NEA Announces 2020 Eczema Research Grant Cycle Opening

NOVATO, Calif., May 8, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Eczema Association (NEA) announces the opening of its 2020 research grant cycle. As the largest private nonprofit funder of eczema research, NEA has invested over $1.4 million to date to support a deeper understanding of eczema, provide insights into new treatment strategies and improve care and prevention.

Grants are available in multiple categories and applications are now being accepted. Applications must be received by Monday, Aug. 31, 2020 at 5 p.m. PDT, and recipients will be announced in November 2020.

Eczema is a chronic inflammatory skin disease affecting over 30 million people in the U.S. alone.  Often resulting in a visible and itchy rash, recent discoveries have revealed a complex underlying biology of eczema involving the immune system and structural integrity of the skin.  While these advances have contributed to a vibrant pipeline of promising therapeutic options, many unanswered questions persist, and patients and families continue to be impacted by the physical discomfort, psychosocial burden and numerous comorbidities of eczema.  

"Amid the coronavirus pandemic and with so many shifting allocations of research resources, it is all the more critical that we remain steadfast in our support of innovative eczema research that can advance awareness and treatment of this prevalent skin disease," says Julie Block, president and CEO of NEA.

To date, NEA research grants have supported 37 novel research investigations and 31 unique grant awardees, resulting in over 2,900 citations of NEA-funded research publications. And, most importantly, NEA grants have spurred further investment in eczema research. For every $1 from NEA, grantees have collectively gone on to obtain an additional $11.84 in subsequent National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding to support further research.

For the 2020 funding cycle, NEA has grants available in each of the following categories:

• Engagement Research Grant – up to $5,000
  Small research grants for emerging investigators intended to explore a new research concept, pilot a new experiment or undertake a novel or secondary data analysis.
  
  
• Catalyst Research Grant – up to $50,000
  Grants designed to support talented early-career scientists on the path toward becoming the next generation of eczema thought leaders by supporting hypothesis-driven research projects.
  
  
• Eczema Champion Research Grant – up to $100,000
  Grants to encourage proven researchers to continue research on emerging or ongoing challenges in eczema or bring their expertise to the field of eczema.

Applications for 2020 Research Grants are requested for the following research priorities established by NEA's Scientific & Medical Advisory Council:

• Cutting Edge Basic & Translational Science
• Eczema Heterogeneity: Novel Insights
• Innovations in Clinical Practice & Care
• Understanding & Alleviating Disease Burden
• Eczema Prevention

More information can be found at NationalEczema.org/research/research-we-fund

About National Eczema Association (NEA)
Founded in 1988, NEA is the largest, 501(c)(3) non-profit, US patient advocacy organization serving people affected by eczema.  NEA's mission is to improve the health and quality of life for individuals with eczema through research, support and education.  For more on NEA, visit NationalEczema.org 

SOURCE National Eczema Association