The Program

The Glenn Foundation for Medical Research (GFMR) in collaboration with the American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR), has established the Glenn Foundation Discovery Award. This Award was created to support research projects with strong potential to develop pioneering discoveries for understanding the underlying biological mechanisms that govern normal human aging and its related physiological decline. Relevant proposals from any branch of biology are eligible. This funding program specifically seeks to include principal investigators who may not have previously worked in the area of aging, but whose research and expertise are applicable to understanding the biological mechanisms of normal aging and its relevance to age-associated health decline.

Projects that characterize aging as a disease, or that focus on specific diseases are discouraged unless the research plan provides direct connections to the biology of aging and/or the prospect of a translational discovery relevant to improving human healthspan.

Up to two three-year awards will be made in 2024. Each award is for $525,000 payable in annual installments of $175,000 per year, of which a maximum of 8% may be used for indirect expenses or institutional overhead (not to exceed $12,963 per year).

Recipients of this award are expected to attend the combined AFAR Grantee Conference and Glenn Workshop on Biology of Aging. The purpose of the meetings is to promote scientific and personal exchanges among recent AFAR and GFMR grantees and other invited scientists in aging research.

Eligibility and Selection Criteria

To be eligible, the applicant :

  • Must be a full-time faculty member at the rank of Assistant Professor or higher at the time of the LOI deadline. To be competitive at the Assistant Professor level, a candidate would be expected to have established R01 or equivalent funding. The Glenn Foundation Discovery Award does not substitute for the R01 funding mechanism, but supports new, rather than incremental, research projects in established laboratories.
  • Must have a strong record of independent publication beyond the postdoctoral level
  • Cannot be a Principal Investigator supported through the Paul F. Glenn Centers for Biology of Aging Research.
  • Must conduct the proposed research at qualified not-for-profit setting in the United States.

Investigators who may not have previously worked in the area of aging, but whose research interests and expertise are relevant and could lead to discoveries in understanding the biology of normal aging are strongly encouraged to apply.

Former AFAR Research Grant for Junior Faculty awardees may apply; former Glenn Foundation Breakthrough In Gerontology (BIG) awardees may NOT apply. If you are applying for a 2024 Glenn Foundation for Medical Research and AFAR Grant for Junior Faculty, you may NOT also apply for the 2024 GFMR Discovery Award.

Questions about eligibility and suitability of research project can be addressed to grants@afar.org.

Selection Criteria

Applications are reviewed based on the following criteria:

  • Potential of the proposed research to (i) yield new discoveries in biology applicable to human aging and healthspan, or (ii) establish new approaches for clinically relevant strategies, treatments, and therapeutics that address human aging and health span.
  • Qualifications and research record of the applicant.
  • Excellence of the research environment.

Application Procedures

The Letter of Intent (“LOI”) deadline is February 15, 2024. Please refer to the GFMR Discovery Award LOI for instructions. Incomplete or improperly completed LOIs cannot be considered. All LOIs should be submitted as PDFs here. The Letters of Intent will be reviewed by a committee. All LOI candidates who are invited to submit applications must have it endorsed by their institution. Neither the GFMR nor AFAR will provide reviewer critiques to any applicants at any review level.

Timeline:

  • LOI Deadline: February 15, 2024
  • Results LOI review: Mid-April 2024
  • Deadline to submit full application: Late-May, 2024
  • Award Start Date: July 1, 2024

If you are using animals in your research, please review Principles of Animal Use for Gerontological Research, or this recent webinar recording from the Nathan Shock Centers of Excellence: https://nathanshockcenters.org.

Please review this link, Things to Consider When Submitting an Application, which includes suggestions for submitting an LOI or application to AFAR. Click here for our Frequently Asked Questions page.

Reporting Requirements

Investigators will be required to submit a brief narrative report annually on the progress of their research. Final narrative and financial reports are required within three months following the end date of the award.

Glenn Foundation Color LOGO for Web rgb copy

Founded by Paul F. Glenn in 1965, the mission of the Glenn Foundation for Medical Research is to extend the healthy years of life through research on mechanisms of biology that govern normal human aging and its related physiological decline, with the objective of translating research into interventions that will extend healthspan with lifespan.

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More Funding Opportunities

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Diana Jacobs Kalman/AFAR Scholarships for Research in the Biology of Aging

Who is Eligible: MD, DO, PhD, or combined degree students who have completed at least two years by the start date of the scholarship
Research Area:
Biology of aging
Scholarship Amount: $5,000
Program Period: 3-6 months
Awards Given: Up to 10
Deadline: April 15, 2024

Hevolution Foundation Scientific Conferences Fund

Who is eligible: Non-profit organizations, public and private universities, colleges, laboratories and government agencies in North America (Canada, United States of America, and Mexico)
Amount of award: Up to $10,000 per meeting
Deadline: January 31, April 30, July 31, October 31

Medical Student Training in Aging Research (MSTAR) Program

Who is Eligible: Any allopathic or osteopathic medical student in good standing, who will have successfully completed one year of medical school at a U.S. institution by June 2024.
Award Period: 8-12 weeks

Interested students should be in touch directly with the National Training Centers to determine their eligibility and program deadline.

Small Research Grant Program for the Next Generation of Researchers in Alzheimer's Disease (R03)

Who is Eligible: Early stage investigators in AD/ADRD research and established researchers who are not currently doing AD/ADRD research
Research area: Alzheimer’s Disease and Alzheimer’s Disease Related Dementias
Award Amount: $200,000
Award Period: 2 years
Awards Given: approximately 12
Deadlines: February 16, June 16, and October 16.

McKnight Brain Research Foundation Innovator Awards in Cognitive Aging and Memory Loss

Who is eligible: Independent Assistant and Associate Professors
Research area: Cognitive Aging and Memory Loss
Amount of award: $750,000
Award period: 3 years
Number of awards given: Two
Deadline for application: The deadline has passed for 2023

Hevolution/AFAR New Investigator Awards in Aging Biology and Geroscience Research

Who is eligible: Junior investigators (MDs and/or PhDs) with at least 3 years of independent research. Eligible investigators must be at an academic, government or non-profit institution in the US or Canada.
Research area: Basic biology of aging or geroscience
Amount of award: USD375,000
Award period: 3 years
Number of awards given: 18
Deadline for LOI: The deadline has passed for 2023

Glenn Foundation for Medical Research and AFAR Grants for Junior Faculty

Who is eligible: Independent Junior Faculty
Research area: Biology of aging
Amount of award: $150,000
Award period: 1 or 2 years
Number of awards given: Approximately 10
Deadline for LOI: The deadline has passed for 2024

Glenn Foundation for Medical Research Postdoctoral Fellowships in Aging Research

Who is Eligible: Postdoctoral fellows
Research Focus: Basic and translational research that builds on early discoveries that show translational potential for clinical relevant strategies
Award Amount: $75,000
Award Period: 1 year
Awards Given: 10
Letter of Intent Deadline: The deadline has passed for 2024

The Sagol Network GerOmic Award for Junior Faculty

Who is eligible: Independent Junior Faculty

Research area: Aging-related -omics research

Amount of award: $150,000

Award period: 1 or 2 years

Number of awards given: 1

Letter of Intent Deadline: The deadline has passed for 2024