The American Headache Society Announces the Award Recipients of the 2024 Headache & Migraine Competitive Grant Program

MOUNT ROYAL, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The American Headache Society (AHS), in collaboration with Pfizer, congratulates the recipients of the 2024 Headache & Migraine Competitive Grant Program. Launched in May 2024, the program received 65 letters of intent from interested researchers in North America. Following a thorough review process, an Expert Review Panel selected six groundbreaking quality improvement projects aimed at advancing headache and migraine care, awarding a total of $1.24 million USD across all recipients. These projects, through the generous support of Pfizer, address critical gaps in headache medicine with the potential to create widely applicable tools and improve patient outcomes.

The following awarded projects seek to uncover findings and build tools to improve access to high-quality, patient-centered headache medicine care.

• An Agentic Artificial Intelligence System for Efficiently Collecting and Summarizing Headache Information, Diagnosing Headache Types, and Optimizing Clinical Workflows
  Chia-Chun Chiang, MD – Mayo Clinic

• Migraine and Perimenstrual Migraine Attacks in the Emergency Department: Improving Recognition and Ensuring Better Outcomes
  Jelena Pavlovic, MD, PhD – Montefiore Medical Center

• HeadWay: Charting Coordination & Continuity Across the Transition from Adolescent-to-Adult Headache Care
  Richelle deMayo, MD – Connecticut Children's Medical Center Foundation

• Empowering Children and Adolescents Undergoing Needle-Based Procedures for Headache Treatment through Implementation of a “Headache Procedure Comfort Menu”: A Novel Clinical Tool
  Hannah Shapiro, MD – University of California, San Francisco

• Effectiveness of a School-Based Interventional Migraine Program in Under-Resourced Schools
  Sinifunanya Nwaobi, MD, PhD – University of California, Los Angeles

• Reducing Emergency Department Length of Stay and Specialty Consultation Wait Times for Patients with Headache
  Winnie Lau, MD – University of North Carolina

"We are thrilled to support these innovative research initiatives that will drive meaningful progress in the field, ultimately benefiting patients worldwide," said Andrew C. Charles, MD, Past President of AHS.

Howard Rosen, CEO of AHS, added, "The mission of the AHS is to improve the lives of people impacted by migraine and other headache disorders. The outcome of this research has the potential to advance our mission and we extend our gratitude to all applicants and to Pfizer for their collaboration in supporting this important work."

"At Pfizer, we are proud to collaborate with AHS in funding projects that have the potential to significantly enhance patient care," said Angelo Carter, Senior Director of Global Medical Grants & Partnerships at Pfizer. "These initiatives represent critical steps forward in addressing the challenges faced by those living with headache and migraine disorders."

For updates on these awarded projects and their impact, visit americanheadachesociety.org/research/grants/ahs-headache-migraine-competitive-grant-program. AHS encourages all researchers interested in headache and migraine medicine grant programs to explore available funding opportunities at americanheadachesociety.org/research/grants. While the next cycle of the Headache & Migraine Competitive Grant Program and the release of the next request for proposals (RFP) has not yet been determined, it is anticipated to be released in late 2025 or early 2026.

About the American Headache Society

The American Headache Society is a professional society dedicated to advancing the understanding and treatment of headache and migraine disorders. Through education, research, and advocacy, AHS supports clinicians, researchers, and patients in the pursuit of improved care and outcomes.

About Pfizer

Pfizer is committed to advancing scientific research and healthcare initiatives that enhance patient outcomes. Through strategic partnerships and grant programs, Pfizer supports innovation that addresses unmet medical needs worldwide.