PSOM Update: Funding News & Opportunities

American Association of Immunologists (AAI) RESTORE Grants Program

The AAI RESTORE Grants Program is a newly launched emergency funding program of up to $8 million that will provide one-year grants of up to $100,000 to fund selected eligible immunology-focused research projects.

AAI created the RESTORE Grant Program in direct response to increasing reports from scientists whose NIH R- or K-series grants, as well as DP2/DP5 grants, were frozen or terminated due to non-scientific reasons. Applications are due August 28, 2025.

Human-Based Research and Animal Models

See statement regarding the NIH initiative to prioritize human-based research and its impact on the use of laboratory animals on the NIH Grants and Funding web site.

Note that the “NIH will continue to support grants that use laboratory animal models if scientifically appropriate, justifiable, and with appropriate animal welfare oversight.”

Use of AI in Grant Proposals

NIH has published a new policy on the use of AI in grant proposals – NOT-OD-25-132: Supporting Fairness and Originality in NIH Research Applications – which will be effective on September 25, 2025.

The policy updates NIH’s approach to AI and original ideas; research misconduct; and limits on applications in a calendar year.

Public Access Policy

The NIH has implemented public access policies, requiring free and immediate access to articles and datasets that result from federally funded research. The policy (linked on the NIH web site) was effective July 1, 2025.

Penn Libraries developed a guide to support researchers and authors in navigating these new policies. The guide features specific details about the NIH policy and will grow to include pages for each agency policy.

PSOM Resource Hub

Please be sure to visit our Resource Hub where helpful information concerning the current tools, updates, and resources supporting research are seamlessly featured – including the Human Resources Support and FAQs and Wellness pages.

Check out the new PSOM Matching Tool, developed to help departments identify and share available staff capacity.

Updates to the RAMPART tool

The Risk Assessment Model for Proposal and Award Rapid Testing (RAMPART) tool has been updated in two key ways since its initial release:

1. The risk assessment model is based on terms that appear significantly more common in grants that have been closed than grants that remain open.

2. An option to receive suggested alternatives to selected blocks of text that, if used, are predicted to reduce the grant’s risk.

Full announcement from ORS

Access the RAMPART tool via PennERA

Pivot-RP Funding Database

A second mechanism of support provided by the Office of the Vice Provost for Research to Penn researchers is Pivot-RP, a platform geared toward enhancing the discovery of sponsored research opportunities, making the process faster, more targeted, and more efficient. Pivot-RP also simplifies communication with potential collaborators by offering seamless ways to share opportunities.

John Templeton Foundation Grant

Submission deadline: August 15, 2025

The John Templeton Foundation is accepting applications for grants to support research and public engagement across a range of funding categories.

Please direct inquiries to: John Templeton Communications Team

The LLS Discovery Grant Program (DGP) is Now Open

Letter of Intent deadline: August 19, 2025, 3PM EDT

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is pleased to announce the 2025-2026 application cycle of the Discovery Grant Program (DGP), designed to encourage basic research, technological innovation, and informatics pipeline development for investigators researching leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, and all other rare blood cancers.

Important: Because of particular contractual requirements, any faculty interested in applying should first seek approval by emailing Michael Ostap, Chief Scientific Officer, and Robert Vonderheide, Director of the Abramson Cancer Center. Careful consideration of proprietary information or potential IP from the proposed work is required; if there are specific questions about IP, please contact Benjamin Dibling, Managing Director of the Penn Center for Innovation.

DOD Melanoma Funding Opportunities

Letter of Intent deadline: September 10, 2025

Melanoma Research Program Department of Defense, Defense Health Agency Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) featured Funding Opportunities for Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25). See website below for details regarding CDMRP funding opportunities in Melanoma research.

Please direct inquiries to: CDMRP Public Affairs

The LLS Translational Research Program (TRP) is Now Open

Letter of Intent deadline: October 16, 2025, 3PM EDT

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is pleased to announce the 2025-2026 application cycle of the Translational Research Program (TRP), which was formed to enhance the transfer of basic research findings to clinical usefulness.

PSOM Limited Application - Landenberger Research Foundation Awards

Submission deadline: August 25, 2025

The Perelman School of Medicine has been invited to nominate one candidate for the Margaret Q. Landenberger Research Foundation Awards.

Please direct inquiries to: Kaitlyn Hagarty

PERFORM-KUH TL1 - Next Application Round

Submission deadline: Late 2025-Early 2026

The Philadelphia Program for Mentored Research Training in Kidney, Urologic, and Hematologic Diseases (PERFORM-KUH) institutional network award would like to announce the next round of PERFORM-KUH grant applications! Please find attached the RFA to participate in this program. We ask you to identify students or post-doctoral fellows from within your research programs or labs, forward this information to them, and with your help, encourage your trainees to apply.

Please direct inquiries to: Adam Mussell

SBDRC Pilot Grants

Submission deadline: August 29, 2025

The Penn Skin Biology and Diseases Resource-based Center (Penn SBDRC) invites you to apply for Pilot & Feasibility (P&F) awards. As one of six NIAMS P30-supported centers nationwide, we aim to support and accelerate innovative and collaborative skin research with the potential to impact patient lives. Awards up to $50,000; 3 different funding mechanisms.

Please direct inquiries to: SBDRC

AI-4-AI Lab Observer Repository Pilot Awards

Submission deadline: August 29, 2025

The University of Pennsylvania's Artificial Intelligence for Ambulatory Care Innovation (AI-4-AI) Lab is pleased to announce its 2025 Request for Applications for the Observer Repository Pilot awards. Five grants of up to $20,000 each will support a one-year interdisciplinary project that use the Observer Repository - a unique dataset of video-recorded outpatient visits linked with EHR data and patient/provider metadata. This pilot program is supported by the Stephen J. Heyman AI Innovation Fund.

Please direct inquiries to: Lauren Malloy

NIH/NIDDK UPENN Digestive and Liver Center Pilot and Feasibility Grant Program

Submission deadline: September 12, 2025

The UPenn Digestive and Liver Center invites you to apply for a Pilot & Feasibility (P&F) award. As a NIDDK P30-supported DDRCC, we aim to support and unite investigators with interests in digestive and liver physiology and disease and to stimulate others in the biomedical community to enter this area. Awards are $40,000/year.

Please direct inquiries to: Lillian Chau

Frontiers Planet Prize - 4th Edition

Submission deadline: September 30, 2025

The $1M Frontiers Planet Prize recognizes exceptional scientists enhancing our understanding of planetary health and developing solutions to stay within safe operating limits. The deadline for the internal submission is Sept. 30, 2025. Read the full posting for eligibility guidelines, criteria, and detail on the Penn internal selection process.

Please direct inquiries to: Ximena Trujillo

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