NAF Early Career Investigator Award

The NAF Early Career Investigator Award is a one-year grant designed to support outstanding early-stage scientists who have completed their postdoctoral training within the past 6 years and hold a junior faculty or clinical fellow appointment. This award aims to foster the development of independent research careers by providing seed funding for innovative, high-impact studies in the field of ataxia. Proposals are welcome across the full spectrum of basic, translational, and clinical research, but must have a clear and significant focus on advancing our understanding of the causes, pathogenesis, or treatment of hereditary, sporadic, or acquired ataxias. The award is designed to act as a catalyst for early-career investigators, helping them build the foundation necessary to secure long-term funding and become future leaders in ataxia research. Priority is given to projects focused on fundamental disease mechanisms, development and validation of disease models, identification of emerging therapeutic targets or strategies, and early-stage data collection that can support future external grant applications.