Upcoming Research Opportunities

Open opportunities (fellowships, awards, training, research, funding, career, etc.) of interest to NEALS members can be found here. Please contact Christina Smith, NEALS Communications Coordinator, at csmith@neals.org to submit an announcement for posting on the website.

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We are hiring a postdoctoral researcher!
An exciting opportunity to join our new project on MRI-based imaging biomarker development in ALS. The appointment will be at the Center for Magnetic Resonance Research (CMRR) at the University of Minnesota. The CMRR is one of the world’s premier magnetic resonance imaging facilities, with considerable expertise in imaging physics, engineering, and clinical research. Further details and a formal application link are available at

https://hr.myu.umn.edu/jobs/ext/359206

CVs and/or informal inquiries about the position may be emailed to Pramod Pisharady at email hidden; JavaScript is required before submitting a formal application.


Challenge Works, a not-for-profit enterprise owned by Nesta, the UK's innovation agency for social good, has launched a £7.5 million (~$10 million) international program to incentivize the use of AI-based approaches to transform therapeutic discovery for the treatment of ALS. This five-year prize will see global multidisciplinary teams compete in a three-phased program to identify, prioritize, and validate high-potential therapeutic targets for ALS. Aside from funding, the prize will also support multidisciplinary teams by providing a wide range of resources, including robust datasets, computational power, technical expertise, and partnership opportunities. Submissions must be received by December 3, 2025.

Learn More.

Richard Olney Clinician Scientist Development Award in ALS

This award, funded by the ALS Association and American Brain Foundation in collaboration with AAN, aims to encourage early career investigators in ALS clinical studies by providing $75,000 per year for three years, plus a $5,000 per year stipend to support education and research-related costs. Applicants must be AAN members interested in an academic career in neurological research and have completed a residency or Ph.D. no more than seven years prior to the beginning of this award (July 1, 2026). All applications must be received by September 9, 2025.

Learn More.

We are pleased to announce that applications are now open for the Live Like Lou Foundation's 2025-2026 Postdoctoral Fellowship. This award is intended to encourage and expand the number of early-career scientists conducting innovative neurodegenerative disease research aimed at finding treatments or cures for ALS. The 2025 program will award two early-career scientists up to $75,000 annually for two years, and applications are due by July 7, 2025.

APPLY TODAY

MDA provides support for research throughout the pipeline of drug development from discovery research through clinical trials. Funding opportunities exist for both academic investigators as well as for biotech and pharma seeking to develop therapies for neuromuscular disease.

Learn about all our grant programs and find deadlines and instructions on how to apply.

Sean M. Healey International Prize for Innovation in ALS

The annual Sean M. Healey International Prize for Innovation in ALS is a global prize celebrating excellence in research for a team of investigators who catalyze exceptional discoveries leading to a transformative advance in therapy development in ALS. Novel advances could include, but are not limited to, technologies, tools or targets that lead to new insight, drug development, or clinical trial improvement.

Nominations Due: Wednesday, July 9th at 5pm EST

Presentation of award: International Symposium on ALS/MND December 5-7, 2025

Award: $50,000 USD and travel reimbursement up to $2,500 USD to attend International Symposium on ALS/MND

To learn more about the 7th annual prize and how to nominate a team, click here.

Please send questions to: email hidden; JavaScript is required

To learn more about all of the awards offered through the Healey & AMG Center:

Prizes Recognizing Innovation in ALS

To learn more about the Healey & AMG Center for ALS: https://www.massgeneral.org/neurology/als/

Clinical Research Training Scholarship in ALS

This award, funded by the ALS Association and American Brain Foundation in collaboration with the American Academy of Neurology (AAN), aims to encourage early career investigators in ALS clinical studies by providing $65,000 per year for two years, plus a $10,000 per year stipend to support education and research-related costs. Applicants must be interested in an academic career in neurological research and have completed a residency or Ph.D. no more than five years prior to the beginning of the award (July 1, 2026). All applications must be received by September 9, 2025.

Learn More.

The three-year Award supports newly independent faculty engaged in basic or translational biomedical research. Investigators in the physical sciences (physics, chemistry, and engineering) whose projects focus on biomedical science are also encouraged to apply. While basic research projects involving human subjects, data, and samples are eligible, clinical trials research is beyond the scope of this program.

*location restrictions apply

Due date for applications: Wednesday, July 9, 2025

To learn more: Smith Family Awards Program for Excellence in Biomedical Research

The 2025 Cure One, Cure Many Award in Neuroinflammation is a groundbreaking, multimillion-dollar research initiative focused on better understanding neuroinflammation’s role in brain disease, and promises to transform the future of brain health. It will be carried out through two types of grants, Breakthrough Grants and Catalyst Grants, supporting high-risk, high-reward translational research with a focus on clinical impact.

Due Date for pre-proposals: Tuesday, July 15, 2025

To learn more: American Brain Foundation’s Cure One, Cure Many Award

The Drs. Ayeez and Shelena Lalji & Family ALS Endowed Award for Innovative Healing is a global award celebrating excellence in research for an individual or team of investigators who are making transformative breakthroughs in the science of repair and regeneration of neurological function. Our goal is to identify and recognize therapies and modalities to regain loss of neurol function in ALS or that may be applied in ALS patients in the future.

Due date for applications: Friday, July 18, 2025

To learn more: 2025 Drs. Ayeez and Shelena Lalji & Family Award for Innovative Healing


The Beckman Young Investigator (BYI) Program provides research support to the most promising young faculty members in the early stages of their academic careers in the chemical and life sciences, particularly to foster the invention of methods, instruments and materials that will open up new avenues of research in science.

Due date for letter of intent: Friday, August 1, 2025

To learn more: Beckman Young Investigator Program

The Springboard Fellowship is focused on supporting senior lab fellows to transition to an independent academic tenure track or equivalent position. This fellowship is designed to support and advance scientists pursuing careers in ALS/FTD research. Target ALS is especially interested in proposals that tackle fundamental questions of ALS/FTD disease biology for sporadic and genetic forms of the disease.

Due date for proposals: Tuesday, September 2, 2025

To learn more: Target ALS Springboard Fellowship

The Drs. Ayeez and Shelena Lalji & Family ALS Endowed Award for Innovative Healing is a global award celebrating excellence in research for an individual or team of investigators who are making transformative breakthroughs in the science of repair and regeneration of neurological function. The goal is to identify and recognize therapies and modalities to regain loss of neurol function in ALS or that may be applied in ALS patients in the future.

Due date for nominations: Wednesday, September 3, 2025

To learn more: 2025 Drs. Ayeez and Shelena Lalji & Family Award for Innovative Healing

The AAN is currently accepting applications for multiple grants and awards listed below.

• Career Development Award• Neuroscience Research Training Scholarship• Practice Research Training Scholarship

*Applicants can only be eligible for one award and will not be accepted for multiple AAN research program grants.

Due date for applications: Tuesday, September 9, 2025

To learn more: AAN Research Programs

This program strives to provide greater access to multidisciplinary care by supporting the establishment of new ALS Association Certified Treatment Centers of Excellence and Recognized Treatment Centers to address underserved and unserved communities or the elevation of existing affiliated clinics to the level of Certified Treatment Centers of Excellence or Recognized Treatment Centers.

Learn More: https://www.als.org/sites/defa...

Letters of intent are due by August 19 at 1 p.m. U.S. EDT.

The purpose of this program is to increase access to and utilization of multidisciplinary care by supporting the addition of ALS-specific clinic days or developing/increasing access to telehealth services or other remote clinic approaches.

Learn More: https://www.als.org/sites/defa...

Letters of intent are due by August 19 at 1 p.m. U.S. EDT.

Provided by the American Philosophical Society, the Daland Fellowships in Clinical Investigation are awarded for research with emphasis on patient-oriented research. The fellowship is usually intended to be the first post-clinical-training fellowship, but each case will be decided on its merits.

Due date for applications: Monday, September 15, 2025

To learn more: Daland Fellowships in Clinical Investigation