Grants for Early Medical/Surgical Specialists' Transition to Aging Research (GEMSSTAR) (R03 Clinical Trial Optional)

The Grants for Early Medical/Surgical Specialists' Transition to Aging Research (GEMSSTAR) program, solicitation PAR-27-096, is a National Institutes of Health initiative designed to support early-career clinician-scientists with clinical doctoral degrees. The program provides two years of funding to help these individuals launch independent research careers focused on aging or geriatrics, specifically bridging the gap between their medical or surgical specialty and the care of older adults. Eligible projects include pilot or feasibility studies, secondary analyses of existing data, and the development of new research methodologies or technologies across basic, translational, clinical, genetic, or epidemiologic sciences. Individual awards are limited to 125,000 dollars in annual direct costs, requested in multiples of 25,000 dollars. The National Institute on Aging intends to commit 3 million dollars annually for general aging topics and 800,000 dollars annually for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias from fiscal years 2027 through 2029. Applications are evaluated based on scientific rigor, the appropriateness of the research environment, the investigator's expertise, and the inclusion of a required Professional Development Plan. Applicants must maintain active registrations in SAM, eRA Commons, and Grants.gov, and must adhere to strict cybersecurity incident reporting and human subject protection protocols.