Author: Lindsay Kenton

ASCENT Grand Rounds Session 1 (October 8)

Posted on by Lindsay Kenton

ASCENT Grand Rounds Session 1 (October 8)

Thursday, October 8 | 3-4 pm ET
Please register at this link

Join us for our inaugural ASCENT Grand Rounds webinar. This interactive session will explore “Next-Gen Palliative Interventions: Opportunities to Advance Care and Care Delivery in Serious Illness Across the Lifespan Through Innovative Research Methods.” 

The discussion will be moderated by ASCENT MPI, Dr. Ab Brody, and will bring together Drs. Abby R. Rosenberg, Ana-Maria Vranceanu, Frank Puga, and Katherine Courtright to share their perspectives on advancing care delivery, innovative intervention design, and the future of palliative care research. Participants will also have the opportunity to engage with the panel during a live Q&A.

Whether you're building interventions from the ground up, adapting care models for new populations, or exploring strategies to scale reach and impact, this conversation will offer valuable insights into the field’s evolving landscape of palliative care research across the lifespan.

2026-2027 Grand Rounds

Posted on by Lindsay Kenton

2026-2027 ASCENT Grand Rounds

Second Thursdays of each month
3-4 pm ET

Join us from October to May for interactive panel discussions on current challenges, emerging methodologies, and groundbreaking discoveries in palliative care research. 

This new monthly virtual series convenes leaders in the field to share insights, spark debate, and help shape the future of palliative care research across the lifespan. 

Whether you're an experienced researcher, an early-career faculty member, or simply passionate about advancing palliative care research, we invite you to join the conversation! 


2026 ASCENT Annual Scientific and Business Meeting Recap

Posted on by Lindsay Kenton

2026 ASCENT Annual Scientific and Business Meeting Recap

On June 29-30, 2026, the ASCENT Consortium and its collaborators gathered in Bethesda, Maryland, for the 2026 ASCENT Annual Scientific and Business Meeting. The two-day event featured updates from the National Institutes of Health, insightful perspectives from the Lived Experience Action Panel, and poster presentations showcasing new research from our 2026 Research Scholar(opens in new tab) and Pilot and Exploratory Studies(opens in new tab) Award recipients. Attendees also connected with ASCENT Investigators in Residence (AIR) Fellows and palliative care researchers while exploring ASCENT's ongoing impact on the field.

Closing the retreat out, Linda Collins, PhD, and Nick Odom, PhD, gave an engaging talk on intervention optimization as an approach to developing and testing interventions in palliative care. Thank you to everyone who joined us, and we look forward to advancing impactful science together!

Attendees from the 2026 ASCENT Annual Scientific and Business Meeting.
Attendees from the 2026 ASCENT Annual Scientific and Business Meeting.

ABLN Recording Available: Methods for Handling Informative Missingness in Palliative Care Research

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ABLN Recording Available: Methods for Handling Informative Missingness in Palliative Care Research

The ASCENT Biostatistics Learning Network (ABLN) hosted its latest quarterly webinar, Methods for Handling Informative Missingness in Palliative Care Research, on Tuesday, September 8, 12:00–1:30 pm ET.

Watch the recording here.

The ABLN is designed to advance statistical innovation in serious illness research. Biostatistics faculty, methodologists, PhD students, ASCENT Core investigators, and interested individuals are invited to join this free webinar.

Recording Available: Learn more about ASCENT Year 2 Funding Opportunities

Posted on by Lindsay Kenton

Recording Available: Learn More about ASCENT's Year 2 Funding Opportunities

The ASCENT Consortium’s Year 2 Funding Informational Webinar recording is now available for viewing. In this video, we cover everything from program overviews and eligibility criteria to application timeline, program expectations, and the ASCENT Lab consultation process. For more information, please:

Requests for Applications Now Open for Year 2 Funding Opportunities

Posted on by Lindsay Kenton

Requests for Applications Now Open for Year 2 Funding Opportunities

The ASCENT Consortium is excited to announce that the Requests for Applications (RFAs) for our Year 2 funding opportunities are officially live! Letters of Intent are due on August 10, 2026. These awards support investigators dedicated to improving the lives of seriously ill patients and their caregivers through innovative palliative care research.

  • Research Scholar Award: Provides two years of salary and research support, protected time, and mentorship for junior faculty establishing themselves as independent investigators.
  • Pilot and Exploratory Studies Awards: Provides funding and resources for early-career investigators transitioning from K to R awards, as well as mid-career researchers seeking to obtain a second large research grant or exploring new directions. Detailed descriptions of both award types are provided on the linked webpage.

The ASCENT Year 2 Funding Opportunities Informational Webinar took place on Friday, July 17 and included a comprehensive overview of the Research Scholar Award and Pilot and Exploratory Studies Award application process, followed by a live Q&A session. The recording is available at this link.

Announcing the 2026 ASCENT Pilots

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Announcing the 2026 ASCENT Pilots

The ASCENT Consortium is pleased to announce the recipients of the Pilot & Exploratory Studies Award during ASCENT’s first grant cycle.

The Pilot and Exploratory Studies Award facilitates early- and mid-career investigators in building innovative research that improves the lives of seriously ill patients and their caregivers. The grant accomplishes this by providing funding, guidance, community, and resources, helping investigators launch studies that can lead to larger, externally funded research.

Announcing the 2026 ASCENT Research Scholars

Posted on by Lindsay Kenton

Announcing the 2026 ASCENT Research Scholars

The ASCENT Consortium is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2026 Research Scholar Award during ASCENT’s first grant cycle.

This Research Scholar Award offers two years of support for salary and/or research activities for junior faculty seeking to establish themselves as independent investigators in palliative care research. It also provides protected time, mentorship, and training for developing competitive research programs that may ultimately lead to larger, extramurally funded programs.

ASCENT Application Cycle Year 2 Funding Opportunities Webinar

Posted on by Lindsay Kenton

ASCENT Application Cycle Year 2 Funding Opportunities Webinar

Registration is now open for the ASCENT Application Cycle Year 2 Funding Opportunities Webinar. Join us on Friday, July 17 at 11:00 AM ET for a comprehensive overview of the Research Scholar Award and Pilot and Exploratory Studies Award application process, followed by a live Q&A session.

Please register for the webinar at the link below and hold this time on your calendar. If you are unable to join during this time, we will record the webinar and post a link on our website the following week.

Register here: Zoom Webinar Registration

Details regarding eligibility, funding criteria, and program requirements will be posted to our website in the week of July 6: https://ascentpalliativecare.org

ASCENT Application Cycle Year 2 Funding Opportunities Webinar

Posted on by Lindsay Kenton

ASCENT Application Cycle Year 2 Funding Opportunities Webinar

Join this one-hour webinar for a comprehensive overview of the Research Scholar Award and Pilot and Exploratory Studies Award application process, followed by a live Q&A session. Please register in advance at the link below.

Friday, July 17th | 11:00 AM ET

Registration Link: https://ucdenver.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ePqLZm_yTd66L_Mv7bN-KA