ATTR research forum offers two $100K grants to early-career scientists
Deadline for US-based researchers to submit abstracts of work is Oct. 2
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Early-career researchers studying transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR), a group of conditions that includes hereditary ATTR with polyneuropathy (hATTR-PN) and ATTR cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM), are being called to apply for one of two $100,000 research grants.
The 3rd ATTR Early-Career Research Forum is open to U.S.-based physician-scientists working on ATTR. The annual forum is provided by Cornerstone Medical Education, which in a recent press release encouraged eligible researchers to submit an abstract of their work ahead of the Oct. 2 deadline.
The Research forum is sponsored by Astrazeneca and Ionis Pharmaceuticals, which jointly developed Wainua (eplontersen), a therapy approved for adults with hATTR-PN.
After a blinded review of the abstracts, four investigators will be selected to present their research during a live virtual forum from 5 to 7 p.m. ET on Oct. 29. The presentations will then be scored by the forum’s co-chairs, who will select two researchers to receive a $100,000 Wiesman Award for Excellence in Early-Career ATTR Research.
Forum offers opportunities beyond funding
Named in honor of Janice Wiesman, MD, a clinician-researcher known for her work in ATTR, the awards provide funding to help the recipients advance their research.
The annual forum is designed to offer opportunities that extend beyond research funding to the next generation of ATTR physician-scientists.
Evangelos Oikonomou, MD, PhD, an assistant professor at Yale School of Medicine and one of the researchers who received a Wiesman Award in 2025, highlighted the value of those opportunities.
“As an early-career investigator, I particularly value the opportunity to present my research, receive thoughtful feedback from leaders in the field, and form new scientific connections,” Oikonomou said.
Award provided ‘important support and visibility’ for previous recipient
ATTR is a progressive disease in which a protein called transthyretin (TTR) becomes unstable and forms toxic clumps, called amyloid deposits, that build up in tissues and organs.
hATTR-PN is caused by genetic mutations in the TTR gene, which cause amyloid clumps to accumulate particularly around peripheral nerves, or those carrying signals between the brain and spinal cord and the rest of the body.
The resulting nerve damage can lead to hATTR-PN symptoms including numbness, tingling, pain, and muscle weakness. People with the condition can also experience problems with involuntary functions such as digestion and blood pressure.
ATTR-CM, meanwhile, occurs when TTR clumps build up in the heart, causing the heart muscle to become stiff and making it harder to pump blood. This can result in ATTR-CM symptoms such as an irregular or fast heart rate, fatigue, and difficulty exercising. ATTR-CM can be caused by genetic mutations affecting the TTR gene or aging-related processes.
The forum has managed to bring together an exceptional and highly collaborative community of clinician scientists, patients, advocates, all united by the goal of improving the recognition and treatment of cardiac amyloidosis.
For Oikonomou, the Wiesman Award also had a direct impact on his own work, providing “important support and visibility” for his research into new approaches for detecting ATTR-CM earlier.
“The forum has managed to bring together an exceptional and highly collaborative community of clinician scientists, patients, advocates, all united by the goal of improving the recognition and treatment of cardiac amyloidosis,” Oikonomou said.
With the deadline approaching, Oikonomou is also urging early-career physician-scientists to apply.
“I would strongly encourage other young investigators to submit their abstracts,” he said.
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