The National Rosacea Society (NRS) has new grants available in 2019 to support research into potential causes and other key aspects of rosacea that may lead to improvements in its management, prevention, or potential cure. The deadline for submitting proposals for research grants in 2019 is June 17. 

“The NRS research grants program has been a leading force for many years in advancing the understanding of the disease process of rosacea,” said Dr. Richard Gallo, chairman of dermatology at the University of California-San Diego and a member of the NRS Medical Advisory Board, which selects grant proposals for funding. “We are now looking forward to increasing this knowledge still further through the support of new studies that may lead to important improvements in patient care and the development of new therapeutic options.” 

Funded by donations from rosacea sufferers, the NRS research grants program has awarded more than $1.5 million to support 70 studies, including scientific investigations that have connected the dots in the inflammatory process of the disorder. Other studies have investigated the genetics of rosacea, the skin’s microbiome, changes to tear film development in ocular rosacea, and many other areas.

Researchers interested in applying for grants may obtain forms and instructions through the research grants section of the NRS website at rosacea.org; by contacting the National Rosacea Society, 196 James Street, Barrington, Illinois 60010; or emailing info@rosacea.org.

Because the etiology of rosacea is unknown, a high priority in awarding grants will be given to studies relating to such areas as the pathogenesis, progression, mechanism of action, cell biology and potential genetic factors of rosacea. Research in such areas as epidemiology, predisposition, quality of life and relationships with environmental and lifestyle factors may also be funded. 

Members of the NRS medical advisory board include chairman Dr. Richard Granstein, chairman of dermatology, Weill Cornell Medical College; Dr. Hilary Baldwin, associate professor of dermatology, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School; Dr. Lynn Drake, Harvard Medical School and former AAD president; Dr. Richard Gallo, chairman of dermatology, University of California-San Diego; Dr. Julie Harper, clinical associate professor of dermatology, University of Alabama-Birmingham; Dr. Yolanda Helfrich, associate professor of dermatology at the University of Michigan; Dr. Sewon Kang, chairman of dermatology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Dr. Mark Mannis, chairman of ophthalmology, University of California-Davis; and Dr. Martin Steinhoff, chairman of dermatology and director, University College of Dublin Charles Institute.