Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM) Observational & Explorative Focused Hypotheses Research Studies

The American Osteopathic Association (AOA) has released a Request for Applications (RFA) for research in the area of Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM), specifically targeting observational and explorative studies aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of OMM techniques on various disease states. This funding opportunity is part of the AOA’s broader research agenda, which focuses on enhancing the visibility and distinctiveness of the osteopathic profession through clinical, interventional, and translational research. The funding is guided by the AOA Bureau of Osteopathic Research and Public Health and supports projects with strong clinical relevance to osteopathic principles and practice. This RFA falls under one of the five identified funding tracks tied to the AOA’s four main research focus areas: OMM/OMT, acute and chronic pain management, chronic disease care, and osteopathic distinctiveness. Specifically, this opportunity supports studies aligned with one of 14 predefined hypotheses related to the application of OMT to disease states such as migraine, asthma, COPD, pediatric pneumonia, long COVID, and surgical recovery. The research must be either observational or exploratory and designed to address clinical relevance using a patient-centered approach. Studies must clearly utilize the tenets of osteopathic medicine and are expected to use a biopsychosocial model. Projects are expected to fill existing gaps in the literature or provide valuable additions to current knowledge. Proposals should be grounded in sound methodology, including a well-detailed statistical plan and power analysis to ensure appropriate sample sizes. The award supports use of up to 10% of the funding for equipment, participant recruitment, and salary support for a statistician, either institutional or contracted. However, it explicitly excludes funding for investigator or technician salaries, expendable supplies, travel, indirect costs, equipment development, and continuing education expenses. All projects must include clear protocols for documenting diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, and priority will be given to studies that demonstrate collaboration and scalability. Eligible applicants include DOs, MDs, PhDs, and other doctoral-level investigators, provided a DO is part of the research team. Also eligible are OMM instructors and residents affiliated with OMM departments. However, individuals in private practice, single-member LLCs, medical students, those with active AOA grants in their first year, and investigators not conducting U.S.-based research are ineligible. Each investigator can only serve as PI for one proposal per cycle, though they may serve as Co-I on other submissions. Resubmission of previously declined proposals is allowed up to two additional times. Applications must be submitted via the AOA's online platform by 11:59 PM CST on January 31, 2026. Grant awards will be announced in June 2026, with funded projects beginning July 1, 2026 and running for 24 months. Recipients are required to produce a presentation at OMED and submit a manuscript to the Journal of Osteopathic Medicine (JOM), which holds first right of refusal. The JOM offers fast-track peer review for funded manuscripts and will supply a unique logo for published outputs. Grantees will also receive access to the AOA Scholar series as part of the award. Applicants seeking guidance or clarification are encouraged to contact Gloria Dillard, MPH, the AOA’s Director of Research Grants. Her contact details are [email protected] and (312) 202-8006. Additional eligibility rules and submission instructions can be found in the official application guide, and all applicants are urged to review these carefully prior to submission to ensure compliance and competitiveness.