, first name), application year, and program name (2025 AILD).
- Use half-inch margins. Do not use lettering smaller than 10 point.
- Adhere to page limits and complete all sections.
- Submit your application at www.liverresearchawards.org. You will be sent an email confirmation that the application was received. If an email confirmation is not received in two (2) business days, please contact awards@aasld.org to confirm receipt.
QUESTIONS
Questions? Contact awards@aasld.org.
Return to Current Funding Opportunities
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The 2025 Autoimmune Liver Diseases Exploratory Research Award program is made possible through a generous anonymous contribution in support of AILD research, and independent grants and unrestricted donations from AASLD and donors to the AASLD Foundation.
