Apply now: Stanford Medicine’s Longevity and Healthy Aging Pilot Award Grants 2026-2027

Funding Amount: $40,000 in total costs

Project Period: July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027

Deadline: January 12, 2026, 11:59pm

Research Projects Must:

  1. Focus on longevity and healthy aging research
  2. Include a behavioral and social science research aspect. Consider the 4M framework (medication, mentation, mobility, and what matters) as you design your project.
  3. Seek to advance the health and wellbeing of all older adults.

Most of our past pilot projects have fallen into one of two buckets: 

  1. Data science projects focused on longevity and healthy aging. Prior awardees have successfully used machine learning techniques to improve health and wellbeing of adults and older adults from diverse backgrounds. Research using health information technologies and electronic health records analysis are welcome. We also welcome secondary data analysis of massive national datasets.
  2. Studies must fit into the NIH definition of the Stage 1 behavioral interventions development model. If you are focusing on a behavioral and social science intervention(s), here are some desirable areas for consideration:
    • Testing of mobile apps, wearable devices, and smartphone tools to monitor and manage health and wellbeing
    • Telehealth studies including video consultations, secure online platforms etc.

This program is supported with funding from the National Institute on Aging, the Stanford School of Medicine, and the Stanford Department of Medicine.

If you are planning to apply, we can help you refine your project and address any questions you may have regarding eligibility and submission steps and deadlines. Please email <periyakoil dot stanford dot edu>.

Ready to Apply?

Submit your application directly in the Stanford Funding Opportunities Portal by clicking HERE:

Who Should Apply?

We invite early career, independent researchers with appointments at Stanford University (School of Humanities and Sciences Graduate School of Business School of Earth, Energy & Environmental Sciences School of Education School of Engineering Law School, or School of Medicine), VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto University, San Jose State University. We are also pleased to consider qualified applicants from any accredited US academic institutions.

Applicants must:

  • Hold a terminal degree (e.g., MD, PhD, MD/PhD).
  • Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident at the time of application.
  • Hold a formal current appointment as an Assistant Professor at an accredited US institution. Newly appointed associate professors may be eligible to apply.

The Stanford Medicine Center for Longevity and Healthy Aging values multidisciplinary approaches to aging and longevity research, welcoming projects from a wide array of fields, including medicine, computer science, AI/ML, engineering, and beyond. Learn more about our Past Awardees.

Why Apply?

Awardees benefit from unique career-building and research opportunities:

  • NIH System Recognition: Awardees receive a formal notice of award (NOA) from NIH with your name and project name on it. This is a very significant way to establish your  NIH research funding track record.
  • Mentorship and Research Support: Awardees receive mentoring on both research and career development from Dr. VJ Periyakoil during the funding period. We have successfully supported our pilot awardees applying and receiving career development (K01, K08, K23), K99/R00, and R01 awards. Many have received research awards and recognition and have successfully secured new faculty appointments in prestigious universities.
  • Professional Networking: Join a community of past awardees who have successfully secured prestigious grants, with access to exclusive conferences, NIA training, and interaction with National Institute on Aging (NIA) program officers.

Funding Details

  • Funding Limit: Up to $40,000 in total costs for each project.
  • Project Period: July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027.
  • Eligible Expenses: Budgets may include salaries, research supplies, consulting fees, publication costs, and domestic travel. We encourage applicants to budget funds for travel to the annual aging meeting. We also encourage applicants to budget for publication fees, as a primary goal of the award is for the awardees to publish at least one and preferably two or more peer-reviewed publications in a high-impact journal.
  • Ineligible expenses: Examples include equipment, foreign travel, and memberships.
  • Indirect Costs: Capped at 8% per NIH guidelines.

Focus of Pilot Projects

Pilot projects must:

  1. Address Longevity and Healthy Aging: Specifically, projects should include a focus on behavioral and social science research.
  2. Use Innovative Approaches: Data science, machine learning, digital interventions and other innovative methodologies are most responsive to this funding opportunity.
  3. If the project includes clinical research, the project must stay within Stage I of NIH’s Behavioral Intervention Model.
    • Projects should involve intervention generation, refinement, modification, adaptation, and pilot testing.
    • Projects should test feasibility, acceptability, and practicality to determine if interventions can be delivered as intended, if participants will engage, and if there is potential for the desired outcomes.

Note: Clinical trials beyond Stage I, animal studies, and projects focused solely on basic science are outside the scope of this award program and will not be considered by the NIA for this award.

Timeline and Key Deadlines

Phase 1: Initial Submission

  • Deadline: January 12, 2026 (5 pm PT)
  • Required Documents: Submit a one-page NIH-style Specific Aims document and your CV.

Phase 2: Proposal Submission (by invitation only)

  • Deadline: February 2, 2026 (5 pm PT)
  • Requirements: A 3-page Research Strategy (one page spec aims and 2 page narrative), References, Budget, and Justification, along with any updated Phase 1 documents.

Phase 3: Finalist Notification and NIH Submission

  • Date: April 1, 2026
  • Action: Finalists prepare their application materials for official submission to the NIA as part of the Center’s RPPR, including human subjects attachments and pilot project forms.

FAQ

1. Who is eligible to apply?
Assistant Professors, who are early stage investigators conducting independent research, at Stanford University, VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto University, San Jose State University, or any other academic/research non-profit institution in the United States or its territories. Applicants must have a terminal degree (e.g., MD, PhD, MD/PhD). Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or have a permanent resident status at the time of application.

2. Can postdoctoral fellows or trainees apply for this award?
This award is designed for  Assistant Professors who are early stage investigators (ESI) conducting independent research. Postdoctoral fellows are not eligible as PIs but may be included in project personnel roles. They also may not be listed as an awardee. If you have additional questions pertaining to eligibility, please reach out to us to discuss.

3. Can I have co-applicants on my pilot project?
No, multiple PIs (mPIs) are not permitted. Co-investigators are allowed but will not be named in the Notice of Award. .Salaries for technicians or other personnel can be covered, but they will not be listed as awardees. 

4. What do you mean by a Stage 1 intervention?
In the NIH Behavioral Intervention Development Model, a Stage 1 intervention refers to the initial phase of intervention research. It focuses on the early work needed to create and refine a new intervention before it is tested on a larger scale. To ensure development of the best behavioral interventions, we need to know how they can be modified without compromising their effects. This requires very careful Stage 1 research where an intervention is modified within the context of understanding how and why it works and of testing whether this understanding is correct.

Key Activities in Stage 1:

  1. Generation, Refinement, and Adaptation (Stage 1A):
    • This phase involves designing the intervention, making necessary adjustments, and tailoring it based on initial feedback and theoretical frameworks.
  2. Pilot Testing (Stage 1B):
    • Here, the intervention undergoes small-scale testing to assess its feasibility, acceptability, and practicality.
    • Researchers examine whether:
      • The intervention can be delivered as intended.
      • Participants engage with the intervention.
      • There is potential for positive impact on desired outcomes.

Flexibility and Setting: Stage 1 research can be conducted in any setting (e.g., research labs, community centers) and with any providers, including research staff or community-based individuals. It also includes the development and testing of training materials to ensure that community providers can administer the intervention correctly (fidelity).

Boundaries for Later Stages: Modifications and adaptations are only allowed during Stage 1. In later stages (Stages 2-5), the intervention should be delivered with minimal changes. If there are planned deviations or adaptations to the intervention during a study, it is classified as Stage 1. A true Stage 2-5 study aims to maintain the intervention’s core elements without further modification.

  1. What is the funding limit and what can be included in the budget?
    Each project can receive up to $40,000 in total costs for the one-year funding period (July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027). Budgets may include salaries, research supplies, consulting fees, publication costs, and domestic travel. We encourage applicants to budget funds for travel to the annual meeting held during the Gerontological Society of America (GSA) meeting. We also encourage applicants to budget for publication fees, as a primary goal of the award is for the awardees to publish at least one and preferably more peer-reviewed publication in a high-impact journal. Examples of ineligible expenses include equipment, foreign travel , and memberships.
  2. Can applicants from universities other than Stanford apply?
    Yes! Our pilot award program is open to applicants across the U.S. and its outlying territories. Applicants from other universities can apply and, if selected, funding will  be allocated to support the project through an institutional subcontract between Stanford and your home institution. You must be an Assistant Professor with a current appointment in your institution.
  3. How do I apply? What is the first step?
    If you are planning to apply, you (the PI) may want to contact Dr. Periyakoil right away to schedule a consultation. Consultation slots are available until December 15th. During the consultation, we can help you shape and refine your project and address any questions you may have regarding eligibility and submission steps and deadlines. Please email Dr. Periyakoil to schedule a 15-minute consultation.
  4. I have completed a consultation. What should I do next?
    Please submit a one-page NIH-style Specific Aims and your NIH formatter biosketch via the application portal on or before January 12, 2026.
  5. I have submitted the specific aims already. What happens next and when will I hear back?
    Between January 12th and January 24th, a panel of experts will review all submissions and invite a select group of applicants to submit a full application.
  6. What is required for the full proposal?
    If you have been selected to submit a full proposal, you will hear on or before January 30, 2026. A full proposal will include a refined specific aims and a three page proposal (significance, innovation, approach, statistical methods, challenges anticipated and strategies to overcome them, sex as a biological variable, conclusion). References should be included but do not count towards the three-page limit.
  7. I have submitted the full proposal already. What happens next and when will I hear back?
    The selection panel will review all submitted proposals and provide feedback on or before March 15th, 2026. The top three applicants will be asked to prepare a few additional documents, such as human subjects attachments required by NIA/NIH, to be sent to NIH for funding consideration.The selection panel will review all submitted proposals and provide feedback on or before March 15th, 2026. The top three applicants will be asked to prepare a few additional documents, such as human subjects attachments required by NIA/NIH, to be sent to NIH for funding consideration.
  8. Can I apply if my research focuses on animal studies or aging biology?
    This specific pilot program does not support basic research on aging, animal studies, or Stages II-V of the behavioral intervention model. We encourage applicants to consider how the pilot project can complement, expand, and enrich the work currently conducted in their lab through its focus on behavioral and social science research of diverse older adults. Please refer to the NIH Stage Model for Behavioral Intervention Development.
  9. How will projects be evaluated?
    Projects will be assessed on scientific merit, innovation, and alignment with the mission of the Center for Longevity and Healthy Aging. Special consideration is given to innovative projects within Stage I of the NIH model, particularly those that approach aging and longevity in novel ways. Evaluation will involve a multi-level process:
    • Center Staff Review: Eligibility check.
    • External Advisory Board (EAB): Assessment of scientific merit and innovation.
    • NIH Approval: Final review and funding decision.
  10. What happens if I am selected as a finalist?
    Finalists will be asked to submit their materials for official submission to the NIA as part of our center’s annual RPPR in April 2026. This includes human subjects attachments, a pilot project form, and earlier phase documents. Finalists will receive ongoing mentoring and support to meet NIH submission standards.
  11. Will there be future opportunities for additional funding?
    This is a one-year award. Successful projects are expected to position awardees for future NIH or other extramural funding.
  12. Can I resubmit my proposal if it’s not selected in the first round?
    Yes, applicants who are not selected are encouraged to refine and resubmit their proposals in future funding cycles.

Eligibility: Assistant Professors 

Amount: $40000

Samples of past awardee’s projects: