Objective

The objective of the 2025 Pilot Research Awards is to provide funding to early career investigators for highly innovative projects that address novel and important questions related to rare liver diseases.

Pilot Research Awards provide funding to Junior Faculty during the pilot phase of research projects focused on new areas of investigation, innovative ideas, or “high-risk, high-reward” projects that have the potential to generate breakthrough findings and significantly advance the field. Pilot projects should address key outstanding questions in basic, translational, or clinical research on rare liver diseases.

Rare liver diseases are conditions that affect the liver in a small portion of the adult and/or pediatric population. Rare liver diseases are highly heterogeneous and include genetic diseases, immune/inflammatory diseases, and disease of other or unknown etiology. Examples of rare liver diseases include, but are not limited to: autoimmune liver diseases (Autoimmune Hepatitis or AIH, Primary Biliary Cholangitis or PBC, Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis or PSC), Hemochromatosis, Wilson Disease, rare pediatric liver diseases such as Biliary Atresia, Alagille Syndrome, Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency, Progressive Familial Intrahepatic Cholestasis (PFIC), and other rare liver diseases. Please contact research@liverfoundation.org if you have questions about the appropriateness of the liver disease you propose to investigate for this award.

Proposals do not require extensive preliminary data but need to articulate a clear, testable hypothesis and well-defined goals that are achievable within the time frame and amount of the award. Funded projects are expected to result in the acquisition of key preliminary data that will enable early career recipients to successfully compete for research awards from NIH and other national sources to support larger studies in these innovative research areas.

Please direct all questions about Pilot Research Awards to the ALF Research Awards Program at research@liverfoundation.org.

Pilot Research Awards At-A-Glance:

Career Level: Junior Faculty

Award Type: Pilot Research Award

Research Topic: Rare Liver Diseases

Research Type: Basic, Translational, or Clinical Research

Funding Amount: $50,000

Award Duration: 1 year

Optional Letter of Intent Deadline: April 11, 2025

Application Deadline: May 9, 2025

How to Apply for a Pilot Research Award

1. Download the Pilot Research Award Application Form and Application Guidelines for your disease of interest.

2. Submit a Letter of Intent via email no later than April 11, 2025 (see Application Guidelines for details).

3. Complete the Application Form, obtain requested signatures, and prepare all required documents as indicated in the Application Guidelines.

4. Assemble the Application Package in the order listed in the Application Guidelines “Required Documents” section. Be sure to adhere to page limits and complete all sections as indicated in the Application Guidelines. Applications that do not meet the requirements, in content or format, will not be reviewed.

5. Complete the Submission form below.

6. Upload your Application Package as one PDF document as indicated in the Application Guidelines.

7. Click the “Apply Now” button to submit your application no later than May 9, 2025.

You will receive an email confirmation that the PDF was received. Check your spam folder and contact research@liverfoundation.org if you did not receive an email confirmation.

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Last updated on March 24th, 2025 at 03:04 pm