Research Grant Program
The Mission
The ANA is dedicated to furthering all aspects of scientific knowledge related to acoustic neuromas, including its cause(s), development, and treatment, thus improving the lives of individuals living with AN, and finding its ultimate cure.
Our Interest Areas of Funding
The ANA encourages investigators to submit grant proposals across the broad spectrum of acoustic neuroma. These areas may be original research drawn from disciplines such as audiology, biology, psychology, sociology, or pharmacology.
To speed progress toward more precise, effective, and personalized care for individuals with acoustic neuromas, the Acoustic Neuroma Association has invested in identifying the most promising research priorities. Building on these insights, the ANA will place particular emphasis on proposals that advance work in the following areas:
1. Focus Area: Advanced Imaging for Prognostication in Acoustic Neuroma
Emerging imaging modalities, including radiomics, positron emission tomography (PET), and dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI), show promise in predicting tumor growth and treatment response in acoustic neuroma. However, current evidence is limited, heterogeneous, and lacks prospective validation.
The Acoustic Neuroma Association seeks to support research that advances the clinical utility of these approaches.
Priority areas include:
• Validation of imaging biomarkers for tumor growth and treatment response
• Standardization of imaging acquisition and analytic methods
• Integration with clinical and molecular data to improve prognostic models
• Prospective studies evaluating the impact on clinical decision-making and outcomes
2. Focus Area: Medical Therapies for Sporadic Acoustic Neuroma
Evidence for systemic medical therapies in sporadic AN remains limited and largely retrospective. While commonly used agents such as NSAIDs show no clear benefit to date, emerging data have identified other potential promising medical treatments. However, robust prospective validation is lacking.
The Acoustic Neuroma Association seeks to support research that defines the role of medical therapies in sporadic AN.
Priority areas include:
• Prospective, controlled studies of systemic and targeted therapies
• Validation of effects on tumor growth and hearing outcomes
• Standardization of treatment protocols and outcome measures
• Identification of predictive biomarkers of response
3. Focus Area: Medical Therapies for NF2-Associated Acoustic Neuroma
Systemic therapies for NF2-associated AN demonstrate variable but promising activity, with bevacizumab showing the most consistent evidence for tumor control and hearing improvement. Other targeted agents show mixed results, and the overall evidence base remains largely non-randomized.
The Acoustic Neuroma Association seeks to support research that advances effective medical treatments for NF2-associated AN.
Priority areas include:
• Prospective and randomized studies of systemic and targeted therapies
• Comparative effectiveness of existing and emerging agents
• Evaluation of the durability of response and long-term safety
• Identification of biomarkers predictive of treatment response and resistance
4. Focus Area: High-Quality Clinical Evidence and Collaborative Research Infrastructure in Acoustic Neuroma
Despite substantial growth in acoustic neuroma research over the past decade, the evidence base is dominated by retrospective studies, case series, and lower-level evidence, with few prospective or randomized trials. Variability in study design, outcome measures, and reporting standards limits the ability to compare treatment strategies, establish best practices, and accelerate therapeutic innovation. In addition, research activity remains concentrated within a limited number of institutions and countries, underscoring the need for broader collaboration and shared data infrastructure.
The Acoustic Neuroma Association seeks to support research that strengthens the quality, consistency, and collaborative capacity of AN research.
Priority areas include:
• Development of multi-institutional prospective registries and collaborative research networks
• Prospective, controlled, and randomized studies evaluating treatment strategies and patient outcomes
• Standardization of clinical outcome measures, imaging endpoints, hearing metrics, and quality-of-life assessments
• Creation of shared data platforms and harmonized reporting standards to improve reproducibility and cross-study comparison
• Research addressing disparities in global participation, access to care, and representation in AN studies
• Integration of clinical, imaging, molecular, and patient-reported data to support precision medicine approaches
• Evaluation of long-term functional outcomes, survivorship, and patient-centered care models in AN populations
Eligibility
The ANA will consider funding researchers and/or centers that have a formal affiliation with nonprofit, academic, medical, or research institutions. The principal investigator must have an appropriate level of background, training, and institutional engagement to support the proposed research.
Amounts Available for Funding
Individual awards are typically up to $25,000 in a given year. Multi-year projects may be considered if they are consistent with our research initiative. Funding beyond the first year will be on a year-to-year basis, and multi-year projects are subject to annual review for ongoing funding.
Our Annual Grant Cycle
The grant cycle is straightforward: a Request for Proposals (RFP), our review of submissions, and our announcement of grants awarded.
The RFP will typically be announced at least once annually, during the second quarter of the year. Typically, multiple RFPs will have a different mission and may not be made on a predetermined basis. The time from our announcement to our proposal deadline will be of a reasonable length to allow for the preparation of a thorough RFP.
In addition, there may be an opportunity for an ‘out of cycle’ request for research funding that will be considered independently and at the discretion of the ANA leadership. Information on the timelines of the grant cycle will be made available through select ANA publication, digital, and communications platforms.
For further information, please contact Jim Shea, CEO, at jimshea@anausa.org.
Proposal Guidelines
Our Research Task Force has established strong guidelines for those applying for a grant. Included within these guidelines (five-page limit for proposal) are requests for:
- Summary of most recent/relevant research and a statement of primary purpose
- A concise Statement of Goals
- An Impact Statement
- Research Strategy including Participants, Study Design, Analysis Method, and Potential Outcomes
- Budget, including a statement that the ANA does not provide funding for indirect costs
- Project Timeframe
- List of Personnel Support
Proposal detail requirements can be found here, and helpful applicant guidelines can be found here. Please submit all proposals to researchgrantprogram@anausa.org.
Award Review Process
All grant submissions are reviewed by our Research Committee and reviewing parties include ANA Board members and third-party scientists with specialization in the area of acoustic neuroma. All grant submissions are considered using a blind review process and a funding recommendation will be confirmed by a decision of the ANA Board of Directors.
Schedule for upcoming cycle:
- Full Proposal deadline - July 31, 2026
- Review of Proposals - August 1 - 31, 2026
- Announcement of Grant Funding - September 2026
