Newest Grants for Eczema Research from National Eczema Association

The National Eczema Association (NEA) announced the recipients of its 2022 research grants. From both US-based and international applications, the research projects of 13 investigators were selected this year, representing grants totaling nearly $730,000, an increase over 2021 funding.

According to NEA, 2022 marked a significant jump in its investment in eczema research, up from $515,000 in 2021. NEA has a new award tier and increased recipients from nine to 13.

As the largest private nonprofit funder of eczema research, NEA has invested nearly $3 million since its first grant was awarded in 2004. Collectively, NEA-funded grants for basic science, clinical and translational research have supported a deeper understanding of the symptoms, comorbidities and burdens of eczema, provided insights into new treatment strategies, and furthered the ability to improve care and prevention. For every $1 NEA has invested in eczema research, grantees have collectively gone on to obtain an additional $13.14 in subsequent National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding to support further research.

“Eczema is a chronic condition without a cure that affects over 31 million people in the U.S., many with severe, even debilitating impacts,” said Julie Block, CEO of NEA. “Our best hope to improve patients' lives (and those of loved ones) is through research. Our 2022 research grant recipients represent both new and longstanding investigators working across disciplines to identify opportunities for better eczema therapies, better care, better outcomes—and one day, potentially, a cure.”

2022 NEA Research Grants

The 2022 research grants are awarded in categories as follows:

Impact Research Grant (provides funding support for collaborative research projects to conduct multi-institution innovative eczema research):
• Concepcio Soler, PhD, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain—Role of TREX2, a keratinocyte-specific exonuclease, in AD and evaluation as potential therapeutic target

Champion Research Grant (encourages proven researchers to continue research on emerging or ongoing challenges in eczema or bring their expertise to the field of eczema):
• Jan Dutz MD, FRCPC, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia—Inhibition of tissue resident memory T-cells as a therapy for contact hypersensitivity
• Aaron Drucker MD, ScM, FRCPC, Women's College Hospital, Toronto, Canad—Long-term safety of topical corticosteroids in treatment of AD
• Cassandra Quave, PhD, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA— Botanical-derived small molecules to target Staphylococcal cytotoxins in AD

Spotlight Research Grant (new in 2022, this award promotes research tied to specific areas of interest):
• Michael Haft, MD, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA—Clinical characteristics and morphology of chronic hand eczema in children and adolescents

Childhood Eczema Challenge Grant (created in collaboration with the Pediatric Dermatology Research Alliance, this is intended for early or mid-career scientists to accelerate research that improves the health and quality of life of pediatric patients and their families):
• Emily Croce PhD, MSN, APRN, CPNP-PC, University of Texas at Austin. Austin, TX— Role of outdoor air pollution on disease burden and corresponding racial and ethnic disparities for children with AD

Catalyst Research Grant (designed to support talented early-career scientists on the path toward becoming the next generation of eczema thought leaders by supporting hypothesis-driven research projects):
• Joan Manils, PhD, Bsc, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain—Implications for CARD14 – a protein expressed by keratinocytes that when mutated produces skin inflammation – as therapeutic target for AD
• Harper Price, MD, Phoenix Children's Hospital, Phoenix, AZ—Heterogeneity and disparities in disease among pediatric AD patients
• Hazel Wilkie, PhD, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA—Role of staphylococcus aureus in eczema onset

Engagement Research Grant (intended for emerging investigators exploring a new research concept, piloting a new experiment, or undertaking a novel or secondary data analysis):
• Elisabeth Cowin MA, MSW, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH—Developmental vulnerability, caregiver stress, and family quality of life in young children with eczema
• Emily Gurnee, MD, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO—Implications of dietary modifications for infantile AD
• Theodora Karagounis MS, MD, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY—Effect of Staphylococcus aureus gastrointestinal colonization on gut microbiome in AD
• Ge Peng, MD, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan—Therapeutic role of betacellulin, a ligand for the epidermal growth factor receptor in AD

The National Eczema Association is the largest patient advocacy organization serving the more than 31 million Americans who live with eczema.