Dear Friends,
The McKnight Brain Research Foundation (MBRF) and the American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR) are pleased to announce that the application window for the 2026 Innovator Awards in Cognitive Aging and Age-Related Memory Loss is now open.

The McKnight Brain Research Foundation will provide two 3-year awards of $750,000 (USD) each to advanced Assistant Professors and recently appointed Associate Professors (MDs and PhDs) to support outstanding research in cognitive aging and memory loss. One award will be made to support studies focusing on clinical translational research and another award toward understanding the basic biological mechanisms underlying cognitive aging and age-related memory loss.

Research studies at the intersection of age-associated cognitive changes and disease-related cognitive impairment may be considered if a strong case can be made for their relevance to normative cognitive aging and age-related memory loss. However, research that is primarily focused on neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease) will not be supported.

New this year, we are requiring Letters of Intent, which will be evaluated on the relevance and significance of the proposed research to the mechanisms of aging and qualifications of the applicant as outlined in the McKnight Brain Research Foundation Innovator Awards in Cognitive Aging and Memory Loss Guidelines. Selected applicants will be invited to submit full applications.

The Innovator Awards Letter of Intent Deadline is April 15, 2026. LOIs may be submitted here.

You can find additional information about the Innovator Award Program and meet our past recipients here.

Please feel free to share this announcement widely to interested recipients.

Sincerely,

Alice Luo Clayton

CEO, McKnight Brain Research Foundation

[email protected]