IOA Research Scholar Program

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Temporary Pause of the 2025-2026 IOA Research Scholar Program

We will be pausing our IOA Research Scholars Program for FY 2025-2026.  We will keep you informed about any updates and look forward to resuming the program when the situation allows.

Please contact Kathy Jedrziewski at jedrzmk@pennmedicine.upenn.edu with any questions or concerns. 

The IOA Research Scholar Program consists of the John Q. Trojanowski Research Scholar Award and the Joseph A. Brennan Research Scholar Award and will provide support to two scholars per year. 

2024-2025 IOA Research Scholars

  • John Q. Trojanowski Research Scholar
    Silvia Porta Antolinez, PhD
     
  • Joseph A. Brennan Research Scholar
    Emma Rhodes, PhD

 

  • Research Scholars must be early career investigators and can apply for up to $50,000 (direct funds) to support their aging and/or neurodegenerative disease related research during a one-year period, July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026.
  • University of Pennsylvania faculty at the Assistant Professor or Instructor level who qualify as NIH-defined early stage investigators are eligible to apply. Well qualified postdoctoral trainees are also eligible to apply for up to $25,000 (direct funds) for a one-year period.

The primary criterion for selection is the investigator’s promise in the fields of neurodegenerative disease and/or aging.  However, an area or body of research pursued should be clearly described in the application. All types of research are acceptable provided the focus is on aging and/or neurodegenerative disease. Funds requested can include some salary support, but the majority of the funds should support research costs and a clear budget justification describing how the funds will support your career development goals should be included with the application.

Applicants must designate an affiliation with one of the four divisions within IOA: 1) Basic Neurodegenerative Disease Research, 2) Clinical and Translational Neurodegenerative Disease Research, 3) Geroscience, Gerontology, and Geriatrics, or 4) Epidemiology, Social Science, and Policy.

These awards are for one year and are not renewable; all funds must be spent within the one-year time period. A brief final report is required, as well as a financial report outlining how the funds were spent.

  1. Title page with your name, contact information (including email address), IOA Division affiliation and a description of your career development goals – limit to one page
  2. NIH Biosketch
  3. NIH Other Support
  4. Specific Aims page describing your research plans – limit to one page
  5. Letter of support from your Division Leader or Department Chair
  6. Budget with detailed budget justification outlining how the funds will support your career development goals (does not need to be on NIH budget form)

For more information, contact Kathy Jedrziewski, IOA Deputy Director at jedrzmk@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

Email full application as a single PDF to Kathy Jedrziewski, jedrzmk@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

2023-2024

  • John Q. Trojanowski Research Scholar
    Yanxiang Deng, PhD
    Project: Spatially resolved multi-omics profiling of human hippocampus in Aging and Alzheimer's Disease
     
  • Joseph A. Brennan Research Scholar
    Kyra O'Brien, MD
    Project:     Prospective observational study of the clinical utility and impact of a plasma p-tau181 biomarker for Alzheimer's disease