Pilot Research Awards

Pilot Research Awards is sponsored by American Liver Foundation (ALF). The American Liver Foundation offers Pilot Research Awards to provide funding during the pilot phase of highly innovative research projects that address novel and important questions related to liver diseases.

Pilot Research Awards - American Liver Foundation Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease Autoimmune Liver Diseases Autoimmune Hepatitis (AIH) Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC) Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC) Bile Duct Cancer (Cholangiocarcinoma) Complications of Liver Disease Diagnosing Hepatic Encephalopathy (HE) Treating Hepatic Encephalopathy Support for Patients with Hepatic Encephalopathy Caregivers of Patients with Hepatic Encephalopathy Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy (ICP) Steatotic Liver Disease (Fatty Liver Disease) Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD) Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatohepatitis (MASH) MASH Definition & Prevalence MASH* Causes and Risk Factors MASH Calculate Your Body Mass Index Pediatric Liver Information Center Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency Autoimmune Liver Disease in Children Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD) in Children Glycogen Storage Disease Type 1 (von Gierke) Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC) in Children Progressive Familial Intrahepatic Cholestasis (PFIC) Liver Disease for Teen and Young Adults Acute Hepatic Porphyria (AHP) Lysosomal Acid Lipase Deficiency (LAL-D) Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency Living Donor Liver Transplant Information Center An Introduction for Donors and Recipients A Donor’s Guide to Living Donor Liver Transplant A Recipient’s Guide to Living Donor Liver Transplant A Toolkit for Living Donor Liver Transplant Recipients Find a Liver Transplant Center Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt (TIPS) Veterans Information Center Metabolic Dysfunction Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD) and Liver Health for Veterans Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) and Liver Health for Veterans Hepatitis C Information Center Support for Patients with Hepatitis C How Liver Diseases Progress Cirrhosis (Severe Scarring) US State Resource Centers for the COVID-19 Coronavirus Frequently Asked Questions Liver Disease: The Basics Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease Steatotic (Fatty) Liver Disease Frequently Asked Questions 30-Day Liver Healthy Meal Plan Best Practices for Food Safety and Important Information Tips on How to Take Care of Your Liver 10 Healthy Supermarket Tips Webinars on Health and Wellness Managing Your Medications Read the Label and Follow the Dosage How to Use Medications Responsibly Caring Connections—an ALF peer to peer support program Find a Liver Transplant Center Liver Life Advocacy Summit™ Become a Liver Life Advocate ALF Confidentiality Agreement Legislator/Legislation Look-Up Join the Patient Registry The Balm Box - The Lovely Liver Cancer Box Create a Facebook Fundraiser Sponsor Community Event or Program Sponsor National Legacy Gala Start a Walk Team Program Mission, Impact and History Corporate Relations Policy NHC Certification of Excellence Standards of Conduct Policy HCV Screening Recommendations from US Preventative Services Task Force Hepatitis C Testing Policy Position on the Use and Care of Animals in Research Position Statement on Hepatitis A and Vaccination The objective of the 2026 Pilot Research Awards is to provide funding to early career investigators for highly innovative projects that address novel and important questions related to liver transplantation and other RFP focus areas described below.

Advanced liver therapeutics encompass a broad range of cutting-edge interventions designed to treat, repair, or replace the liver in patients with end-stage or complex hepatic conditions. The focus of this RFP is innovative research that could ultimately lead to therapeutic advances in this area.

Focus areas encompass liver transplantation (spanning clinical to experimental research approaches), stem cells, liver regeneration, advanced in vitro human models, and gene/cell-based therapies (see below for details).

Pilot Research Awards provide funding to Junior Faculty during the pilot phase of research projects focused on new areas of investigation, innovative ideas, or “high-risk, high-reward” projects that have the potential to generate breakthrough findings and significantly advance the field. Pilot projects should address key outstanding questions in basic, translational, or clinical research on the topics listed below.

Proposals do not require extensive preliminary data but need to articulate a clear, testable hypothesis and well-defined goals that are achievable within the award duration and amount .

Funded projects are expected to result in the acquisition of key preliminary data that will enable early career recipients to successfully compete for research awards from NIH and other national sources to support larger studies in these innovative research areas. ALF will accept applications focused on research areas listed below (please contact research@liverfoundation.

org if you have questions about the topics under consideration for this award): Liver transplantation (including clinical, translational, and experimental research such as xenotransplantation, donor organ optimization, ex vivo organ preservation and machine perfusion, graft engineering, ischemia reperfusion injury, immunomodulation and tolerance induction, and integration with gene- or cell-based therapies) Stem cells and stem cell biology (including hepatic stem or progenitor cells, lineage specification and differentiation, and stem cell derived hepatocyte like cells) Liver regeneration (including molecular and cellular mechanisms of regeneration, injury responses, and strategies to enhance endogenous liver repair) Advanced in vitro human liver models (including organoids, engineered liver microenvironments, microphysiological systems, and bioartificial liver platforms) Gene- and cell-based therapies for liver disease (including hepatocyte transplantation, engineered or genetically modified cells, and immune cell-based approaches) Please direct all questions about Pilot Research Awards to the ALF Research Awards Program at research@liverfoundation.

org .

Pilot Research Awards At-A-Glance: Career Level : Junior Faculty Award Type : Pilot Research Award Research Topic: Liver transplantation, stem cells, liver regeneration, advanced in vitro models, and gene/cell-based therapies Research Type : Basic, Translational, or Clinical Research Mandatory Letter of Intent Deadline : April 10, 2026 Application Deadline : May 15, 2026 Mandatory Letter of Intent (LOI) A Letter of Intent is required to apply for funding.

The Letter of Intent must be prepared using the fillable LOI PDF template form provided by ALF. Download the LOI template form and submit the completed form via email no later than April 10, 2026 to: American Liver Foundation National Senior Director, Research Program Management research@liverfoundation. org Please contact research@liverfoundation.

org if you need assistance. How to Apply for a Pilot Research Award 1. Download the 2026 Pilot Research Award Application Guidelines for details on eligibility and required application materials 2.

Download the LOI template form and submit the mandatory Letter of Intent via email by April 10, 2026 (see Application Guidelines for details) 3. Applicants who submitted a Letter of Intent will be contacted directly by April 15, 2026 at the latest with detailed instructions on how to submit their application. 4.

The application submission deadline is May 15, 2026 . Meet ALF Pilot Research Awards Recipients Join our Research Awards Mail List Join ALF Research Awards Program Mailing List Last updated on March 13th, 2026 at 03:49 pm