The Sagol Network GerOmic Award for Junior Faculty Grant

The Sagol Network GerOmic Award for Junior Faculty supports early career investigators in aging research, focusing on -omics studies related to biological aging and age-related diseases. Research areas include genomics, proteomics, and interventions targeting aging. Eligible applicants are independent researchers at U.S. not-for-profit institutions, with 10 years or fewer since their postdoctoral training. The award may cover overhead costs, promoting innovative research in the vital field of gerontology.

Given the biological complexity and heterogeneity of the aging process, the emerging field of various -omics research can play an important role in providing important insights into the aging process and many age-related diseases. The major goal of this program is to assist in the development of the careers of early career investigators committed to pursuing careers in the field of aging research and ger-omics, –omics research focused on aging and/or age-related disease research in particular.
Research areas supported include, but are not limited to:
Genomics, epigenomics, proteomics, metabolomics, transcriptomics, and methylomics (and other areas of -omics research) that focus on biological versus chronological aging in animals and humans.Comparative -omics in animals with different life spans.Omics of aging-related interventions and therapeutics.
Applicants may propose to use the award over the course of one or two years as justified by the proposed research. Up to 8% of funds may be budgeted for overhead or indirect costs (not to exceed $11,111).

Eligibility

An independent investigator with independent research space at institutions as described in a form completed by the Dean or Department Chair,No more than 10 years beyond start of postdoctoral research training as of July 1, 2025. Exceptions to the ten-year rule may be requested by emailing an NIH-style biosketch to AFAR at grants@afar.org at least one week prior to the deadline date. .Applicants from underrepresented groups in the biomedical sciences are strongly encouraged to apply.The AFAR grants are only open to candidates conducting research at a U.S.-based not-for-profit institution by the start date of the award.

Ineligibility

Postdoctoral fellows in the laboratory of a senior investigatorInvestigators who have received major extramural funding for research in any area as a PI or Co-PI (not Co-I) - such as an NIH R01, DP2, DP5, R35 or NSF Research or equivalent grant - prior to and including the start date of this award (applicants may hold K, K99/R00 or R21 funding or NSF funding provided direct costs do not exceed $200,000 a year)Senior faculty, i.e. at the rank of Associate Professor level or higherRecipients of the Sagol Network GerOmic Award, the AFAR Grants for Junior Faculty and the Glenn Foundation for Medical Research (GFMR) Grants for Junior FacultyApplicants cannot also apply for the 2025 AFAR Grants for Junior Faculty and the GFMR Grants for Junior Faculty, or the GFMR Discovery Award. Applications for this program will be considered for the Grants for Junior Faculty if deemed competitive.Applicants who are conducting research at a for-profit institution, or at an institution outside of the United StatesAlzheimer's Disease and/or related dementias research (consider applying instead to the Small Research Grant Program for the Next Generation of Researchers in Alzheimer's Disease)