The American Migraine Foundation, in partnership with the American Headache Society, has launched the Dodick Lighthouse Research Awards to support high-impact, patient-centered migraine research with near-term clinical relevance. Three two-year awards of up to $150,000 each will fund studies designed to accelerate the translation of research into real-world care improvements.

NEW YORK, Feb. 26, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The American Migraine Foundation (AMF), in partnership with the American Headache Society (AHS), has announced the launch of the Dodick Lighthouse Research Awards, a competitive research funding opportunity designed to accelerate patient-centered headache and migraine research with clear, near-term relevance to clinical care.

The program will support three two-year research awards, each providing up to $150,000 in total funding, to investigators whose work has the potential to inform clinical decision-making, care delivery models, or therapeutic strategies within a 24-month timeframe.

"The Dodick Lighthouse Research Awards are intentionally focused on research that can move quickly from discovery to practice," said Carrie Howell, CEO of the American Migraine Foundation. "Our goal is to support investigators whose work addresses real-world challenges in migraine care and has the potential to meaningfully improve outcomes for people living with migraine."

Research Priorities Focused on Clinical Impact

The Dodick Lighthouse Research Awards are aligned with research priorities identified by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the American Headache Society, and an international multi-stakeholder expert panel. Funded projects must demonstrate relevance to patient care and may be mechanistic, translational, clinical, or health services focused.

Priority research domains include:

• Precision diagnosis and phenotyping, including clinically useful biomarkers and predictors of treatment response
• Mechanisms with therapeutic implications, including CGRP and non-CGRP pathways
• Treatment optimization and comparative effectiveness, including sequencing and deprescribing strategies
• Acute and preventive care in real-world settings, such as emergency, urgent care, and primary care environments
• Equity, access, and health services research aimed at reducing disparities and improving care delivery

Eligibility and Application Process

Investigators at any career stage are eligible to apply, with early-career investigators and clinician-scientists strongly encouraged. Multidisciplinary and cross-institutional collaborations are welcome.

The application process will occur in two phases:

Phase 1: Letter of Intent (LOI)

Applicants must submit a one-page LOI outlining the proposed research question, study design, relevance to AMF priorities, and anticipated deliverables.

Phase 2: Full Application (by invitation only)

Selected applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal for peer review.

Letters of Intent are due March 23, 2026.

Strengthening the Bridge Between Research and Care

Funded projects are expected to produce actionable insights relevant to clinical practice, including publications, presentations, tools, or frameworks that can inform guidelines or care models. Awardees will also be expected to articulate clear next steps for how findings may lead to additional research funding or broader implementation.

"The Lighthouse Awards reflect AMF's commitment to research that strengthens the connection between science and patient care," Howell added. "By supporting work with near-term clinical relevance, we aim to accelerate progress for the millions of people affected by migraine and other headache disorders."

About the American Migraine Foundation

The American Migraine Foundation exists to mobilize a community for patient support and advocacy, and to drive and support impactful research that translates into advances for people living with migraine and other disabling headache disorders.

Learn more at AmericanMigraineFoundation.org.

Contact:

Carrie Howell

Chief Executive Officer

American Migraine Foundation

chowell@americanmigrainefoundation.org

Media Contact

Carrie Howell, American Migraine Foundation, 1 317-758-7021, amf@americanmigrainefoundation.org, americanmigrainefoundation.org

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SOURCE American Migraine Foundation