The Foundation is also helping fund Dr. Charles’ current research with its Career Development Bridge Funding Award: K Supplement, which helps investigators who have an NIH clinical mentored K award to expand their research. Dr. Charles, who is in the third year of her K08 award, says the Foundation’s support is invaluable. “The K supplement award has allowed me to hire a technician, which gives me some time to do the reading, writing and most importantly, thinking that is essential to bringing my projects to fruition.”
Dr. Charles says that with the additional funding from the Foundation, she is also able to research the functions osteoclasts may serve in addition to bone destruction.
Now, Dr. Charles is looking to the future of her research and her career. While at the forum, she and other K awardees learned more about other grant opportunities and the next steps in furthering their studies. Dr. Charles says she plans to apply for several grants through NIAMS, including an R01 award, which provides significant support for critical research and would allow her to work as an independent investigator. During that process, the Rheumatology Research Foundation will offer Dr. Charles and other rheumatology investigators the opportunity to keep the research going and to stay in their field of study, even if they hit bumps in the road, with awards that bridge funding gaps during the application process. For NIAMS leadership, this support is an excellent example of how the NIH and private nonprofits, such as the Foundation, can work together to ensure the survival of critical research that will lead to major breakthroughs.
“These Foundation programs can provide a real synergy with NIH funding for early-career-stage researchers,” said NIAMS Director Stephen I. Katz, MD, PhD. “Such partnerships provide a way for us to leverage our respective resources to foster the retention of talented young investigators, especially in these times of tight budgets and highly competitive funding.”
Leaders with the Foundation say having so many former Foundation award recipients among those presenting their research at the NIAMS forum was a proud moment for the organization. Timothy Niewold, chair of the Foundation’s Scientific Advisory Council (SAC), attended the forum as well. “It was inspiring to see the Foundation so well represented by investigators like Dr. Charles,” says Dr. Niewold. “It’s a wonderful example of how the Foundation is helping keep these researchers at the bench. It is truly an honor for the Foundation to be offering these promising investigators the funds they need to eventually earn more substantial support from the NIH for vital research that will help rheumatology professionals better treat their patients.”
