Career Scientific Research Grants Program

Career Scientific Research Grants Program

The Association for the Advancement of Blood and Biotherapies (AABB) Foundation is offering Early-Career Scientific Research Grants to support original, investigator-initiated research in blood banking, transfusion medicine, and biotherapies.

Deadline

1 December 2025 (annual cycle: July 1 – Dec 1)

Grant Amount

• Up to $100,000

• Funds awarded in July 2026 after June announcements

Research Focus Areas

Applications are invited across multiple disciplines relevant to transfusion medicine and biotherapies:

1. Immunology

   • Alloimmunization, immune modulation, tolerance

   • Graft-vs-host disease (animal models)

   • Biology of autoimmune hemolytic anemia

2. Hematology

   • Autologous & allogeneic stem cell transplants

   • Detection of residual disease post-transplant

   • Growth factors (in vitro/in vivo)

   • Coagulation factor biochemistry

3. Immunohematology

   • Blood group serology

   • Biochemistry of red cell antigens

   • Molecular genetics of blood groups

4. Infectious Diseases

   • Lyme disease, West Nile Virus, SARS, babesiosis, emerging diseases

   • Effect of transfusion in HIV+ or immunocompromised patients

   • Improved detection of transfusion-transmitted diseases

5. Biotherapies

   • Cell separation, culture, expansion

   • Novel cell therapies & viability assays

   • Pilot studies in regenerative medicine

   • Stem cell transplantation & cytokine/growth factor studies

6. Patient Blood Management

   • Treatment of pre-admission anemia and bleeding

   • Intra-/postoperative blood recovery

   • Surgical hemostasis

   • Appropriate transfusion indications

   • Physician behavior change

   • Blood utilization review

Eligibility

• Early-career investigators (within 10 years of terminal research degree or medical residency)

• Professionals such as MDs, PhDs, medical technologists, transfusion medicine or biotherapies specialists

• Must not have received a substantial research grant (e.g., NIH R01)

• Must not have previously received an AABB early-career grant (resubmission allowed if criteria still met)

Application Process

1. Submission period: July 1 – Dec 1, 2025

2. Review: By the AABB Foundation Scientific Research Grants Review Committee + external experts

3. Feedback: Confidential critique sheet provided

4. Decisions: Announced June 2026

5. Funding: Disbursed July 2026

Recommendation: This program is highly suitable for postdocs, junior faculty, and early-stage researchers aiming to establish independence in transfusion medicine and biotherapies research.
Next step: Begin drafting a proposal emphasizing novelty, impact on transfusion/biotherapies, feasibility, and potential to generate significant preliminary data for larger future grants.

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