Dalsemer Interstitial Research Award

The American Lung Association Dalsemer Interstitial Research Award is part of the American Lung Association nationwide research program, which builds on more than 120 years of investment in research intended to improve the lives of people living with lung disease. The award is a mentored research opportunity designed to provide seed funding to junior investigators who are progressing toward research independence. Its specific purpose is to support research into the mechanisms and biology of interstitial lung disease. Applicants should be on track to pursue careers in lung health research and must work with mentors who have demonstrated histories of lung disease research and mentorship. The award provides $50,000 per year for up to two years. Awards are made in one-year increments, with second-year support dependent on satisfactory progress and the availability of American Lung Association funding. No more than 75 percent of the requested budget may be used for the awardee's salary and fringe benefits, and no more than 30 percent of the total award budget may be used for permanent equipment. Up to $2,500 per year may be used for travel or publication costs directly related to the funded project. Indirect costs are not allowed. Funds may support salary and fringe benefits for personnel other than the applicant, but the award may not be used for furniture, computers, facility construction or renovation, honoraria, membership dues, tuition, textbooks, periodicals, or secretarial support. The institutional salary limitation for the applicant is $212,000, and salary support for intramural NIH-funded scientists is not permitted. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States and, at the time of application, must hold a relevant doctoral degree such as a PhD, DSc, MD, or DO and be affiliated with a recognized academic or other not-for-profit institution. The research institution must be nonprofit, located in the United States, and owned and operated exclusively for scientific and educational purposes. Eligible institutions include nonprofit colleges and universities and domestic nonprofit scientific and research institutions. Postdoctoral Fellows and Medical Fellows seeking to complete at least two years of mentored research training are eligible. MD and DO applicants must have completed two years of research training after receiving their terminal degree before the award begins. Medical residents, individuals currently enrolled in degree programs, and established investigators are ineligible. The award is intended for investigators prior to receiving career-development awards such as NIH K08, K23, K99, or similar awards. An applicant may submit only one American Lung Association Awards and Grants application per annual cycle and may receive this grant only once. Applications are submitted electronically through ProposalCentral. Required application material includes applicant and institutional information, personnel information, three letters of recommendation including a mentor letter, responses addressing significance to the American Lung Association mission and resubmission when applicable, general and technical project summaries, scientific and research categories, resources and facilities information, detailed budget information and justification, Other Support, assurances, publications, an applicant biographical sketch, and a research plan. The research plan includes a Specific Aims section limited to one page and a Research Strategy limited to six pages covering Significance, Innovation, and Approach. References may not exceed five pages. A separate Department Head Statement on institutional letterhead is also required, resulting in four letters in total when combined with the three recommendation letters. Applications must use English and generally use Arial 11-point font with margins of at least one-half inch, and attachments must be uploaded as PDF files. Eligible applications undergo rigorous external peer review. Review factors include scientific rigor and feasibility, study design, methods and analysis, likelihood of completing the work during the project period, relevance to the American Lung Association mission, significance to lung health research, innovation, the applicant's education and experience, recommendation letters, research environment, mentorship plan, and the likelihood that the applicant will pursue an ongoing career in interstitial lung health research. The Department Chair or equivalent must clearly assure a faculty or professional research appointment and demonstrate institutional commitment before the award begins. Applicants should therefore present a rigorous and feasible project, establish the importance and innovation of the proposed research, and clearly document the quality of the mentoring environment and institutional support. Applications are accepted beginning August 5, 2026, and must be submitted through ProposalCentral by December 1, 2026, at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. Peer review occurs from January through April, outcome notifications are scheduled for June 2027, and the research term begins July 1, 2027. The stated American Lung Association award period is July 1, 2027 through June 30, 2029, subject to annual review and renewal conditions. Applicants conducting research involving human subjects, animals, or biohazards must comply with applicable requirements, and required IRB or IACUC approvals must be supplied before an award begins or the award may be administratively withdrawn and payments withheld. Electronic application assistance is available from ProposalCentral at pcsupport@altum.com and 1-800-875-2562. Applicants must validate the completed application and then electronically submit it through ProposalCentral by the deadline.

Emphasize scientific rigor and feasibility, mission relevance, significance to lung health, innovation, applicant qualifications, research environment, and a strong mentorship plan. Clearly demonstrate the applicant's likelihood of continuing a career in interstitial lung health research and secure an explicit Department Head commitment before award commencement. Follow formatting and PDF attachment requirements carefully because noncompliance may cause administrative withdrawal. Provide complete Other Support information and avoid budgetary duplication or prohibited scientific overlap. Ensure three distinct recommendation letters plus the separate Department Head Statement are included.