Early-Stage Investigator Award Grant

Early-Stage Investigator Award Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: American Society of Regional Anesthesia (ASRA) and Pain Medicine
Amount: Up to US $30,000
Last Updated: June 19, 2025

Summary

The Early-Stage Investigator Award, offered by the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, supports innovative research in regional anesthesia and pain management. With a funding limit of $30,000, this grant aims to enhance patient outcomes through scientific investigation. Eligible applicants include North American physician members who are MDs or DOs within five years of graduation. Research proposals should address original ideas within specified priorities, ensuring a focus on quality patient care and education.

Overview

About Us: Our mission is to advance the science and practice of regional anesthesia and pain medicine to improve patient outcomes through research, education, and advocacy. The American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (ASRA) is one of the largest subspecialty medical societies in anesthesiology with more than 5,000 members in 66 countries on 6 continents. We accomplish our mission and vision by addressing the clinical and professional educational needs of physicians and scientists, ensuring excellence in patient care utilizing regional anesthesia and pain medicine, and investigating the scientific basis of the specialty. Research Priorities: Basic and Laboratory Sciences Basic and laboratory research projects that elucidate the biomolecular mechanisms of regional anesthetics and analgesics, study different types of pain and develop reliable animal pain models and biomarkers for pain research. Projects that have translational research potential are preferred. Population Sciences Population dynamics: Projects that study perioperative outcomes (including rare events) using existing large databases/registries or lead to their establishment, determine the cost-effectiveness and value of perioperative pain management and regional anesthesia (RA), study care delivery models, and evaluate and reduce health care disparities. Outcomes Research Clinical Sciences Clinical sciences: Projects that elucidate mechanisms by which RA and pain management in the perioperative arena may prevent medical and economic adverse outcomes and improve outcomes in a variety of settings (including functional recovery, survival, etc.) Randomized trials and pragmatic studies evaluating outcomes in a real-world setting are encouraged. Methodology Research Methodology: Projects that focus on the improvement of research methods in RA and pain management research and develop and validate functional tools for pain assessment and outcome measurement. Drug/Protocol Development Drug/protocol development: Projects that study pain management modalities in the perioperative setting, are focused on reducing pain, and elucidate the use and/or lead to the development of new analgesic and adjuvant drugs, drug classes, and techniques. Patient Safety Patient safety: Projects that develop approaches to minimize patient harm. Education Education: Projects that support physician education. In addition, projects that support the education of the public, promote patient and caregiver education and lead to a more coordinated collaboration with policymakers and industry to tackle current problems. Policy Research Policy research: Projects that promote research on the impact of policy on health care outcomes in the field of regional anesthesia and pain management. Health Services Research Funding: The amount of the award will not exceed $30,000 and the project must be completed within a 2-year period.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. The applicant and co-investigators must be North American, physician members of ASRA Pain Medicine.The applicant must be an MD or DO within 5 years of graduating from residency/fellowship.The applicant must provide a letter of support from his/her chairman guaranteeing that sufficient funds, equipment, and time are available to complete the proposed project. All requests for funds will be considered, and the committee retains the right to divide the available funds in any manner it deems appropriate with the agreement of the investigators involved. The research proposal must be concerned with an original idea or concept (i.e., has not been done before). The research must be carried out primarily by the applicant. Assistance by or collaboration with other academic faculty or staff anesthesiologists is permitted; these secondary investigators must be identified in the application. The applicant should identify a senior researcher who agrees to serve as a mentor for the proposed project. This individual should state in writing his/her willingness to serve in this position. The grant requests can be for any project falling into the research priorities of ASRA Pain Medicine. You must be a member of this organization to apply for this award - become a member. The applicant and co-investigators must be North American members of ASRA Pain Medicine.