Targeted Awards for New Investigators
Goal
To provide ongoing investments in young investigators and career development grants to attract and retain talented scientists dedicated to arthritis research.
Investing in the Future
The future of arthritis research depends on attracting the best scientific minds to the study of arthritis and related diseases. To do just that, the Arthritis Foundation offers Postdoctoral Fellowships in basic and clinical research to enable young scientists to launch their investigative careers. These fellowships, awarded to young people at our nation's leading research institutions, are often the beginning of a lifetime commitment to understanding arthritis and developing effective treatments, and, one day, a cure. Since the founding of the Arthritis Foundation in 1948, over 1200 new scientists have received these grants and over 800 of them remain in arthritis research today. In fact, most of the scientists who lead the nation’s major arthritis research programs are counted among this number.
Like all Arthritis Foundation research grants, all fellowship proposals are peer-reviewed and competitively ranked based upon scientific merit and impact. Only those with the highest rankings can be funded. In a typical year, over 120 new scientists apply for this support. This year, the Arthritis Foundation has set a goal to fund the top 30 individuals in this group.
Leveraging Research Dollars
Investing in talented young scientists is one of the best ways to maximize the impact of research dollars. Over the years, scientists who received Arthritis Foundation grants early in their careers have gone on to become today’s leaders in the field. Dollars invested in these young people typically translate into much larger sums of NIH funding for new and innovative research to improve our understanding of arthritis and develop more effective treatments.
Expected Outcomes
We expect that research based on these initiatives will lead to:
- NIH Funding for arthritis-related research – Post-doctoral fellows will apply for and secure federal dollars for arthritis research through NIH programs.
- Assurance that advancement in arthritis research will continue to improve the care for people with arthritis.
How You Can Help
The Arthritis Foundation will fund 30 or more young investigators each year to a provide pipeline for future research. We are committed to investing over $20 million during the next 5 years in this important research initiative. Your support will help fund fellowships, innovative research grants, and strategic research partnerships that will bring us closer to more effective treatments, and ultimately, a cure for arthritis.
