The Sacco Scholars Program offers a unique opportunity for early career trainees to undertake a mentored two-year research project targeting various aspects of brain health. The scholarship program is designed to encompass various training career stages each year, ensuring inclusivity and fostering diverse perspectives. In the current call for proposals, we welcome submissions from MD or PhD (or equivalent doctoral degree) applicants who are (or will be) in postdoctoral fellowship training with a focus on brain health beginning July 1, 2024.

The program's scope of brain health emphasizes preventive approaches across the lifespan and encompasses a wide range of areas including healthy brain development and aging; attaining and maintaining optimal cognitive function and mental well-being; and primordial, primary, and secondary prevention of neurological and mental health disorders. We strongly encourage projects that prioritize health equity, diversity, and inclusion, as inspired by Dr. Sacco’s lifelong work in this area and aligning with our organizational commitments to advance these crucial values in brain health research and practice.

Projects eligible for the first cycle of funding should focus on prevention. The specific scientific domains may include clinical, translational science, or population sciences; epidemiology; health services research; community awareness and education; or public policy research. The focus areas may change from year to year, depending on the evolving needs and priorities within the rapidly growing field of brain health. Projects may apply to any age of the lifespan, from fetal/childhood development to adulthood and late life.

Each candidate must be supported by a primary mentor with appropriate expertise to guide them through the project. Mentors should possess doctoral or equivalent level training and hold a faculty or staff appointment at the sponsoring institution.

For awardees at the postdoctoral fellowship level, the award consists of a total commitment of $150,000 over the two-year fellowship and includes: 1) $65,000 per year for two years toward the trainee salary and fringe, (2) $10,000 per year stipend to support research-related expenses, and (3) an annual conference attendance stipend (amount to be determined) toward required attendance at both the AHA’s International Stroke Conference and the AAN’s Annual Meeting.