Run in partnership with the National Alopecia Areata Foundation.

Overview

Alopecia areata (AA) is a common autoimmune skin disease that causes hair loss on the scalp, face, and sometimes on other areas of the body, affecting as many as 160 million people worldwide. Nearly half of patients experience their first episode of alopecia areata before age 20, highlighting the impact of the disease in children and adolescents. Recent clinical data indicate that treatment efficacy decreases with length of time living with severe disease, suggesting that early disease management is needed to prevent a lifetime without hair. Pediatric alopecia areata remains a critical target for research and therapeutic development. Currently, there is only one FDA-approved treatment for adolescents ages 12 and older, limiting effective treatment options for most pediatric patients. The burdens on AA patients and their families are significant and many key research questions remain unanswered.

To address this need, the National Alopecia Areata Foundation (NAAF) and PeDRA are collaborating to support research investigations focused on pediatric alopecia areata with the Pediatric Alopecia Areata Challenge Grant. Through this grant, NAAF and PeDRA intend to accelerate research that improves the lives of pediatric alopecia areata patients and their families.

Focus

This Challenge Grant is intended to stimulate scientists to establish or sustain research programs focused on pediatric alopecia areata. Investigators with any innovative research idea are encouraged to apply for the challenge grant, with priority consideration given to proposals that address one or more of the following areas of interest:

• Investigations of targets or pathways that will advance understanding of the pathophysiology of pediatric AA
• Investigations of epidemiology or the natural history of pediatric AA
• Development of patient reported outcome measures specific to pediatric AA
• Elucidation of the burden of pediatric alopecia areata on patients and families including the psychosocial impact
• Advances in treatment or tools for treatment decision-making by patients and families

Priority consideration will be given to projects led by early-to-mid career principal investigators collaborating with senior mentors and projects that address high-priority research questions.

Important Details

• Up to $75,000 to support one year of research
• One award anticipated for this funding cycle
• Application deadline: Thursday, September 18, 2025