Grants

Apply for a Grant

The VHL Alliance (VHLA) is committed to finding a cure for Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease through research, education, and patient support. As the largest source of funding for VHL research worldwide, the VHLA has awarded over $3,000,000 in research grants since its founding. VHLA’s Competitive Research Grant Program supports groundbreaking research that aims to advance our understanding of VHL disease, improve detection and treatment options, and, ultimately, find a cure.

 

The VHLA awards three types of grants annually: one (1) Pilot Grant, one (1) Research Grant, and two (2) Postdoctoral Fellowship Grants.

 

International applicants are welcome to apply.

Grant Mechanisms

  • Pilot Grant
    $25k
    Who Can Apply: New and existing VHL researchers, including those exploring innovative ideas and approaches to VHL diagnosis, treatment, or prevention.

    Purpose: This grant encourages researchers to explore important issues in VHL and pursue paradigm-shifting ideas. The goal is to foster new research directions that could significantly impact VHL care.

    Funding: $25,000 for one year.

    Deadlines: November 1, 2024 (Letter of Intent); January 17, 2025 (Full application, by invitation only).
  • Research Grant
    $100k over two years
    Who Can Apply: Researchers aiming to contribute new insights into the basic biology of VHL disease, improve early detection, or develop new treatments.

    Purpose: To support studies that will offer meaningful contributions to VHL research, focusing on understanding the disease at a fundamental level and developing new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.

    Funding: $100,000 over two years.

    Deadlines: November 1, 2024 (Letter of Intent); January 17, 2025 (Full application, by invitation only).
  • Postdoctoral Fellowship Grant
    $100k over two years
    Who Can Apply: Promising postdoctoral scientists with ≤ 3 years of experience who are committed to careers focused on VHL research.

    Purpose: This grant is designed to attract and support postdoctoral researchers dedicated to the study of VHL and to build a pipeline of future leaders in the field of VHL research.

    Funding: $100,000 over two years.

    Deadlines: November 1, 2024 (Letter of Intent); January 17, 2025 (Full application, by invitation only).

Application & Peer Review Process

The VHLA grant application process follows a structured pathway to ensure that only the highest-quality proposals are considered for funding. Below is a detailed overview of the process:

 

Letter of Intent (LOI):

All interested applicants must submit an LOI by November 1, 2024. The LOI should not exceed one page and must include:

 

Name of the principal investigator (PI).

– Brief description of the PI’s qualifications to undertake the proposed project.

– The type of award being sought (Pilot, Research, or Postdoctoral Fellowship).

– A brief project description that emphasizes relevance to VHL, including background, hypothesis, specific aims, and impact on VHL patient care.

– For Postdoctoral Fellowship applicants: Please also include the name and qualifications of the mentor under whose guidance the research will be conducted.

 

LOIs should be submitted via email to [email protected].

 

Full Application Submission:

LOIs will undergo peer review, and applicants will be notified of their status (either rejected or advanced) by November 17, 2024. Full applications will be accepted by invitation only and must be submitted by January 17, 2025.

 

Peer Review Process:

Full applications will be reviewed in a session on March 11, 2025, by a panel of experts in VHL research. The review will assess scientific merit, relevance to VHLA’s mission, and potential for significant impact on VHL patient care.

 

Grantee Announcement:

Successful applicants will be notified of their award by April 11, 2025.

 

Project Start Date:

The earliest project start date for awarded grants is May 1, 2025.

2024 Research Grant Dates and Deadlines:

 

August 30, 2024: Grant Invitation Emailed
November 1, 2024: Letter of Intent Deadline
November 17, 2024: LOI Applicants Notified of Status
January 17, 2025: Application Deadline
March 11, 2025: Grant Application Review Session
April 11, 2025: Grantee Announcement
May 1, 2025: Earliest Project Start Date

Additional Funding Opportunities

Previous Grant Recipients

Dr. Samra Turajlic,  Francis Crick Institute (UK)

 

Dr. Mei Yee Koh, University of Utah (US)

 

Dr. Reut Halperin, ENTIRE Research Center (Israel)

John Chappell, PhD, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion


Alessandro Larcher, MD, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele


Patricia Dahia MD, PhD, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

 

Alice Soragni, PhD, UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine

Eric Jonasch, MD, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center


Amit Tirosh, MD, Sheba Medical Center

 

David Zagzag, MD, PHD, NYU Langone Medical Center

Bettie Gardie PhD, INSERM (Institut national de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale)


Anna Matynia, PhD, Stein Eye Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles

 

Barbara A. Mysona PhD, Augusta University

Othon Iliopoulos, MD, PhD Massachusetts General Hospital

Raymond Kim, MD, PhD University of Toronto

Haifeng Yang PhD, Thomas Jefferson University

Ruhee Dure, PhD, Baylor College of Medicine

Dhaval Patel, MD, NIH, National Cancer Institute

Michael B. Gorin, MD, PhD, University of California

Raymond Kim, MD, PhD, University of Toronto

Ian Frew, PhD, University of Zurich, Switzerland

 

A.N.A. van der Horst-Schrivers, MD, PhD, University Medical Center Groningen in The Netherlands

Othon Iliopoulos, MD, PhD, Massachusetts General Hospital

Daniel Segal, PhD, Tel Aviv University

Eamonn R. Maher, MD, FRCP, University of Birmingham

Haifeng Yang, PhD, Cleveland Clinic

Brenda Petrella, PhD, Dartmouth Medical School

Rachel Giles, PhD, University Medical Center Utrecht

Thera P. Links, MD, PhD, University Medical Centre Groningen

Thera P. Links, MD, PhD, University Medical Centre Groningen

James Handa, MD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Rupal Bhatt, MD, PhD, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Armin Pause, PhD, McGill Universit

Bin Teh, MD, PhD, Van Andel Institute

Donald Bellgrau, PhD, University of Colorado, Denver

Donald Bellgrau, PhD, University of Colorado, Denver

 

George V. Thomas, MD, Oregon Health and Science University’s Knight Cancer Institute

Robert Weiss, MD, University of California

Susanne Schlisio, PhD, Ludwig Institute for Cancer

W. Kimryn Rathmell, MD, PhD, University of North Carolina

Shufen Chen, MD, PhD, University of North Carolina

Ian Frew, PhD, University of Zurich

Andrea Ruxandra-Schmitzer, PhD, University of Montreal

Judith Frydman, PhD, Stanford University

Judith Frydman, PhD, Stanford University

Michael Zimmer, PhD, Massachusetts General Hospital

Daniel J. George, MD, Duke University Medical Center

Daniel J. George, MD, Duke University Medical Center

Tien Hsu, PhD, Boston University Medical Center

Pierre Jacomet, MD, Catholic University Medical Center

Maria Czyzyk-Krzeska, MD, PhD, University of Cincinnati

Robert J. Duronio, PhD, University of North Carolina

Maria Czyzyk-Krzeska, MD, PhD, University of Cincinnati

 

Robert J. Duronio, PhD, University of North Carolina

 

Shahriar Koochekpour, MD, PhD, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center

 

Ehud Gazit, PhD, Tel Aviv University

Maria Czyzyk-Krzeska, MD, PhD, University of Cincinnati

 

Shahriar Koochekpour, MD, PhD, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center

James R. Gnarra, PhD, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

James R. Gnarra, PhD, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

 

Robert D. Burk, MD, Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University