Research is key for the anesthesiology specialty to successfully master the challenges of the future. IARS is pushing the ball with its Grants Program, supporting research and scientific advancement of the anesthesiology specialty. To date, the IARS has funded more than 230 projects, contributing more than $24 million to the anesthesia community.
“As anesthesiologists, it’s a challenge balancing between the clinical work and the research aspect of things. Having [the IARS Mentored Research Award] provides you with the necessary time to complete meaningful research.”
— Past Award Recipient
IARS Mentored Research Award (IMRA) – $250,000
2026 Grant Cycle Now Closed
This award is intended to support investigations that will further the understanding of clinical practice in anesthesiology and related sciences. Up to four research projects are selected annually, with a maximum award of $250,000 each, payable over two years. These grants help create future leaders and prepare applicants to apply for independent research funding.
IARS Global Scholars Award – up to $20,000
The Global Scholars Award (GSA) is a two-year, up to $20,000 award to support a global mentored research initiative with the goal of providing meaningful, sustainable research initiatives for the awardee and their institution. The focus of the initiative is to support a well-defined project in perioperative anesthesiology, such as an observational study, in low- and lower middle-income countries (LMICs I & II) while promoting research training and empowering emerging researchers to unlock their scientific potential!
- GSA is designed to foster innovation, creativity, and capacity building for an early career/young investigator interested in a career in academic research.
- Projects must have direct relevance to the practice of anesthesiology.
- Applicants must demonstrate a commitment to research and the potential for leadership within their home country.
- Eligible Organizations must be located in low- and lower middle-income countries (LMICs I & II), as defined by The World Bank.
IARS International Outreach Travel Grant
Travel grant awards are available ranging from $1,000 and up to $5,000 for abstract presenters to attend the Annual Meeting, presented by IARS and SOCCA. The IARS International Outreach Travel Grant supports scientists globally and will grow the richness and diversity of background, location and expertise at the IARS Annual Meeting. These IARS travel grants are designed specifically for individuals located in low-income, lower-middle-income, and upper-middle-income countries who are involved in research related to anesthesia. The IARS travel grants aim to make it possible for individuals, who would not otherwise be able to participate in the meeting, to access the wider global anesthesiology community through meaningful engagement at our leading-edge annual meeting.
Award Presentation: Presented during the International Science Symposium at the IARS Annual Meeting
“The IMRA has allowed me to develop tools to examine pain physiology in humans. Translating these tools into tests that help clinicians identify the best treatment for a given patient based on their pain pathophysiology is a major goal for me. Moving in this direction would have a tremendous impact since currently patients are treated in a trial-and-error approach, leading to a lot of unsuccessful treatments, prolonged suffering, and potentially an over-reliance on opioids.”
– 2019 IARS Mentored Research Award Recipient Benedict Alter, MD, PhD
“The award [IMRA] provided my initial funding to start my project, validated my ideas, facilitated more research grant applications and promoted my work to a wider audience. I wouldn’t be able to continue my career as a physician-scientist without this award.”
– Wei Zhou, MD, PhD, IARS Abstract Presenter and 2016 IARS Mentored Research Award Recipient
“An award like that [IMRA], it’s instant validation of your ideas. Because you submit a grant, and it’s peer-reviewed. Experts in the field will look at it and say, ‘Yeah, this is important to throw a dollar set at.’ Any time things get funded, their value obviously goes up. So, the personal trajectory, the professional trajectory, it helps launch you. People start taking you seriously and listening to you, and you’re engaged in the network around the university. That was good.”
– 2015 IARS Mentored Research Award Recipient Michael W. Manning, PhD, MD
International Anesthesia Research Society
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