2022 Call for Thyroid Research Grants

The American Thyroid Association (ATA) is pleased to announce the availability of funds from ATA, ThyCa, and Bite Me Cancer to support new investigator-initiated research projects in the areas of thyroid function, thyroid disease, and thyroid cancer. Topics may include, but are not limited to, Disorders of Thyroid Function, Iodine Uptake and Metabolism, Thyroid Autoimmunity, Thyroid Cancer, Thyroid Hormone Effect and Metabolism, Thyroid Hormone in Development and the Brain, Health Disparities, Health Services Research and Health Economics and Outcomes, Thyroid Imaging, Thyroid Nodules and Goiter, Thyroid and Pregnancy. Research awards are targeted for funding of new investigators, US or international, and intended to assist in obtaining preliminary data for submission of a more substantial application (e.g. to the National Institutes of Health (NIH)). Applications are limited to one per individual researcher. ATA is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion and we encourage women and those underrepresented in science and medicine to apply. 

Submission Information: Eligible investigators interested in applying should review the information below and submit a proposal by March 7, 2022 at 11:59 PM ET to atagrantsandawards.smapply.org/

Research Grant Award: Research grants, up to $25,000 annually, will be awarded for up to two year terms. The 2nd year funding is contingent on review of a satisfactory progress report submitted by the investigators in the 4th quarter of the first year of funding. The funds can be used for direct costs associated with the proposal, including technician’s salary, supplies or equipment but not for the PI or mentor’s salary. It is the policy of the funders that no indirect cost recovery (ICR) is granted and that all funds are direct costs only. Applicants from institutions must obtain a waiver of ICR to receive funding. 


Eligibility of Applicant: 

  1. Investigators must be one of the following:

a) Junior faculty that completed their training program or postdoctoral fellowship in the last 5 years (2016 or later).  Investigators who have the academic title of Associate Professor or higher are ineligible. 

b) Graduating postdoctoral research fellows or clinical fellows in their last year that will have a junior faculty position by August 2022 (ie. Instructor, Assistant Professor, etc). A written letter from the applicant’s institution confirming that the applicant will have an independent, junior faculty position by August 2022 is required prior to proceeding with the application.

c)Trainee applying for MTC Grant with Supervising Mentor/Faculty. Trainees are defined as (postdoctoral research fellows, residents, or graduate students working towards an MD or a PhD) that are applying for a medullary thyroid cancer grant with a supervising mentor or faculty member are eligible. A mentor/faculty member’s CV must be submitted with a short proposal. A mentor/faculty supervisor is not eligible to receive more than one thyroid research grant in the same cycle. Trainees that are not in their last year must apply for the MTC grant in order to be eligible.

2. Individuals who have been a Principal Investigator (PI) on an NIH RO1 (or equivalent grant) and/or that have received an ATA, ThyCa or BMC research grant are not eligible. Recipients of NIH R29, R21 and KO8 awards are eligible.

3. Applicants must apply for ATA membership by January 31, 2022 or be an ATA member in good standing (through 12/31/22). 

Short Proposal Submission Requirements: 

  1. ATA current ATA Membership in good standing through 12/31/2022
  2. Cover Letter addressed to the ATA Research Committee and Grantors 
  3. Grant Proposal–  A short proposal no longer than 900 words that includes: background of the project, hypothesis and/or outline of proposed studies, outline of methodology, anticipated results and implications and a short statement of how the grant will aid the applicant.
  4. Investigator’s Curriculum Vitae (only NIH-style within 5 pages) – The CV should include evidence that the applicant is a new investigator/fellow/trainee with professional education dates, postdoctoral training dates, and any current grant support.
  5. *Junior faculty eligible under #1a that have an academic title other than Instructor, Assistant Professor, Tenured Researcher, or Junior Lecturer must provide a letter from the institution confirming that they are in an independent, junior faculty position. 
  6. *Fellows that are eligible under eligibility category #1b must provide written confirmation that the applicant will have a junior faculty position by August 2022 from the institution/department chair. 
  7. *Trainees that are eligible under eligibility category #1c must provide their mentor/faculty member’s CV and include current grant support.

*only required for certain investigators types 

Research Grant Review: Research Grant Review: The ATA Research Committee will review and rank proposals according to their scientific merit. Investigators of selected proposals will be notified in by April 2022 and invited to submit a full grant proposal to be submitted in May 2022. Grant recipients will be notified in June/July 2022. Questions? Contact ATA Thyroid Research Grant Staff (research@thyroid.org).