NIA Funding Available for Behavioral Research on Alzheimer’s Disease

The National Institute on Aging (NIA) has announced funding for individual scientists using behavioral and social science research perspectives to address the challenges raised by Alzheimer’s disease and its related dementias (AD/ADRD). Psychological scientists are encouraged to apply.

This NIA funding opportunity is called the NIA Behavioral and Social Research LEaders in Alzheimer’s Disease and its Related Dementias (LEADR) program.

LEADR “supports individual scientists of exceptional creativity who propose to use behavioral and social science perspectives and approaches for highly innovative, impactful, and potentially transformative theoretical, empirical, and clinical research addressing the challenges raised by AD/ADRD for individuals, their families, and society,” the announcement reads.

The announcement outlines priority areas for the program that include, but are not limited to:

• Identification of behavioral and social risk factors and approaches to advancing understanding of causal pathways
• The role of social, contextual, environmental, and institutional factors in promoting or delaying AD/ADRD and cognitive age changes.
• The biological and genetic paths through which social, environmental, and contextual factors may work to affect AD/ADRD.
• The unique challenges for individuals with AD/ADRD from vulnerable or high-risk populations, including individuals living alone, the homeless, and sexual and gender minorities.

A full list of other priority topics is listed in the funding announcement. 

NIA intends to commit $1.6 million to fund these awards in 2020. Letters of intent are due January 3, 2020 and the full application is due February 3, 2020.

For a more extensive list of NIA funding priorities, and to view the full request for applications, click here.