Leonidas Berry Health Equity Research Award Grant

The Leonidas Berry Health Equity Research Award, presented by the ACG Institute, honors Dr. Leonidas H. Berry and supports innovative research aimed at reducing health disparities among underrepresented groups in gastrointestinal health. With a funding opportunity of $75,000 over two years, this award encourages eligible U.S. or Canadian physicians to develop impactful research careers that enhance our understanding of health equity in gastrointestinal practice. Applications are open until June 30, 2028.

The ACG Institute is proud to announce that the Health Equity Research Award is now re-named in honor of the life and legacy of Leonidas H. Berry, MD, MACG. The College and the ACG Institute recognize his contributions to gastroenterology, and tireless efforts to end discrimination in medicine and medical schools.
The Leonidas Berry Health Equity Research Award supports targeted research to produce actionable science that will translate to reducing health and/or healthcare disparates, thereby promoting health equity. We invite eligible applicants to apply for a $75,000 two-year (50k for year-one and 25k for year-two, based on progress) research award, to be funded from July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2028.
The goal of the Health Equity Research Award is to support promising investigators in developing research careers that have a direct bearing on clinical gastrointestinal practice by advancing our knowledge in reducing disparities in the care and outcomes of racial/ethnic minorities, women, LGBTQ+ populations, and/or those living with a disability that is not derivative of a gastrointestinal disease, within the broader context of gastrointestinal and liver diseases. For this RFA a disability is defined as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.
This grant is designed to support patient-oriented research that is principally focused on digestive or liver diseases. The patient population or disease target should be principally related to the gastrointestinal tract, liver, biliary system, pancreas, or neuroenteric science. We are interested in funding clinical, translational, social science, or health services research studies that aim to accelerate our clinical knowledge in managing the unique GI and hepatology healthcare concerns of underrepresented racial/ethnic minorities, women, LGBTQ+ populations, and/or those living with a disability. , and potential to reduce health disparities. Since its inception in 1994, the ACG Institute has provided over $$31.9 Million in funding for Clinical Research Awards to over 745 recipients.

Eligibility

ACG Member at the time of applicationU.S. or Canadian-based physician (MD or DO) Faculty appointment as part of a gastroenterology or hepatology department at a university, medical school, or other healthcare institution at the time of application or attending physicians who have completed all of their training and are practicing gastroenterology or hepatology in a community practicePilot Data Required (if not available, choose a different grant category: Pilot)
You must be a member of this organization to apply for this award - become a member. The Principal Investigator must be an ACG member in good standing. ACG membership must be active no later than October 2024.

Ineligibility

Fellows-in-training.Projects that support laboratory or animal research projects.ACG will not grant more than two Clinical Research Awards in any category to former or current Principal Investigators on R01, P01, U01, VA Merit Awards, or Hughes grantsAward overlap: ACG does not provide duplicate funding including other diversity-focused grants [If part of a larger study, must explain how funds are not duplicated].Applications utilizing the same science may not be submitted for two different ACG grant categories (for example the same project/science is submitted for the Health Equity Research Award and Clinical Research Award) and if this occurs they will not be evaluated by the Committee.ACG limits funding for a PI to one grant in a single award cycle. If a given investigator submits projects in two or more RFA categories and more than one is deemed worthy of funding, the larger grant will be funded.If the applicant was awarded an ACG research award within the last three (3) years, they cannot apply for the same grant category in which they were awarded. They may apply for a different grant category, as the College is not trying to limit the progression of research (pilot award to CRA or JR Faculty Award), but rather the same investigators being funded repeatedly.