Disease Report: Ulcerative colitis

1. Summary:

2. Funding agencies:

Nonprofit Organizations

• Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation (USA): The leading nonprofit dedicated to funding research on Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, with over $500 million invested since 1967. Offers a wide range of grants, fellowships, and venture philanthropy programs.
  • https://www.crohnscolitisfoundation.org/research/grants-fellowships
• Crohn’s and Colitis Canada: One of the world’s largest non-governmental funders of IBD research, investing millions annually in research grants, fellowships, and partnerships.
  • https://crohnsandcolitis.ca/Research
• Crohn’s & Colitis UK: The UK’s leading IBD charity, funding research, clinical trials, and patient-focused studies.
  • https://crohnsandcolitis.org.uk/research
• Crohn’s & Colitis Australia: Funds research and advocacy in Australia, including grants and awards for UC research.
  • https://crohnsandcolitis.org.au/research-grants-awards/

Government Agencies

• National Institutes of Health (NIH, USA): The primary federal funder of biomedical research in the US, including the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), which supports UC research and clinical trials.
  • https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/ulcerative-colitis/clinical-trials
  • https://www.nih.gov/grants-funding
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, USA): Funds epidemiological and outcomes research in IBD, including UC.
  • https://www.cdc.gov/inflammatory-bowel-disease/programs/etiology-and-outcome-of-inflammatory-bowel-disease.html
• Department of Veterans Affairs (VA, USA): Supports research on digestive diseases, including UC, through its Biomedical Laboratory R&D program.
  • https://www.research.va.gov/about/funded_research/projects-FY2023.cfm
• Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR): Co-funds IBD research and fellowships with Crohn’s and Colitis Canada.
  • https://cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/193.html

Industry

• Pfizer: Runs competitive grant programs for UC research, including clinical and translational research grants.
  • https://funding.asu.edu/philanthropic-opportunities/rfp-ulcerative-colitis-competitive-grant-program
  • https://cdn.pfizer.com/pfizercom/2023-05/2023+RD+GLOBAL+UC+RESEARCH+updated.pdf
• Other Pharma/Biotech: Companies such as Takeda, AbbVie, and others may offer investigator-initiated research funding or partner with nonprofits for targeted calls.

3. Funding opportunities:

Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation (USA)

• Research Fellowship Awards: For postdoctoral researchers in IBD, including UC. Up to $58,250/year for 1–3 years. Source
• Career Development Awards: For early-career investigators transitioning to independence. Source
• Senior Research Awards: For established investigators to generate preliminary data for larger grants. Source
• Litwin IBD Pioneers: Supports innovative clinical and translational research. Source
• IBD Ventures: Venture philanthropy program funding product development (including drugs) for IBD. Source

Crohn’s and Colitis Canada

• Grants-in-Aid of Research (GIA): Up to $125,000/year for up to 3 years for UC research. Source
• Innovations in IBD Research (INN): Up to $50,000 for novel or high-risk projects. Source
• Fellowships and Partnerships: Co-funded with CIHR and other agencies. Source

Crohn’s & Colitis UK and Australia

• Research Grants and Fellowships: Regular calls for proposals in UC and IBD research. UK Source | Australia Source

NIH (USA)

• R01, R21, K-series, and F-series grants: For basic, translational, and clinical research in UC. Source
• NIDDK Clinical Trials: Funding for clinical studies in UC. Source

CDC (USA)

• Epidemiology and Outcomes Research: Funding for studies on incidence, prevalence, and outcomes in UC. Source

Pfizer

• Ulcerative Colitis Competitive Grant Program: Up to $150,000 (clinical) and $75,000 (translational) for UC research. Source

4. Open calls (as of May 2025):

• Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation Research Fellowship Awards: Accepting applications for postdoctoral research in UC. Apply here
• Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation Senior Research Awards: Open for established investigators. Apply here
• Crohn’s and Colitis Canada Grants-in-Aid of Research: Annual competition open. Apply here
• Pfizer Ulcerative Colitis Competitive Grant Program: Check for current RFPs and deadlines. Details
• NIH/NIDDK Clinical Trials: Ongoing calls for clinical research in UC. ClinicalTrials.gov

5. Additional context:

• Application Process: Most agencies require a detailed research proposal, CV, and institutional support letter. Deadlines and eligibility vary; always check the official website.
• Eligibility: Varies by program; some are open internationally, others require US/Canada/UK affiliation.
• Collaborative Funding: Many grants encourage or require collaboration between institutions or with industry partners.
• Venture Philanthropy: Programs like IBD Ventures fund translational research and product development, bridging the gap between academia and industry.
• Industry Partnerships: Pharma companies may offer investigator-initiated grants or partner with nonprofits for targeted research calls.

6. References:

• Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation: https://www.crohnscolitisfoundation.org/research/grants-fellowships
• Crohn’s and Colitis Canada: https://crohnsandcolitis.ca/Research
• Crohn’s & Colitis UK: https://crohnsandcolitis.org.uk/research
• Crohn’s & Colitis Australia: https://crohnsandcolitis.org.au/research-grants-awards/
• NIH/NIDDK: https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/ulcerative-colitis/clinical-trials
• CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/inflammatory-bowel-disease/programs/etiology-and-outcome-of-inflammatory-bowel-disease.html
• Pfizer: https://funding.asu.edu/philanthropic-opportunities/rfp-ulcerative-colitis-competitive-grant-program
• Grants.gov: https://www.grants.gov/
• ClinicalTrials.gov: https://clinicaltrials.gov/