Science of Human Appearance Career Development Award
Limited submission
Science of Human Appearance Career Development Award supports early-career investigators studying skin appearance changes and how therapies act, to build expertise in appearance science.
Funder: Dermatology Foundation
Due Dates: October 15, 2026 (New applications) | January 1, 2027 (CDA renewals)
Funding Amounts: $75,000 annual salary stipend; renewable once for up to two years
Summary: Supports early-career investigators studying cellular and molecular mechanisms of appearance changes caused by aging or environmental factors and related therapeutic interventions.
Key Information: Applicants need a primary junior-faculty appointment in dermatology; clinical trials, skin cancer, and actinic keratosis research are excluded.
Description
The Dermatology Foundation’s Science of Human Appearance Career Development Award provides salary support to early-career investigators developing expertise in the science of human skin appearance. It addresses the specialty’s increased focus on appearance and the shortage of high-quality research in this area. Supported research examines cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying appearance changes caused by aging or environmental factors, including hyperpigmentation, hypopigmentation, photoaging, and dry skin not related to disease or congenital defects.
The award also supports mechanism-of-action research on therapeutic interventions, including non/minimally invasive devices, peels, fillers, antioxidants, retinoids, and other topical or systemic agents. Proposals are expected to be hypothesis-driven, with successful projects likely comparing cellular, molecular, or biophysical measurements in altered and normal skin. Career plans must explain how mentorship will help applicants acquire expertise in human skin appearance.
