Purpose of Grant Awards
IFFGD began awarding Research Grants in 2007 (and Research Awards in 2003). These grants are in addition to the IFFGD Research Awards. IFFGD grants provide funding for research relevant to understanding and managing functional gastrointestinal (GI) and motility disorders.
Our goal is to support high-quality research that will ultimately lead to improvements in the care of patients with these disorders. IFFGD’s mission is patient-oriented. Hence, preference is given to supporting clinical research and basic research that is translational in nature.
Competitive Grants
Competitive grants follow a procedure in which applications are reviewed and scored by a Selection Committee that operates independently from IFFGD staff. The availability of these grants is announced to the research community through multiple channels.
Selection Process for Competitive Grants
The Selection Committee members are representative of the field of gastroenterology. Members review and evaluate applications based on a number of considerations, such as scientific merit, significance to the field, and feasibility. Potential conflicts of interest involving reviewers are identified and avoided in accord with NIH guidelines. Reviewers privately score each application and scores are tabulated by IFFGD. A review meeting is convened where one member serves as chair and conducts the meeting. Applications are considered and ranked by reviewers. Selection is made based on a composite of factors.
2023 IFFGD Innovative Research Grant for GI Disorders
In March 2023, The International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders (IFFGD) awarded one research grant of $35,000 for innovative research related to gastrointestinal disorders.
2022 IFFGD Innovative Research Grant for GI Disorders
In March 2022, The International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders (IFFGD) awarded one research grant of $30,000 for innovative research related to gastrointestinal disorders.
2014 IFFGD Idiopathic Gastroparesis Grants
Three grant awards of $40,000 have been made to three investigators for innovative research related to idiopathic gastroparesis.
IFFGD’s 2014 Idiopathic Gastroparesis Research Grants
2008 IFFGD Research Grants
Three $50,000 grant awards were made for research related to functional gastrointestinal and motility disorders, and neurogastroenterology.
Noncompetitive Grants
Noncompetitive grants may be awarded periodically by IFFGD to support patient programs or research that align with our mission. These discretionary awards are granted on a case-by-case basis, taking into account factors such as merit, program need, funding availability, and extraordinary circumstances. No program announcements are made, and the decision to make these awards rests solely with IFFGD.
2008–2012
Pediatric Consortium for Research in Functional Gastrointestinal/Motility Disorders
Primary Investigator: Carlo Di Lorenzo, MD, Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Multi-year award.
Aims: To build an infrastructure that will allow the consortium to collect information from different participating centers using a user friendly, secure system; to complete research projects that are feasible in a relatively short period of time and which will create momentum for further larger, longitudinal research studies. Initial studies will involve centers chosen by the steering committee. Future studies will be open to any interested party who will submit a research proposal. Research proposals will be evaluated and prioritized by the steering committee.
2007–2012
Neuroenteric Research Program
Primary Investigator: Braden Kuo, MD, Massachusetts General Hospital. Multi-year award.
Aims: To build a center comprised of 4 key infrastructures working in close collaboration and interaction including clinical, human imaging, animal, and patient registry leading to a genomic/proteomics program for cyclic vomiting syndrome; to conduct medical translational research evaluating the fundamental mechanisms and therapeutic targets for disorders of gastrointestinal motility and sensation; to gain better understanding of mechanisms that underlie upper gastrointestinal (GI) motility that are involved in sensations of satiation, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain as seen clinically as upper GI dysmotilities, conditions of gut dysmotility and sensation such as gastroparesis, cyclic vomiting syndrome, functional dyspepsia, and abnormal feeding behaviors.
In addition to grants, IFFGD funds Research Awards to clinical and basic researchers. Find more about IFFGD Research Awards
For more information on other research grant opportunities, visit our page here or visit www.grants.gov
Where Are Our Research Award and Grant Winners Now?
As a part of the 2021 anniversary events, IFFGD created the “Where Are They Now?” interview series designed to allow the gastrointestinal community to reconnect with past IFFGD Research Award and Grant winners. We conducted over 30 interviews virtually, to learn about the journey our research winners took and what current research topics they might be working on today.
The Need for More Research – How You Can Help
IFFGD participates in and encourages support of scientific inquiry and research. Although the need has been demonstrated, functional GI disorder research remains severely underfunded.
There are a growing number of clinicians and investigators who are striving to learn more about functional gastrointestinal disorders. They need research funding. You can help. Working together, we can change the way these disorders are viewed, managed and treated. To know more about funding needs, visit Need for Funding Research and How to Make a Difference.
