American Heart Association and Enduring Hearts Research Awards in Pediatric Heart Transplantation

Funding Agency:
American Heart Association

The American Heart Association (AHA) and Enduring Hearts (EH) share common priorities and interests in investing in biomedical research. Together, the AHA and EF have established this jointly funded request for applications (RFA) for the AHA/EH Research Awards in Pediatric Heart Transplantation.

EH was founded in 2013 with a mission to fund research to increase the longevity of, and improve the quality of life for,  pediatric heart transplant recipients.

The AHA was founded in 1924 and its mission is to be a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. The AHA has invested more than $4.6 billion in research, making it the largest nonprofit funder of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular research outside the federal government.

These awards provide support for investigators who are committed to conducting research directly related to improving the life expectancy and quality of life of pediatric heart transplant recipients. This funding opportunity will further these areas of focus by offering competitive research grants in basic, clinical, population, and/or translational research via Collaborative Sciences Awards.

Proposals are encouraged from all basic science disciplines as well as epidemiological, behavioral, community and clinical investigations that bear on pediatric heart transplantation. Awards are open to the array of academic and health professionals. This includes but is not limited to all academic disciplines (biology, chemistry, engineering, mathematics, technology, immunology, physiology, etc.) and all health-related professions (physicians, nurses, advanced practice nurses, pharmacists, dentists, physical and occupational therapists, statisticians, nutritionists, behavioral scientists, health attorneys, biomedical engineers, psychologists, etc.). We strongly encourage applications from women, candidates from racial and ethnic groups underrepresented in the sciences, those who have experienced diverse and non-traditional career trajectories, and those whose research has previously been outside of cardiovascular science.

Clinical, translational, population, and basic scientists are encouraged to apply. AHA maintains dedicated Peer Review Committees by award type and subject. The extent to which the focus of the project is related to cardiovascular and/or cerebrovascular diseases is an important factor that will be considered. The applicant is not required to be a part of a cardiovascular/cerebrovascular-oriented laboratory, clinic or department.

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LOI Deadline:  Sep. 30, 2021

Agency Website

Areas of Interest

 Improving longevity and quality of post-heart transplant life by reducing/eliminating rejection and Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy (CAV) by: 

  1. Integrating accurate non-invasive surveillance methods, technologies and biomarkers for care strategies, technologies, and methods towards EARLIER identification of the onset of acute cellular rejection (ACR), antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) and/or cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV)
  2. Development of therapeutics and/or therapeutic strategies for acute cellular rejection (ACR), antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) and/or cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV)
  3. Developing novel immunotherapies, identification of novel targets for immunosuppression, improving methods for monitoring and determining the optimal level of immunosuppression to prevent ACR, AMR, and/or CAV while reducing/eliminating secondary conditions that may arise due to immunosuppression (renal; infectious)
  4. Development and validation of better experimental models to study the underlying mechanisms, therapies, and/or prevention of CAV
  5. Developing more robust evidence for person-centered post-transplant care guidelines, including nutrition and exercise guidelines, and effective delivery of person-centered care.
  6. Development of evidence-based strategies to improve the longevity of adolescent recipients

Additional consideration will be given to applications that: develop new technologies; include clinical research; include feasible clinical translations(s) to pediatric heart recipients.

Eligibility Requirements

  • At least one Co-PI must work in research directly related to pediatric heart transplantation.
  • At least one Co-PI must work in a different discipline (e.g. engineering, computer science, chemistry, mathematics, psychology, health law, genomics/genetics, etc.) and/or without prior focus in clinical pediatric heart transplantation.
  • At least one Co-PI must be an early-career (assistant professor or equivalent) or mid-career (associate professor or equivalent) investigator.
  • Co-PIs must each hold faculty/staff appointments.
  • Co-PIs must be independent researchers (i.e. must meet their institutions’ eligibility to apply for independent awards). This award is not intended for individuals in research training or fellowship positions.
  • Co-PIs may be from the same institution, or from different institutions.
  • Co-PIs must be from different disciplines and/or areas of expertise. For example: A collaboration between a clinician and a basic scientist or other collaboration that would not arise otherwise (organically).

Research awards are limited to U.S.-based non-profit institutions, including medical, osteopathic and dental schools, veterinary schools, schools of public health, pharmacy schools, nursing schools, universities and colleges, public and voluntary hospitals and others that can demonstrate the ability to conduct the proposed research. The primary Co-PI must be from an institution that fulfills this definition.

Amount

$681,819

Amount Description

$227,273 per year, including 10% institutional indirect costs.

The award may be used for salary and fringe benefits of the Co-principal investigators, collaborating investigator(s), and other participants with faculty appointments, consistent with percent effort, and for project-related expenses, such as salaries of technical personnel essential to the conduct of the project, supplies, equipment, computers/electronics, travel (including international travel), volunteer subject costs, and publication costs, etc.

Award Duration: Three years
Total Award Amount: $681,819

Funding Type

Grant

Eligibility

Faculty

Category

Interdisciplinary
Medical
Medical - Basic Science
Medical - Clinical Science
Medical - Translational
Social Sciences

External Deadline

September 30, 2021