The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation Inc
THE MESOTHELIOMA APPLIED RESEARCH is a Washington, DC–based public charity that funds mesothelioma research and provides education and support to patients and families. It also advocates for increased public and private investment in research.
The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation Inc reported $300K in grants paid in 2025 (a total; its filing lists no individual grants). Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Grants paid (2025)
- $300,000 — reported as a total on the IRS filing, without an itemized list
- +50.0% vs 2024
- Total assets
- $11,531,357
- +8.4% vs 2024
- Revenue (2025)
- $2,531,496
- +25.4% vs 2024
- Net investment income (2025)
- $495,183
- -27.1% vs 2024
- Expenses (2025)
- $1,542,060
- +9.9% vs 2024
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
How to apply to The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation Inc
- Review Cycle
- The 2026 cycle’s LOI submissions are closed. The foundation says the 2027 cycle will open in January 2027.
- Deadline
- The 2026 cycle’s LOI submissions are closed.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1717 K Street Nw 900, Washington, DC 20006
Phone: (877) 363-6376
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Grant Size Distribution
9 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 6 grants of 9 (67%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation describes its research funding as supporting projects around the world. Its 2026 grant opportunity is open to eligible applicants globally.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
How The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation Inc gives
- Giving fell 20% from 2021 to 2024. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $50K (2022) to $300K (2025). In 2025 it reported $300K in grants paid, as a total without an itemized list.
Hatched bars: grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Brigham and Women's Hospital Boston, MA | Research Grant | $100,000 |
| The University of Chicago Chicago, IL | Research Grant | $100,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $11,531,357 | $2,531,496 | $1,542,060 | $300,000 | Total only | $495,183 |
| 2024 | $10,638,848 | $2,018,146 | $1,403,070 | $200,000 | 2 | $679,349 |
| 2023 | $9,971,454 | $1,546,869 | $1,532,223 | $200,000 | 2 | $122,229 |
| 2022 | $9,449,879 | $1,693,216 | $1,190,526 | $50,000 | 2 | $-221,948 |
| 2021 | $9,384,474 | $3,031,525 | $1,257,170 | $250,000 | 3 | $225,159 |
| 2020 | $7,513,333 | $5,570,526 | $1,070,432 | — | — | $51,087 |
"Total only": grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated mission is to offer hope and support to people affected by mesothelioma, fund promising research worldwide through rigorous peer review, and raise awareness and advocate for resources to help cure the disease.
Its research program supports projects addressing pleural and/or peritoneal mesothelioma. The 2026 areas of interest include novel therapies; quality of life and patient or caregiver outcomes; screening and early detection; risk assessment and prognosis; immune-mediated complications of immunotherapy; personalization of therapy; treatment resistance; and mesothelioma biology and etiology. The foundation’s website says eligible applicants may be based at colleges, universities, medical schools, or eligible nonprofit research organizations globally.
Grantmaking
IRS filing data reports that the foundation gave $200,000 across two grants in 2024 and $200,000 across two grants in 2023. The 2025 filing reports zero grants. The available information does not identify recipients or amounts for individual grants. The foundation’s current grant-program description offers awards of up to $250,000 over two years, or $125,000 per year; this is a maximum award, not a reported typical grant size.
The process begins with a letter of intent (LOI). Proposals are peer-reviewed by the Science Advisory Board, with feedback from the Community Advisory Board; the most promising proposals are submitted to the Board of Directors for funding. Applicants must hold a doctoral-level degree and a full-time faculty position or equivalent at an eligible institution or organization. Junior investigators are encouraged to identify an established mesothelioma researcher as a mentor and include a career-development and mentorship plan. Applications must address at least one stated area of interest, be feasible within the request’s timeline and budget, and disclose other funding that overlaps with or supplements the proposed project. Awardees agree to terms with the foundation and institution, attend the annual symposium to present their work, and provide progress reports during and after the award term.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Brian Lepacek as executive director; Julie White as patient services director; Marjorie G. Zauderer as chair; R. Taylor Ripley as vice chair; Darciena Christel as treasurer; and Keith Cengel as secretary. It also lists Jessica Blackford-Cleeton, Cheryl Burner, Jason Foster, and Daniel Sterman as board members.
The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation Inc is led by Brian T. Lepacek, Executive Director on every filing since 2024; 2 of 12 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Brian T. Lepacek
Executive Director
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$54K (2024) → $153K (2025)
Marjorie G. Zauderer
Chair
Chairman → Chair, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Julie White
Patient Srvs Director
Highest Compensated Employee → Patient Srvs Director, 2025
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$128K (2024) → $139K (2025)
Bill Ziegler
Board Member
Secretary → Board Member, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Daniel Sterman
Board Member
Director → Board Member, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
James Stevenson
Board Member
Director → Board Member, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jason M. Foster MD
Board Member
Director → Board Member, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Keith Cengel
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
R. Taylor Ripley
Vice Chair
Director → Secretary, 2021
Secretary → Vice Chair, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Darciena Anderson Christel
Treasurer
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jessica Blackford-Cleeton
Board Member
Director → Board Member, 2025
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Cheryl Burner
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (17)
- Former: Aaron S. Mansfield MD (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Boris Sepesi MD (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Cheryl Bruner Esq. (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Marjorie G. Zauderer Md Ms Facp (2021–2024) — Chair
- Former: Sanjay Popat PhD (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: William N. Ziegler (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Maja Belamaric (2020–2023) — COO
- Former: Julie Powers (2021–2023) — Executive Director
- Former: Antoinette Wozniak MD (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Patrick Forde MD (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Buerkley Rose Msn RN (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Mary Hesdorffer (2020–2021) — Executive Director
- Former: Patrick Forde Mbbch (2021) — Director
- Former: Buerkley Rose (2020) — Director
- Former: Kristen Lofgren (2020) — Treasurer
- Former: Rich DeAugustinis (2020) — Director
- Former: Ross Kellman (2020) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $153K, to Brian Lepacek (Executive Director). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation Inc
How much does The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation Inc give each year?
The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation Inc reported $300K in grants paid in 2025 on its 2025 IRS Form 990, as a total without an itemized list of grants. In 2024 it gave $200K across 2 grants.
How large is The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation Inc?
The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation Inc reported $11.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $2.5M.
What does The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is to offer hope and support to people affected by mesothelioma, fund promising research worldwide through rigorous peer review, and raise awareness and advocate for resources to help cure the disease. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation Inc?
The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation Inc has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
Where does The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation Inc make grants?
The foundation describes its research funding as supporting projects around the world. Its 2026 grant opportunity is open to eligible applicants globally.
What is The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 75-2816066. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS October 25, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 15, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 6, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS October 12, 2024)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 26, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work The Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation Inc funds
Diseases, Disorders & Medical Disciplines Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
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