Early-Career Scientific Research Grants Program

The AABB Foundation awards grants for investigator-initiated original research in all aspects of blood banking, transfusion medicine and biotherapies. The Foundation has awarded more than $12 million in early-career grants since its inception.

Grant Type: Seed funding intended to provide preliminary data for principal investigators on a path toward research independence.

Geographic Scope

• International: Early-career investigators worldwide are encouraged to apply
• Applicants do not need to be U.S. citizens
• Applications must be completed in English

Eligibility Criteria

Applicant Requirements:

• Doctor (MD or PhD), medical technologist, transfusion medicine or biotherapies professional
• Early-Career Status: Completed a terminal research degree or medical residency (whichever is later) within the past 10 years of the application deadline
• Has NOT yet been awarded a substantial research grant (e.g., NIH R01)
• Clinical fellowship training following internship/residency is not counted against the 10-year window; time spent in research training during fellowship is applicable
• Career Limitation: No candidate is eligible to receive more than one AABB Foundation early-career Scientific Research Grant
• Applicants with a master's degree may be eligible if working in transfusion medicine or biotherapies
• More experienced researchers changing fields to transfusion medicine and biotherapies are eligible

Non-Discrimination: All applicants considered regardless of age, race, gender, national origin or religion

Research Focus Areas

Immunology:

• Alloimmunization, immune modulation, and tolerance
• Animal models for graft-vs-host disease
• Biology of autoimmune hemolytic anemia

Hematology:

• Autologous and allogeneic stem cell transplants
• Detection of residual disease following stem cell transplants
• Effects of growth factors in vitro and in vivo
• Biochemistry of coagulation factors

Immunohematology:

• Blood group serology
• Biochemistry of red cell antigens
• Molecular genetics of blood groups

Infectious Diseases:

• Studies on Lyme disease, West Nile Virus, SARS, babesiosis and other emerging diseases
• Effect of allogeneic transfusion in HIV-infected and immunocompromised patients
• Improved detection of transfusion-transmitted diseases

Biotherapies:

• Cell separation, cell culture or expansion studies for cell therapy applications
• Development of novel cell therapies or assays to measure cell viability or function
• Pilot studies in regenerative medicine
• Studies on mechanisms or roles of cells in stem cell transplantation
• Studies on cytokines or growth factors involved in stem cell differentiation

Patient Blood Management:

• Treatment of pre-admission anemia and bleeding tendencies
• Intraoperative/postoperative blood recovery
• Surgical hemostasis
• Appropriate indications for transfusion
• Changing physician behaviors
• Blood utilization review

Evaluation Criteria

Applications evaluated based on:

• Ability to meet eligibility criteria
• Scientific merit
• Relevance to and impact on transfusion medicine and biotherapies
• Focus and appropriateness to scope of funding
• Likelihood of yielding meaningful data
• Likelihood of future funding potential

Project Terms

• Duration: One or two years
• Timeline: Starting in July and completion by June 30 (one-year terms) or two years ending June 30 (two-year terms)
• Award Amount: Does not change based on project length

Application Limitations

What Will Not Be Funded:

• Awards will not be made to increase funding for currently funded research projects
• No particular project can be funded more than once
• Same project may be submitted twice if not already funded by AABB Foundation
• Applications for the same unfunded project cannot be resubmitted more than twice

Selection Process

• Review Committee: AABB Foundation Scientific Research Grants Review Committee (GRC)
• Meeting Frequency: Committee meets once per year
• Outside Reviewers: May be consulted at committee's discretion
• Final Approval: AABB Foundation Board of Directors must approve GRC recommendations
• Feedback: All applicants receive a confidential critique review sheet summarizing GRC comments
• Publication: AABB reserves right to list grant recipients in publications, including title, PI, and funding amount

Application Process

Application Period:

• Opens: July 1
• Deadline: December 1, 11:59 PM ET

Application Submission:

1. Access the online grant portal through AABB Foundation website
2. Complete all required application form sections
3. Submit application via the online portal
4. Submit before December 1, 11:59 PM ET deadline
5. Receive confirmation email upon successful submission

Application Requirements:

• Project Duration: Specify one-year or two-year project term
• Resubmission Policy:
  • If previously unfunded, applicants may resubmit revised applications
  • 13-month window to resubmit while retaining early-career status
  • Maximum of two submissions for the same project
  • Emphasis given to applicants using reviewer critiques to strengthen resubmissions
• Funding Sources: Submit information regarding other available funding (fellowships, scholarships, sponsorships, etc.)
• Language: All application materials must be in English

Application Instructions:

• View full application instructions available on the AABB Foundation website
• Carefully read and follow all instructions
• Ensure all application components form an integrated whole
• Plan ahead—producing a strong application requires time

For Questions:
Contact the AABB Foundation at foundation@aabb.org