Research Awards

At National CMV, we fund research and work to influence research priorities regarding CMV prevention, treatment, and intervention. Learn more about our grant opportunities below.

Early Career Congenital CMV Research Award

The National CMV Foundation is pleased to fund innovative research related to maternal or congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections. These awards are made possible by individual, charitable contributions to the National CMV Foundation in support of research that will lead to the elimination pregnancy loss, childhood death, and disabilities due to congenital CMV infection.

2024 Award
The National CMV Foundation (NCMVF) Early Career Congenital CMV Research Award is a $15,000-30,000 award to fund innovative research related to maternal or congenital CMV infections. Preference will be given to projects in areas including, but not limited to, health services implementation, proof of concept or program evaluation, CMV disparities, public health messaging, prevention, treatment, or outcomes.

Eligibility
Priority will be given to early career researchers including mentored pre- and post-doctoral trainees or junior faculty members who have not been a principal investigator (PI) on a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant. Trainee applicants must provide a letter of support and a mentoring plan from the Mentor. Mid-career researchers may be considered if congenital CMV is a new area for their research. Applications will be accepted from researchers in the United States and Canada.

2024 Important Dates
Applications for awards must be submitted electronically to grants@nationalcmv.org by 11:59pm EST on July 31, 2024. Late applications will not be considered. 
 
• July 31, 2024 11:59 eastern time– Award applications due
 
• November 1, 2024 – Award recipient announced
 
• November 15, 2024 – Funding available

To submit an application for the 2024 Early Career Research Award, please review the information here. 

Previous Awardees
Learn more about our previous ECRA recipients and their completed/proposed studies at the links below.

2022
Dr. Elisabeth McClymont and Ms. Claire Otero

2020
Jennifer Jenks, M.D., PhD Candidate, Duke University
Fatima Kakkar, M.D., MPH, CHU Sainte-Justine
Megan Pesch, M.D., University of Michigan

2019
Swetha Pinninti, M.D. University of Alabama Birmingham
Maria Talavera, DO Nationwide Children's Hospital, 2022 Blog Update

2018
Paul Lantos, M.D. Duke University 
 

Pediatric Infectious Disease Society (PIDS) CMV Fellowship Award for CMV Research

The PIDS Fellowship Award for CMV Research, established by the National CMV Foundation, will specifically fund Pediatric Infectious Disease basic or clinical research focused on congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV). This award is a two-year award at $25,000 per year (inclusive of 8% indirect costs), with renewal in the second-year dependent upon satisfactory research progress, for trainees with an MD, PhD, or MD-PhD degree. All applicants must have a mentor (primary or co-supervisor) who is an active PIDS member, and the award may be used at the discretion of the applicant, including salary support, purchase of small equipment, technical support, or research supplies. 

Learn more about our 2017 recipient, Dr. Frances Saccoccio from Duke University Medical Center, and her completed study!