Focused Projects Grant for Junior Investigators- Restless Leg Syndrome

The Focused Projects Grant for Junior Investigators, funded by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine Foundation, provides up to $50,000 for one year to support early career researchers investigating sleep-related issues, particularly Restless Leg Syndrome. This grant encourages projects that address important scientific questions in sleep science, including identification of patient-specific endotypes and development of new diagnostic technologies. Mentorship is required to guide applicants through their research endeavors.

The Focused Projects Grant for Junior Investigators is our career development grant that supports early career investigators dedicated to focusing their research on basic, translational, clinical, or population sleep and circadian science.
This opportunity provides seed funding for mentored research projects to jumpstart an early career investigator’s research career and provide the necessary support and resources needed to establish a track record of funding.
Note: Cycle 1 of the 2026 Focused Projects Grant for Junior Investigators is open only to projects that address one of the following topics:

• Restless Leg SyndromeIdiopathic HypersomniaPediatric SleepDiagnosis, Management and Treatment of Sleep Apnea

The Focused Projects Grant for Junior Investigators provides funds for one year and can be for up to $50,000 per grant, depending on the research focus. There are no restrictions on the distribution of expenses, however, indirect costs are capped at 8%. The grant is issued as a contract between the AASM Foundation and the grantee’s institution.
Research Focus
The Focused Projects Grant for Junior Investigators is open to mentored, general and specific topical projects that that address one or more important unanswered scientific questions related to sleep and circadian science, sleep disorders, and/or sleep health. The applicant must select one of the following topics.
Restless Leg Syndrome:

• Open to mentored projects that will address one of these topics related to restless leg syndrome (RLS):

Investigations focused on further identifying specific endotypes and phenotypes of RLS that relate to particular subgroups of patients (e.g., pediatrics, women, pregnancy, diabetes, iron deficiency, ADHD)Research oriented toward uncovering therapeutic precision when treating specific RLS (Restless Legs Syndrome) /PLMD (Periodic Limb Movement Disorder) populations/phenotypes (e.g., patients with augmentation, pediatrics, women)Studies that spur the development of new technologies to detect, manage, and/or treat RLS/PLMD.Investigations utilizing tele-based, or remote diagnostic/management technologies and protocols and treatment outcomes for RLS/PLMD populations.
Restless Leg Syndrome: Up to $50,000 for 1 year, with indirect costs capped at 8%
Funded by the Restless Legs Syndrome Foundation and AASM general funds.
Mentoring
Since this is a Career Development Grant for early career investigators, individuals must identify a research mentor in the application with the skills, knowledge, and resources to provide mentorship to the applicant in sleep and circadian research. Applicants are encouraged to identify more than one mentor (i.e., a mentoring team) if expert advice is needed in all aspects of the project. In such cases, a primary mentor must be clearly identified in the application. The applicant must work with the mentor(s) to prepare the application.
Please see FAQs for additional guidelines.

Eligibility

The following individuals are eligible to apply:Individuals with an MD, DO, DDS, DMD, DNP, DNSc, PharmD, PhD, or equivalent professional degree.Individuals within 10 years of their terminal degree, post-doctoral training, or clinical training.International applicants, who meet all the eligibility criteria and whose sponsoring organization can accept the payment of grant funds in U.S. dollars, are eligible to apply.

Ineligibility

The following individuals are not eligible to apply:Individuals who have received independent research funding of more than $250,000 are not eligible to apply. This does not apply to post-doctoral/ fellowship level training grants primarily covering the applicant’s salary (e.g., NRSAs).Individuals who have a financial conflict of interest or have the potential to incur significant financial benefit from the proposed work and beyond the work itself are not eligible to apply.Current AASM and AASM Foundation Board of Directors members are not eligible to apply and cannot be listed as a PI, co-PI, key personnel, mentor (paid or unpaid) or paid consultant for one year after their term ends.Note: In rare instances, AASM and AASM Foundation Board members may serve as unpaid consultants on an application, however, this requires Executive Committee approval prior to submitting the application.Individuals and organizations located in, or operating from, countries subject to U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctions are not eligible to receive AASM Foundation funding.