The Association for the Advancement of Blood and Biotherapies Foundation has opened applications for its Early-Career Scientific Research Grants Program, which provides funding to early-stage investigators for original research in blood banking, transfusion medicine, and biotherapies.
Focus areas
- Immunology: This includes alloimmunization—immune-related research; animal models for the study of graft-vs-host disease; and the biology of autoimmune hemolytic anemia.
- Hematology: This study focuses on blood-related disorders and stem cell transplants. Specifically, applicants should focus on the detection of residual disease following stem cell transplants, the effects of growth factors in vitro and in vivo, and the biochemistry of coagulation factors.
- Immunohematology: Here, the focus is on blood group serology, biochemistry of red cell antigens, and molecular genetics of the blood groups.
- Infectious Diseases: This includes studies on Lyme disease, West Nile virus, SARS, babesiosis, and other emerging diseases. effect of allogeneic transfusion in HIV-infected and immunocompromised patients; and improved detection of transfusion-transmitted diseases;
- Biotherapies: This includes 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; and studies on cytokines or growth factors involved in stem cell differentiation.
- Patient Blood Management: This focuses on treatment of pre-admission anemia and bleeding tendencies, intraoperative/postoperative blood recovery, and surgical hemostasis; appropriate indications for transfusion; changing physician behaviors; and blood utilization review.
Funding details
The AABB Foundation awards Early-Career Scientific Research Grants of up to $100,000.
Who can apply?
- Applicants must be early-career investigators—professionals such as MDs, PhDs, medical technologists, or transfusion medicine or biotherapy professionals.
- Applicants should be within ten years of completing their terminal research degree or medical residency
- Applicants must not have received a substantial research grant like an NIH R01.
- Applicants must not have previously received an AABB Foundation early-career grant, although resubmission is allowed if the project remains unfunded and criteria are still met.
Application deadline
Applications are accepted annually from July 1 through December 1. The selection process involves review by the AABB Foundation Scientific Research Grants Review Committee and external reviewers as needed.
The final approval is done by the Board of Directors. If selected, expect the grants announcement in June 2026, with funds disbursed in July.
How to apply
Click HERE for the full application details.
The Association for the Advancement of Blood and Biotherapies Foundation has announced the Early-Career Scientific Research Grants Program, offering funding of up to $100,000 to early-stage investigators.
The program targets research in blood banking, transfusion medicine, and biotherapies, focusing on areas such as immunology, hematology, immunohematology, infectious diseases, biotherapies, and patient blood management.
Eligibility criteria require applicants to be early-career professionals like MDs, PhDs, or related experts within ten years of completing their terminal degree or residency.
They should not have received any substantial research grants such as an NIH R01 and must not have previously been awarded an AABB early-career grant unless it's a resubmission of an unfunded project.
Applications are open annually from July 1 through December 1, with a selection process reviewed by the AABB Foundation Scientific Research Grants Review Committee and final approval from the Board of Directors.
Grant announcements are expected in June, with funds disbursed in July.
