The National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF) is offering Bridge Grants to support researchers who have submitted meritorious but unfunded K-type (career development) and R-type (investigator-initiated) applications to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), or similar funding body, with a focus on psoriatic disease or its comorbidities. Through this opportunity, NPF provides a critical year of additional support until additional funding can be secured. In line with NPF’s mission, Bridge Grants will help support those with a long-term commitment to psoriatic disease research, and who will go on to make discoveries that bring us closer to a cure for psoriatic disease and improve patients’ lives.
Applicants may request up to $50,000 (direct costs only) for a K-type bridge or up to $100,000 (direct costs only) for an R-type bridge per year. The total project period for the application submitted is one year, from October 1st to September 30th.
Applications for the 2026 funding cycle are due Friday, January 30, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. ET. Award notifications are anticipated by June 30.
The strongest predictor is that the proposal directly advances understanding or treatment of:
Psoriasis (plaque, guttate, erythrodermic, pustular forms)
Psoriatic arthritis (lining up with GRAPPA/ACR priorities)
Immune pathways central to psoriatic disease:
IL-17 / IL-23 / Th17 axis
TNF pathways
JAK/STAT signaling
Skin barrier & keratinocyte biology
Itch, pain, fatigue, comorbidities (CV disease, metabolic syndrome, IBD, depression)
❗ Generic dermatology or immunology grants rarely succeed unless strongly tied to psoriasis/PsA pathogenesis or outcomes.
Each mechanism has specific expectations:
| Mechanism | Ideal Candidate | Key Emphasis |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery Grants | Early ideas | Novelty + feasibility |
| Translational Grants | Mid-career | Human relevance + clinical trajectory |
| Early Career Research Awards | New faculty | Mentorship + trajectory + preliminary data |
| Milestones to a Cure Awards | Established teams | High-impact, patient-centered advances |
| Health Outcomes Research Grants | Clinicians & population scientists | Real-world impact, QI, disparities |
| Psoriatic Arthritis Grants | Rheumatology focus | Patient involvement + biomarker/therapy relevance |
Predictor: Matching career stage + aim + impact to the mechanism substantially increases scoring.
NPF loves fresh, bold ideas with visible clinical importance:
Novel targets or pathways
Treatment optimization & combination strategies
New biomarkers of response/remission
Digital health / remote monitoring
Understanding early PsA development (transition from skin → joint)
Tools reducing treatment burden or disparities
Predictor: Innovation that leads to better outcomes or quality of life is highly rewarded.
Even for Discovery grants, competitive proposals typically include:
PsO/PsA patient samples (blood, skin biopsies, synovial tissue)
Established mouse/complementary models (e.g., imiquimod-induced)
scRNA-seq or spatial data from psoriatic lesions
Real-world clinical cohorts
Predictor: Strong human relevance significantly increases feasibility and impact.
Not always required — but highly correlated with success.
Examples:
Cytokine expression differences in lesional samples
Pilot omics or bioinformatics signals
Early proof-of-concept treatment responses
Recruitment feasibility (for clinical studies)
Predictor: Preliminary data is a top differentiator for funding.
High-priority areas include:
Treat-to-target in psoriasis/PsA
Disease prevention (esp. PsA prevention)
Health equity and access to biologics
Comorbidity burden reduction
Pediatric psoriasis
Early treatment to prevent joint damage
Quality of life improvements
Predictor: Strong alignment with strategic priorities improves scores.
Reviewers consider:
First or co-first author publications in psoriatic disease or related fields
Clear independence from mentors
Long-term research vision in PsO/PsA
Evidence of productivity and grant-writing ability
Predictor: Demonstrated commitment to psoriatic disease science is key.
Critical for early-stage mechanisms:
Mentor(s) with strong psoriasis/PsA expertise
Protected research time
Access to patient population & immunology cores
Institutional support letters with explicit commitments
Predictor: Strong environment = high confidence in success.
Especially valued in outcomes research:
Involving patients in study design or advisory roles
Real-world endpoints: fatigue, itch, QoL, flares, satisfaction
Cost-effectiveness & adherence strategies
Reducing disparities in treatment access
Predictor: Demonstrated patient benefit strengthens impact scoring.
Funded proposals are:
Well-scoped for a 1–2 year project
2–3 testable and hypothesis-driven aims
Include go/no-go checkpoints
Have contingency plans and measurable deliverables
Predictor: Clean structure and feasibility are essential to approval.
| Predictor | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Psoriasis/PsA relevance | Core mission requirement |
| Mechanism alignment | Ensures appropriate expectations |
| Innovation with patient impact | Central scoring category |
| Human relevance | Boosts translational value |
| Preliminary data | Demonstrates feasibility |
| Strategic priority alignment | Improves competitiveness |
| Strong PI/mentorship | Increases reviewer confidence |
| Patient-centered design | Adds meaningful clinical impact |
| Focused Aims & milestones | Fits NPF timeline and scope |
| Strong writing & analysis plan | Boosts reviewer enthusiasm |
The principal investigator must be personally and actively responsible for the conduct of the proposed research, and eligible to apply for research grants under the guidelines of the applicant’s host institution. The project proposed must have been submitted as an unfunded application for either a K-type or R-type (or equivalent) award focused on psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, or related comorbidities.
Sponsor Institute/Organizations: National Psoriasis Foundation
Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit
Address: 1800 Diagonal Rd., #360 Alexandria, VA 22314
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Jan 30, 2026
Jan 30, 2026
$50,000
Affiliation: National Psoriasis Foundation
Address: 1800 Diagonal Rd., #360 Alexandria, VA 22314
Website URL: https://www.psoriasis.org/bridge-grants/
Disclaimer:It is mandatory that all applicants carry workplace liability insurance, e.g., https://www.protrip-world-liability.com (Erasmus students use this package and typically costs around 5 € per month - please check) in addition to health insurance when you join any of the onsite Trialect partnered fellowships.