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MTF Biologics (Musculoskeletal Transplant Foundation Inc)

Annual Giving
$1.0M
Grant Range
$75K - $0.3M
Decision Time
10mo

MTF Biologics (Musculoskeletal Transplant Foundation Inc)

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $1,000,000+ (2024 grant program)
  • Total Awarded Since 1987: $60 million
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: Approximately 8-10 months (LOI to award announcement)
  • Grant Range: $75,000 - $250,000
  • Geographic Focus: National (U.S. accredited institutions)
  • Application Cycle: Annual (Letters of Intent due mid-March)

Contact Details

Website: https://www.mtfbiologics.org/grants

Phone: (732) 661-2151

Email: jeffrey_cartmell@mtf.org

Grant Program Contact: Jeffrey Cartmell, Ph.D., Senior Director, Intellectual Property & Grants

Mailing Address: 125 May Street, Edison, NJ 08837

Overview

MTF Biologics, incorporated on January 30, 1987, as the Musculoskeletal Transplant Foundation Inc, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and the world's largest tissue bank. Founded by leading academic orthopedic surgeons who identified an increasing need for high-quality allograft tissue and a means to evaluate outcomes of orthopedic allograft surgery, MTF Biologics has evolved into a global organization with a mission to "save and heal lives by honoring the donated gift, serving patients and advancing science."

Since its founding, MTF Biologics has awarded $60 million to researchers working to advance scientific knowledge and patient care in orthopedics, plastic and reconstructive surgery, aesthetics, surgical soft tissue repair and reconstruction, and wound care. The organization is distinguished as the only tissue bank in the U.S. that uses 100% aseptic processing with no terminal radiation, maintaining tissue's natural structure and inherent biological properties.

As a nonprofit, MTF Biologics reinvests earnings to support innovation in allograft transplantation through competitive grant programs. The organization awarded more than $1 million to eight researchers in 2024, marking continued growth in both the number of grants and total funding provided.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Innovation in Allograft Translational Research Grants: MTF Biologics' flagship grant program supports translational and clinical research advancing allograft tissue transplantation. The program offers three tracks:

  • Junior Investigator Grant: Up to $75,000 for 1 year - Designed for qualified junior investigators who have not previously received a major grant award from a Federal Agency or private Foundation as a Principal Investigator

  • Established Investigator Grant: Up to $250,000 total for up to 3 years - Designed for experienced investigators who have previously received a major grant award from a Federal Agency or private Foundation as a Principal Investigator

  • Career Development Award: Dr. William Enneking Career Development Award - Specifically recognizes promising early-career researchers

Named Awards: MTF Biologics recognizes exceptional applications with special honors:

  • Dr. James Neff Excellence Award: Best overall application
  • Dr. Hans Burchardt Impact Award: Awarded grant with highest potential for clinical impact
  • Dr. William Enneking Career Development Award: Outstanding early-career researcher

OREF/MTF Biologics Research Grant: MTF Biologics annually funds orthopaedic research through partnership with the Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation. Applications for OREF-administered grants are submitted directly to OREF at grants@oref.org.

Other Partnerships: MTF Biologics has partnered with organizations including the Plastic Surgery Foundation and the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society to fund advances in tissue transplantation.

External Research Tissue Program: Tissues unsuitable for transplantation are available for academic research. Researchers must complete an application and have projects reviewed for scientific merit before tissue shipment.

Priority Areas

MTF Biologics funds research that must utilize allografts or allograft-derived materials and demonstrate a strong clinical translation component. Clinical areas of interest include:

  • Orthopedics (bone regeneration, reconstructive procedures)
  • Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery
  • Aesthetics
  • Surgical Soft Tissue Repair and Reconstruction
  • Wound Care
  • Biologic reconstruction and transplantation
  • Stem cells for graft transplantation
  • Novel allograft applications
  • Combination strategies with biomaterials
  • Regenerative medicine technologies utilizing allograft tissues

Types of Studies Funded:

  • Health economic studies
  • Retrospective clinical studies
  • Data mining or creation of registry data
  • Translational research with clinical application
  • Clinical trials and outcome studies

What They Don't Fund

Based on the organization's funding criteria, MTF Biologics does not fund:

  • Research that does not utilize allografts or allograft-derived materials
  • Projects lacking a strong clinical translation component
  • Research outside the specified clinical areas of interest (orthopedics, plastic surgery, wound care, etc.)
  • Basic science research without clear translational potential

Governance and Leadership

Executive Leadership

President and CEO: Joe Yaccarino has served as President and CEO since June 1, 2018, after more than two decades with MTF Biologics. His leadership emphasizes the organization's patient-first approach and commitment to advancing tissue transplantation science.

Board Structure

MTF Biologics operates with three distinct boards for governance:

  • Board of Directors: Overall organizational governance
  • Medical Board of Trustees: Composed of physicians appointed by Academic Member institutions or by the MBOT Chairperson to represent relevant surgical specialties
  • Donation Board of Trustees: Oversees donation and tissue banking operations

Board Leadership:

  • Donald Hackbarth: Among the first MTF Biologics Board of Trustees members, actively engaged in leadership since the mid-1990s, serving in board leadership roles
  • Sharon Gabrielson: Vice Chair of the Board, recognized leader in healthcare governance and operations, and the first female and non-physician appointed to the Vice Chair role

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Current Status: MTF Biologics is not currently accepting grant applications. The next grant application cycle will open in January 2026.

Typical Application Process:

  1. Letter of Intent (LOI): Submit LOI through MTF Biologics grant portal by mid-March deadline (typically March 15)

    • LOI includes project overview, significance, and preliminary methodology
    • Keywords in LOI are used to assign proposals to appropriate peer reviewers

  2. Full Application: Invited applicants submit complete proposals following LOI review

    • Applications undergo rigorous peer review process
    • Completeness is critical - applications that are incomplete, do not adhere to required formatting, are missing signatures, or deviate from stated policies will not be reviewed

  3. Application Method: Online portal at https://www.mtfbiologics.org/grants

Eligibility: Scientific grants are awarded to researchers at accredited institutions in support of innovation in allograft transplantation. Applicants must hold appointments at accredited academic or research institutions.

Application Requirements:

  • Detailed research plan with strong clinical translation component
  • Budget and budget justification
  • Institutional support documentation
  • IRB approval or statement of pending approval
  • Biosketch and relevant publications
  • Keywords for reviewer assignment (critically important)

Decision Timeline

Typical Timeline (based on historical cycles):

  • January: Grant application cycle opens
  • Mid-March: Letter of Intent deadline
  • Spring: LOI review and full application invitations
  • Summer: Full application deadline
  • Fall: Peer review process
  • January (following year): Award announcements (approximately 10 months from LOI submission)

Award Announcement: Notifications are made via email and public announcement on the MTF Biologics website and through press releases.

Success Rates

MTF Biologics does not publicly disclose specific success rates or the number of applications received. In 2024, eight grants were awarded from the applicant pool. Historical data shows:

  • 2024: 8 awards totaling over $1 million
  • 2023: Awards totaling $1,000,849
  • 2022: 53 awards (combined internal and external programs)
  • 2020: Over $1 million in awards
  • 2017: 11 researchers received $1.74 million

The organization has awarded grants to more than 80 institutions and 200 principal investigators since 1987.

Reapplication Policy

MTF Biologics does not explicitly publish a reapplication policy. Unsuccessful applicants are encouraged to contact Dr. Jeffrey Cartmell for feedback and guidance on strengthening future applications.

Application Success Factors

Critical Application Elements

1. Clinical Translation Component: "Submitted research projects must utilize allografts or allograft-derived materials, and must have a strong clinical translation component." This is the most fundamental requirement and proposals must clearly articulate how the research will impact patient care and clinical practice.

2. Keyword Selection: According to application instructions, "The keyword list will be used to assign your grant proposal to the appropriate reviewers." Careful selection of keywords ensures proposals reach reviewers with relevant expertise.

3. Completeness and Formatting: "Upon receipt, applications will be evaluated for completeness, and applications that are incomplete, do not adhere to the required formatting, are missing signatures, or otherwise deviate from stated MTF Biologics Grant policies will not be reviewed." This is a strict policy - incomplete applications are rejected without review.

4. Budget Justification: Application instructions emphasize: "Include any other justifications which you feel will aid the reviewers in understanding your budget requests." Clear, detailed budget justification is essential.

Examples of Funded Research (2024 Recipients)

Understanding what MTF Biologics has recently funded provides insight into their priorities:

  • Dr. Lauren Wessel, UCLA (Dr. William Enneking Career Development Awardee): "The Biomechanics of Allograft Reconstruction in Upper Extremity Oncology" - Clinical biomechanical study with direct surgical application

  • Dr. Peng Chen, Clemson University (Dr. James Neff Excellence Awardee - Best Overall Application): "Ice-free Cryopreservation and Nanowarming of Large Viable Osteochondral Allografts" - Innovative preservation technology with broad clinical impact

  • Dr. Brett Crist (Dr. Hans Burchardt Impact Awardee - Highest Potential Clinical Impact): Research demonstrating clear pathway to improved patient outcomes

  • Dr. Edward Testa, Brown University: "Distal Radius Allograft for Posterior Glenoid Bone Loss: A Cadaveric, Graft Matching Study" - Novel surgical application with anatomical matching

  • Dr. Sameer Shakir, Medical College of Wisconsin: "Nanosized Bone Particles with Decellularized Amniotic Membrane - An Alternative Grafting Biomaterial in Cleft Lip/Palate" - Innovative combination biomaterial approach

  • Dr. Miles Pfaff, UC Irvine: "Biochemical and Biomechanical Properties of External and Autologous Pediatric and Adolescent Costal Cartilage" - Comparative study with clinical decision-making implications

Strategic Insights

Innovation Within Clinical Context: The most successful applications demonstrate innovation in allograft science while maintaining clear clinical applicability. Dr. Peng Chen's ice-free cryopreservation research exemplifies this balance - highly innovative technology with obvious clinical benefits.

Patient Impact: Awards like the Dr. Hans Burchardt Impact Award emphasize that MTF Biologics prioritizes research with the highest potential to improve patient outcomes. Applications should clearly articulate expected clinical benefits.

Institutional Track Record: Top funded institutions include University of California Los Angeles, University of Rochester, Case Western Reserve University, University of Virginia, and Columbia University, suggesting that institutional research infrastructure and track record matter.

Diverse Clinical Applications: The 2024 awards span upper extremity oncology, cryopreservation technology, shoulder reconstruction, craniofacial surgery, and pediatric cartilage - demonstrating MTF Biologics' interest in diverse clinical applications of allograft technology.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. Allograft utilization is mandatory: Every funded project must utilize allografts or allograft-derived materials. If your research doesn't incorporate allograft tissue, it will not be funded regardless of scientific merit.

  2. Clinical translation is the priority: MTF Biologics emphasizes "strong clinical translation component" in all guidance. Frame your research in terms of patient impact, clinical outcomes, and practical surgical applications rather than basic science discovery.

  3. Application completeness is a strict threshold: Unlike some funders who may contact applicants to request missing materials, MTF Biologics will not review incomplete applications. Use their detailed checklists and have multiple colleagues review before submission.

  4. Choose your track strategically: Junior investigators should not apply to the Established Investigator track even if seeking more funding - the tracks are designed for different career stages and applications are evaluated accordingly.

  5. Named awards recognize specific excellence: Understanding what the Neff Award (overall excellence), Burchardt Award (clinical impact), and Enneking Award (career development) recognize can help you understand review criteria and frame your proposal.

  6. Peer review favors innovation with rigor: The 2024 award for ice-free cryopreservation demonstrates that MTF Biologics will fund high-risk, innovative approaches if the science is rigorous and the clinical impact is clear.

  7. Plan for a long timeline: With LOI submission in March and awards announced the following January, applicants should plan for nearly a year from initial submission to funding. Budget planning and institutional commitments should account for this timeline.

References

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