Robert E. Leet and Clara Guthrie Patterson Trust Mentored Research Award

The Robert E. Leet and Clara Guthrie Patterson Trust Mentored Research Award is a competitive grant initiative focused on fostering patient-oriented clinical research that seeks to explore the causes of human disease and improve treatment strategies. The Trust, established in 1980, was created with the explicit purpose of supporting research into human diseases and their alleviation. This program aligns with that mission by funding innovative pilot studies and research projects led by early-career investigators under the guidance of experienced mentors. Managed by Health Resources in Action (HRiA) on behalf of Bank of America, Private Bank, Trustee, this grant aims to accelerate the path toward research independence for promising postdoctoral researchers and clinician-scientists. The award supports a diverse range of research areas within clinical science, including projects involving human subjects or materials of human origin, epidemiological studies, behavioral health investigations, health outcomes research, and health services research. However, it explicitly excludes animal studies and basic research that does not have a direct clinical application. Notably, the program encourages proposals that integrate population health perspectives, particularly those that address social determinants of health and aim to reduce health inequities. Each awardee will receive a total of $200,000 over two years, disbursed as $100,000 annually. The funding is intended to support investigators based in Connecticut, New Jersey, or Rhode Island. The program does not cover investigators outside of these states, making it regionally focused. Eligible applicants must be mentored postdoctoral researchers or clinician-scientists who are not on a tenure-track faculty line, nor may they hold a concurrent Career Development Award, NIH R01, or any major research grant that funds more than half their salary. Specific eligibility criteria vary depending on the applicant’s clinical training background. Non-clinician postdocs must have between three and six years of full-time postdoctoral experience. Clinician-scientists must have completed both residency and clinical training by the time funding begins and must not exceed six years of postdoctoral or equivalent research experience. The program prioritizes diversity and actively encourages applicants from racial and ethnic groups underrepresented in the sciences, including Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, American Indian or Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian, and other Pacific Islander backgrounds. Applicants must submit their materials through HRiA’s Award Manager online system. Required forms include the Program Guidelines, an Applicant Eligibility and Research Experience Form, and a Program Budget and Other Support Form. While the program guidelines do not specify a pre-application or Letter of Intent deadline, the full application is due by August 14, 2025, at 12:00 PM ET. Additional reference documents, including a user guide and application instructions, are available to support applicants through the submission process. For further assistance or inquiries about eligibility and programmatic issues, applicants are encouraged to contact PattersonAwards@hria.org. Technical support regarding the application portal is also provided via the same contact. A list of awardees from previous years (2019–2023) is available for reference, providing potential applicants with a sense of the award’s focus and past impact.