The Impact of the Osteopathic Approach on Chronic Disease

The American Osteopathic Association (AOA) has released a Request for Applications (RFA) to support research projects examining the impact of the osteopathic approach on chronic disease. This funding opportunity offers up to $100,000 in total costs for projects conducted over a 24-month period from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2028. The AOA seeks to fund studies that align with osteopathic tenets and philosophy, emphasizing holistic, patient-centered care that considers the unity of body, mind, and spirit. Research supported through this grant must focus on improving evidence-based osteopathic practices and advancing the profession’s distinctiveness. Proposals should explore chronic disease management using the osteopathic approach, including but not limited to conditions such as congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes mellitus, degenerative joint disease, malnutrition, cardiovascular disease, stroke, depression, Parkinson’s disease, obesity, and hypertension. Other priority areas include elder care concerns like dementia, polypharmacy, and falls, as well as the cost-effectiveness of osteopathic interventions and their impact on quality of life. All projects must utilize a biopsychosocial model to frame their research and demonstrate clinical relevance to osteopathic distinctiveness. The AOA encourages both protocol-driven and pragmatic study designs. Proposals should include a clearly defined hypothesis, evidence-informed rationale for interventions, and a detailed and consistent data collection plan. Proposals must also address reliability in diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, include a statistical plan with power analysis, and be structured for reproducibility and scalability. Preference will be given to projects that involve collaboration with partners and subject matter experts and that propose novel approaches to managing chronic disease through osteopathic methods. Eligible applicants must be based in the United States and include a Doctor of Osteopathy (DO) on the research team. While MDs, PhDs, and other doctoral-level investigators may apply, private practitioners, students, residents, fellows, and individuals with outstanding deliverables from previous AOA-funded projects are not eligible. Projects must be conducted on U.S. populations and within the United States. Each individual may serve as Principal Investigator on only one RFA per cycle but can participate as a Co-Investigator on additional submissions. Resubmission of previously unselected proposals is permitted up to two additional times. Applications must be submitted through the AOA’s online application portal by 11:59 PM CST on January 31, 2026. Awards will be announced in June 2026, with projects commencing on July 1, 2026. No letter of intent or other pre-application gating steps are required. While not explicitly stated, the structure of this RFA suggests the opportunity may recur in future grant cycles. Funded projects must culminate in a manuscript submission to the Journal of Osteopathic Medicine (JOM), which retains the right of first refusal on the published findings. For questions, applicants should contact Gloria Dillard, MPH, Director of Research Grants at the AOA Department of Research, by phone at (312) 202-8006 or via email at [email protected]. Further eligibility guidelines and application instructions are available in the AOA’s official Research Grant Application Instructions.

The AOA encourages proposals that adopt a biopsychosocial model and prioritize collaboration with relevant partners and subject matter experts.