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ALA/ATS/CHEST Respiratory Health Equity Research Award

American Thoracic Society

One grant is available for early-career investigators addressing topics on improving clinical outcomes in preventing and/or treating lung disease in groups disproportionately impacted within the U.S. or globally. This grant is co-funded by the American Lung Association, ATS, and CHEST.

$100,000 per year for two years

Timeline

Grant Portfolio Opens	January 20, 2026
Letters of Intent Due*	March 11, 2026
Invitations to Applicants	May 2026
Full Applications Due	July 1, 2026
Award Notification	September 2026
Grant Start Date	January 2027

AI Based Application Success Predictor

1. Strong alignment with ATS scientific priorities (highest predictor)

ATS explicitly funds research across its three core pillars:

Pulmonary medicine
Critical care
Sleep medicine

Competitive proposals usually fit clearly into one of these and often focus on:

lung disease mechanisms
pulmonary fibrosis
COPD
asthma
ARDS
mechanical ventilation
sleep-disordered breathing
respiratory health equity
translational or public-health respiratory research

ATS notes that funded projects should offer novel approaches to challenging lung diseases and improve patient outcomes.

2. Innovation + scientific merit of the proposal

This is often the biggest determinant.

Strong ATS applications typically show:

a focused and important hypothesis
innovative concept or methodology
clear specific aims
rigorous study design
realistic timeline
strong potential for measurable outcomes

ATS funds basic, clinical, translational, and public-health research, so both laboratory and patient-oriented studies can be competitive if the science is compelling.

3. Early-career investigator trajectory

ATS grants are heavily aimed at early-career investigators.

Strong applicants often demonstrate:

recent completion of fellowship / postdoctoral training
first- or senior-author publications
abstracts at ATS International Conference
clear research independence developing over time
evidence of commitment to academic pulmonary/critical care/sleep medicine

ATS eligibility specifically prioritizes investigators within roughly 0–10 years of terminal degree or training completion.

4. Strong mentorship and institutional support

A very important indirect predictor.

Successful applications usually show:

experienced mentor(s) in pulmonary, critical care, or sleep medicine
protected research time
strong research environment
access to patient cohorts / lab infrastructure / data support
institutional commitment to career development

For junior faculty, a strong mentor letter can make a major difference.

5. Potential to generate future NIH or major external funding

ATS places strong emphasis on career development and research pipeline building.

Competitive projects often produce:

pilot data
proof-of-concept findings
preliminary mechanistic data
publishable outcomes supporting future NIH K, R, or foundation applications

ATS reports that many funded investigators later go on to secure substantial NIH support.

6. Health equity / patient impact

This appears increasingly important in recent ATS cycles.

Especially competitive themes include:

disparities in respiratory care
access to pulmonary specialty care
global lung health
environmental exposure
underserved populations
measurable improvement in respiratory outcomes

Recent ATS awards specifically highlight health-equity research.

Specialties

Cardiothoracic Surgery

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must be early-career investigators for all ATS Research Program grants unless otherwise stated.

ATS defines early-career investigators as individuals within 0-10 years of receiving their terminal degree (e.g., MD, PhD) or completing postdoctoral training, if applicable. For the current grant cycle, this means that you must have received your terminal degree or completed postdoctoral training no earlier than 2016.

For MDs, postdoctoral training includes clinical sub-specialty training, but not research training.
For PhDs, this definition is inclusive of postdoctoral training.
never having received a non-mentored grant ≥ $100,000 per year for at least two years, e.g., PI on a NIH R01 grant.

Additional Eligibility Details

In addition to early-career investigator status, the following eligibility requirements apply to all grants unless otherwise specified. Review partner grant descriptions for requirements that may be specific to those opportunities.

Applicants must:

be an ATS member at the time of application OR include at least one key personnel who is an ATS member to submit a letter of intent
be an ATS member when the grant is awarded
have completed their primary research training (PhD or sub-specialty fellowship) by January 1, 2026
have a firm commitment from their home institution for a faculty position by the time the grant is awarded in January 2027
have not received two ATS Research Program grants or be a current ATS Research Program grantee

ATS considers exceptions to the early-stage investigator requirement for extenuating life circumstances such as parental or military leave. Sub-specialty training is not considered an extenuating circumstance.

If you have extenuating circumstances not related to sub-specialty training contact us before beginning a letter of intent or application.

ATS Emerging Voices in Health Research Grant Eligibility

The ATS Emerging Voices in Health Research grant supports early-career researchers from groups that have faced challenges and obstacles to entry and advancement in medicine, research, and academic health professions.

Applications are encouraged from individuals who:
•    are first-generation college graduates
•    come from an economically disadvantaged background
•    identify as women
•    are living with disabilities
•    may have lived experiences that reflect limited access to advancement opportunities

Through this grant, ATS aims to build a more inclusive, representative, and supportive professional community that reflects the diversity of the populations it serves.

International Applicants

The ATS defines international applicants as individuals not working at a US-based institution OR someone who does not reside or work in the United States.

ATS accepts submissions from international researchers unless otherwise specified. Review partner grant requirements, which may differ from ATS unrestricted and diversity grants.

ATS Policy on Grant Funding from Other Sources

Simultaneous submission of grants with scientific overlap to other funding agencies is allowed.

However, if multiple grants are funded, then the applicant must notify the Research Program within one month of formal award notification. A Scientific Grant Review Committee subcommittee will assess the degree of overlap. In the case of significant scientific overlap, the applicant will have to choose between the ATS research grant and the other grant.

Budgetary overlap is not allowed.

Applicants holding active career development grants (e.g., K award) are eligible to receive ATS funding, but the projects must be scientifically distinct.

Applicants with K99/R00 awards are eligible only if they are within the K99 phase of the award and the project is scientifically distinct.

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: American Thoracic Society

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: Church Street Station P.O. Box 3421 New York,

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