About Our Research Program

Last Update: July 2008

Financial Commitment | Research Goals |  
Research Standards | Types of Research 

Diseases of the heart are the No. 1 killer in America, and stroke is the No. 3 killer. The American Heart Association strongly believes that learning more about these diseases is the best way to reduce disability and death. That's why research is an association-wide priority.

Research Facts:

• The AHA is second only to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) in funding heart research.
• To support research, the AHA has invested almost $2.9 billion since 1949 and $147 million in 2006-07.
• The AHA currently funds about 2,500 scientists around the United States.
• In spite of our investment, in 2006-07 the AHA lacked another $116.5 million to fund 725 highly meritorious proposals -- a critical gap.
• AHA-funded breakthroughs include the first artificial heart valve, techniques and standards for CPR, implantable pacemakers, treatment for infant respiratory distress syndrome, cholesterol inhibitors, microsurgery and drug-coated stents.
• The AHA has funded the winners of 10 Nobel Prizes.
• In 2006-07, the AHA spent $10.1 million on research related to pediatrics.
• Research grants awarded by the American Heart Association in pediatric research include: cardiovascular development, congenital heart disease, Kawasaki disease, endocarditis, stroke, cardiovascular health and risk facts in children, gene therapy, surgical therapy and tissue engineering.
• Parents, family and friends who have a specific passion for supporting efforts in children's heart disease can be assured that a significant portion of the money raised in the American Heart Walk will support pediatric heart and stroke research and education.

Special Programs
Special funding is available for research in ataxia cardiology, pediatric cardiomyopathy, resuscitation, geriatric cardiology and emergency medicine. More information coming soon.
  

Innovative Research Grant
To support highly innovative, high-risk, high-reward research that could ultimately lead to critical discoveries or major advancements that will accelerate the field of cardiovascular and stroke research. 
Offered by the National Center only in July.

Undergraduate Student Research Fellowship
The undergraduate research training program encourages promising students from all disciplines, including women and members of minority groups underrepresented in the sciences, to consider research careers while supporting the highest quality scientific investigation broadly related to cardiovascular disease and stroke. Midwest

Predoctoral Fellowship
Helps students initiate careers in cardiovascular or stroke research by providing research assistance and training. 
Offered by the following affiliates: Midwest, Pacific Mountain, Founders, Great Rivers, Mid-Atlantic, Greater Southeast, South Central and Western States.

Postdoctoral Fellowship
Helps a trainee initiate a career in cardiovascular research while obtaining significant research results.
Offered by the following affiliates: Midwest, Pacific Mountain, Founders, Great Rivers, Mid-Atlantic, Greater Southeast, South Central and Western States.

Clinical Research Program
To encourage early career investigators who have appropriate and supportive mentoring relationships to engage in high quality introductory and pilot clinical studies that will guide future strategies for reducing cardiovascular disease and stroke while fostering new research in clinical and translational science, and encouraging community- and population-based activities.  This grant is not to fund basic science or to support senior researchers, but encourages mentoring of early career investigators.
Offered by: Founders, Great Rivers, Greater Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, Pacific Mountain,  and Western States.

Fellow-to-Faculty Transition Award
Provides funding for trainees with outstanding potential for careers as physician-scientists in cardiovascular or stroke research during the crucial career development from the completion of research training through the early years of the first faculty/staff position.
The F-T-F is a National program and may be supported by affiliates.  It is offered in January.

Beginning Grant-In-Aid
Promotes the independent status of promising beginning scientists.  
Offered by the following affiliates: Pacific Mountain, Great Rivers, Mid-Atlantic, Greater Southeast, South Central and Western States.   

Scientist Development Grant
Supports highly promising beginning scientists in their progress toward independence by encouraging and adequately funding research projects that can bridge the gap between completion of research training and readiness for successful competition as an independent investigator.  
Offered by the Midwest, Founders, and National.  

Established Investigator Award
Supports mid-term investigators with unusual promise who have demonstrated a commitment to the cardiovascular or cerebrovascular science area as indicated by prior publication history and accomplishments.
Offered by National only in July.

Grant-In-Aid
Encourages and adequately funds the most innovative and meritorious research projects from independent investigators. 
Offered by the following affiliates:  Midwest, Pacific Mountain, Founders, Great Rivers, Mid-Atlantic, Greater Southeast, South Central and Western States.

Special Programs
Special funding is available for research in Ataxia Cardiology Research, Pediatric Cardiomyopathy, Resuscitation Research, Geriatric Cardiology and Emergency Medicine. More information coming soon.

In the past, the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association have established collaborative research awards with various organizations.  More

Reference:
American Heart Association.org (September, 2008). Funding opportunities. Retrieved September 27, 2008, from http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=9713

American Heart Association.org (September, 2008). About our research program. Retrieved September 27, 2008, from  http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=138