The Isabella Noelani Parson Welch Memorial Grant for VEDS Research
The Isabella Noelani Parson Welch Memorial Grant for VEDS Research supports researchers studying Vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome to improve understanding, diagnosis, management, and patient care.
Funder: Marfan Foundation
Due Dates: January 25, 2027 (Application) | June 18, 2027 (Award announcement) | July 1, 2027 (Funding begins)
Funding Amounts: Up to $125,000 over two years ($62,500 per year)
Summary: Supports innovative basic, translational, and clinical research focused on Vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (VEDS) to improve understanding, diagnosis, management, and patient outcomes.
Key Information: PIs must hold a qualifying doctoral or equivalent degree and demonstrate independent research through peer-reviewed original publications.
Description
The Marfan Foundation and the VEDS Movement support innovative research focused specifically on Vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (VEDS). This two-year grant funds basic, translational, or clinical studies addressing any aspect of the condition, including underlying biology, pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, progression, management, and therapeutic development.
The program seeks important questions and innovative concepts that could open new avenues for discovery, generate critical preliminary data, or identify opportunities for therapeutic intervention and improved patient care. Particular interests include vascular fragility and arterial complications, genotype-phenotype relationships, natural history, biomarkers and imaging, VEDS models, and therapeutic targets. Emerging approaches—including gene editing, genomic and molecular technologies, advanced models, single-cell and spatial methods, and computational or artificial intelligence tools—are encouraged.
