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Funding callMedicine and clinical research · United States

Alzheimer's Association Zenith Fellows Award – letter of intent

The Alzheimer’s Association Zenith Fellows Award supports established investigators, at Associate Professor level or above with a record of major external grant support as principal investigator, in Alzheimer’s and related dementia research. This guide focuses on the 1 December 2026 letter of intent, ahead of full applications due on 30 March 2027, and covers research areas, eligibility and readiness checks, what panels typically value and how to plan an application.

Pubrica InsightsEditorial team, reviewed by a subject specialist
Next deadline
1 December 2026
Last checked
10 November 2026
Funder
Alzheimer's Association
Sources
1
Apply through the official call

Key dates

Application deadline
1 December 2026
Details last checked
10 November 2026
Apply through the official call

About the call

Funder
Alzheimer's Association
Country
United States
Scheme type
Project grant
Funding
As stated in the call documents
Eligibility
Associate Professors or above with a record of major external grant support as PI; previous Zenith recipients and clinical trials are ineligible; full applications due 30 March 2027.
Scope
Medicine and clinical research

Topics consistent with the call

  • Molecular and cellular mechanisms of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias
  • Biomarkers for early detection and disease progression
  • Genetic and environmental risk factors for dementia
  • Neuroinflammation, vascular contributions and other disease pathways
  • Novel therapeutic targets studied in preclinical models

Based on the published scope; the official page sets out the full themes and requirements.

Is your work a fit? Check before you apply

  1. Confirm that you hold an Associate Professor or higher position.
  2. Check that you have a record of major external grant support as principal investigator.
  3. Confirm that you have not previously received a Zenith award and that the project is not a clinical trial.
  4. Review letter of intent requirements and the full application timeline in the official guidelines.
  5. Submit a complete, institutionally approved letter of intent before 1 December 2026.

Why This Funding Call Matters

Progress against Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias depends on research that challenges existing assumptions and explores new mechanisms. The Zenith Fellows Award is aimed at established investigators who can pursue innovative directions with the benefit of experience and a proven funding record. For senior researchers, it provides support to take on ideas that may be too early or unconventional for other funding routes, while contributing to the Alzheimer’s Association’s wider research programme.

Who Should Apply

Academic backgrounds

  • Neuroscience
  • Neurology
  • Molecular biology
  • Genetics
  • Neuropathology

Institutions and sectors

  • Universities and medical schools
  • Academic medical centres
  • Independent research institutes
  • Other non-profit research organisations where eligible

What Reviewers Typically Value

  1. Innovative ideas that could change understanding of dementia mechanisms.
  2. A strong record of leadership and funded research as principal investigator.
  3. A feasible plan with clear aims and appropriate preclinical or observational methods.
  4. Potential to open new research directions or inform future therapies.

Ideas You Could Develop

Glial contributions to early pathologyA project investigating how microglia and astrocytes influence the earliest stages of amyloid and tau pathology in model systems.
Blood biomarkers of vascular contributionsAn observational study evaluating blood-based markers that reflect vascular contributions to cognitive decline.
Lifestyle and genetic risk interactionAn analysis of how lifestyle factors modify dementia risk in people with different genetic risk profiles.

Your Plan to the Deadline

A suggested schedule working back from 1 December 2026. Adjust it to the stage your work has reached.

  1. By 6 Oct 2026

    Read the call documents; confirm eligibility, budget limits, assessment criteria and institutional requirements.

  2. By 20 Oct 2026

    Agree the research question, aims, team and partners; contact your research office.

  3. By 3 Nov 2026

    Draft the case for support, methods, impact and budget.

  4. By 17 Nov 2026

    Obtain internal review, letters of support and institutional sign-off.

  5. By 26 Nov 2026

    Final checks against the funder’s guidance and formatting rules.

  6. By 1 Dec 2026

    Submit through the funder’s system before the deadline.

What you gain

  • Funding for the research, team and resources it needs.
  • Recognition from a competitive, peer-reviewed process.
  • Reviewer feedback that strengthens future applications.
  • A track record for larger grants and fellowships.

What happens after you apply

  1. Eligibility check: the funder confirms the application meets the call rules.
  2. Peer review: external reviewers assess the proposal against the published criteria.
  3. Panel: a committee ranks proposals; some schemes include an interview.
  4. Decision: outcomes are released on the funder’s timetable.
  5. Award: successful applicants agree terms and reporting requirements before starting.

What the Funder Are Looking For

The Alzheimer’s Association is looking for established investigators at Associate Professor level or above, with a record of major external grant support as principal investigator, to pursue innovative research on Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Previous Zenith recipients and clinical trials are ineligible. Eligibility, letter of intent requirements, the full application process and award conditions should be confirmed in the official Alzheimer’s Association guidelines.

Read the official pageThis guide summarises the opportunity. Confirm deadlines, eligibility and requirements on the official page before you plan your work, and record the date you checked it.Open the official page

Expert help

How Pubrica Can Help

Pubrica’s subject specialists can help you prepare a competitive proposal, planned back from the deadline. You remain the author of your work.

Grant writingProposal writing structured to the funder’s guidance and assessment criteria. Literature review and gap analysisThe evidence base and the gap your proposal addresses. Study designStudy design and methods that reviewers can assess. Statistical analysis planSample size and analysis plans for the proposal. Data management planData management and sharing plans to funder requirements. Proposal editingEditing of the full proposal for clarity and consistency.
Go to the official page

FAQs

Questions Researchers Ask

The next published deadline is 1 December 2026. Dates can change, so confirm them on the official page before you plan your work.

Clinical trials are ineligible for this award, but other research involving human participants or samples may be acceptable. Applicants should confirm what is permitted in the official Zenith Fellows Award guidelines and contact the Alzheimer’s Association if uncertain.

Associate Professors or above with a record of major external grant support as PI; previous Zenith recipients and clinical trials are ineligible; full applications due 30 March 2027. Confirm the full eligibility rules in the call documents.

Yes. Pubrica’s specialists can review, write, edit and format your proposal. You remain the author and the person responsible for the submission.

Sources

  1. Alzheimer's Association. (2026). Alzheimer's Association Zenith Fellows Award – letter of intent. Retrieved 10 November 2026, from https://www.alz.org/research/for_researchers/grants/types-of-grants/the_zenith_fellows_award_program_-zenith

How to cite this page

Pubrica Insights. (2026). Alzheimer's Association Zenith Fellows Award – letter of intent. Pubrica. https://pubrica.com/insights/calls-and-conferences/alzheimer-s-association-zenith-fellows-award-letter-of-intent/

  • Alzheimer’s disease
  • Dementia research
  • Zenith award
  • Senior investigators
  • Neuroscience

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Alzheimer's Association Zenith Fellows Award – letter of intentNext deadline 1 December 2026

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