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Gina M. Finzi Memorial Student Summer Fellowship Program

Lupus Foundation of America

Purpose: To foster an interest among students in the areas of basic, clinical, translational, epidemiological, or behavioral research relevant to lupus. Students must work under the sponsorship and supervision of an established, promotion ladder faculty principal investigator who engages in clinical research or who directs a laboratory that is dedicated at least in part to the investigation of lupus at an academic, medical, or research institution. The institution must be in the U.S., Canada, or Mexico.

The Gina M. Finzi Memorial Student Summer Fellowship Program is a memorial tribute to Gina M. Finzi, the late daughter of former Lupus Foundation of America President Emeritus Sergio Finzi, PhD. Since 1984, Gina M. Finzi Memorial Student Summer Fellowship Program has supported the work of nearly 200 young investigators.

This year, Lupus Foundation of America is awarding five recipients at $4,000 each. The award funding is paid to the recipient’s institution, and the research must be conducted in the institution’s research lab or another appropriate research environment. The research project should span across 10 weeks during the months of May through September 2026.

AI Based Application Success Predictor

1. Explicit, Central Focus on Lupus (SLE)

The single strongest predictor is a proposal that directly advances lupus research, including:

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) mechanisms

Lupus nephritis

Neuropsychiatric lupus

Pediatric/juvenile lupus

Autoantibodies, B-cell & T-cell dysregulation

Innate immune activation, interferon signatures

Biomarker discovery (blood, urine, imaging)

Clinical trials, outcomes research

Lupus flares, disease prediction

Fatigue, quality of life, adherence

❗ Generic autoimmunity proposals score poorly unless strongly tied to lupus biology or lupus patients.

2. Fit to the Correct LFA Mechanism

Different LFA funding lines have different expectations:

🔹 Gina M. Finzi Memorial Fellowship

For trainees and early-career researchers

Emphasizes mentoring + scientific potential

Requires feasible, compact projects (1 year)

🔹 LFA Research Grants (Pilot → Mid-Scale)

For early- to mid-career PIs

Requires strong preliminary data

Focus on novel lupus mechanisms or biomarkers

🔹 LFA-Funded Clinical / Biomarker Consortia

Support translational or clinical-type studies

Require strong clinical access and collaboration

🔹 LFA Special Calls (e.g., pediatric lupus, LN biomarkers, disparities)

Require tight alignment with the specific topic

Predictor: Match your career stage, research maturity, and topic precisely to the mechanism.

3. High Innovation + Strong Clinical or Scientific Impact

LFA prioritizes research that can produce meaningful change in lupus care:

New biomarkers for early detection or flare prediction

Therapeutic targets (B cells, T cells, interferon pathways, complement)

Novel therapeutics or mechanisms of drug resistance

Precision medicine approaches

Multi-omics for lupus heterogeneity

Real-world impact on lupus outcomes, disparities, fatigue

Predictor: Clearly articulate why this will matter clinically for lupus patients.

4. Strong Preliminary Data

Even for early-career awards, successful applications typically provide:

Proof-of-concept experiments

Feasibility reports (assay working, cell lines, animal models)

Pilot data from lupus patients

Early biomarker signals

Predictor: Strong preliminary data greatly increases reviewer confidence.

5. Patient Sample Access or Relevant Models

LFA highly values clinically relevant lupus biology:

SLE patient samples (blood, urine, tissue)

Lupus nephritis kidney tissue

Reliable lupus mouse models (MRL/lpr, NZB/NZW F1)

Single-cell or bulk transcriptomics from lupus cohorts

Predictive computational models validated in real data

Predictor: Access to human lupus samples or well-validated models is crucial.

6. Clear, Feasible, Milestone-Based Aims

Most LFA grants are short-term (1–2 years), so strong proposals include:

2–3 focused Aims

Defined readouts (cytokines, autoantibodies, imaging, biomarkers)

Milestones with go/no-go criteria

Realistic timeline for a small award

Path to next-step NIH or foundation funding

Predictor: Tightly scoped, feasible Aims score highest.

7. Strong Mentorship (Critical for the Finzi Fellowship)

For trainees and early-stage investigators, success correlates heavily with:

A mentor deeply experienced in lupus research

Strong training plan

Regular meetings and oversight

Access to lupus clinics, cohorts, biobanks, animal models

A track record of mentor-funded trainees

Predictor: The mentor’s quality is one of the top scoring criteria for trainee mechanisms.

8. Clear Relevance to LFA Strategic Priorities

LFA is especially focused on:

Improving lupus diagnosis and flare prediction

Reducing disparities in diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes

Pediatric lupus (often severe and under-studied)

Lupus nephritis (biomarkers, treatment optimization)

Fatigue and quality of life

Treatment optimization and clinical effectiveness

Predictor: Direct alignment with these priority areas significantly strengthens an application.

9. High-Quality Writing & Scientific Rigor

Top-scoring LFA proposals are:

Very clearly written

Well-organized

Supported by compelling preliminary data figures

Explicit about potential pitfalls & alternatives

Strong in biostatistics and reproducibility plans

Easy for both clinical and basic reviewers to understand

Predictor: Strong writing substantially increases reviewer enthusiasm.

10. Path to Future Lupus Funding

LFA favors projects that can lead to:

NIH R21/R01/K-level applications

Clinical trial development

Biomarker qualification

Translational pipelines

Future patient-impact programs

Predictor: Show how the LFA grant propels your next major step.

🏆 Summary Table — LFA Success Predictors

Predictor	Why It Matters
Lupus/SLE-specific focus	Core mission requirement
Mechanism alignment	Ensures appropriate expectations
Innovation + impact	Major scoring factor
Preliminary data	Shows feasibility
Human samples/models	Strengthens relevance
Focused Specific Aims	Fits 1–2 year timelines
Strong mentorship	Essential for early-career awards
Alignment with LFA priorities	Improves competitiveness
Strong writing & rigor	Improves reviewer scoring
Future funding pathway	Fits LFA’s “catalytic” philosophy

Specialties

Clinical Trials

Eligibility Requirements

• The project must be in one of the following areas focused on lupus research: basic, clinical, translational, epidemiological, or behavioral research.

• The applicant is responsible for identifying a supervising sponsor who is an established, promotion ladder faculty principal investigator who directs a laboratory dedicated at least in part to the investigation of lupus at an academic, medical, or research institution.

• The institution where you’re conducting your research must be in the US, Canada, or Mexico.

• Eligible applicants include undergraduate and graduate/medical students. Awards will be allocated with a 2/5 share (40%) reserved for undergraduates and a 3/5 share (60%) reserved for graduate/medical students.

• Preference in selection for graduate/medical students will be given to graduate/medical students who have earned a baccalaureate degree (or will do so prior to official acceptance of the award).

• Awards may not be postponed for use in a later year or be carried out for two or more summers.

Eligible Countries:

Canada

Mexico

United States

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: Lupus Foundation of America

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: 2121 K Street NW, Suite 200 Washington, DC 20037

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