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Milky Way Research Foundation

Annual Giving
$27.8M
Grant Range
$500K - $1.0M

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $27,806,873 (2024)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: Approximately $500,000 - $1,000,000
  • Average Grant Size: $772,413
  • Geographic Focus: National and international (US, Spain, UK, Japan)

Contact Details

Address: 1900 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036-1656

Grants Application Portal: https://milkywayrf.org/

Correspondence: James A. Hutchinson, Esq., Director & Secretary

Overview

The Milky Way Research Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation established with tax-exempt status in April 2023 (EIN: 85-2277927). Sponsored by billionaire philanthropist and technology investor Yuri Milner, the foundation has experienced rapid growth, scaling from $1.67 million in revenue in 2021 to over $30 million in 2023. Led by President Richard D. Klausner, M.D., former Director of the National Cancer Institute (1995-2001), the foundation focuses on cutting-edge biomedical research in aging, longevity, and cellular reprogramming. The foundation awarded 36 grants totaling $27.8 million in 2024 and 34 grants totaling $26.8 million in 2023, primarily supporting research at major universities and research institutions across the United States and internationally. The foundation operates with zero reported compensation for officers, reflecting its volunteer-led governance structure.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Biomedical Research Grants: Typically three-year awards of approximately $1 million per year ($3 million total), supporting transformative research in aging and cellular biology.

Focus Areas: The foundation prioritizes research in:

  • Cellular reprogramming and rejuvenation
  • Aging biology and longevity science
  • Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) regulation and tissue aging
  • Sarcopenia (age-related muscle loss)
  • Technologies to extend healthspan and lifespan
  • Fundamental research on reversing cellular aging

Priority Areas

  • University-based biomedical research programs
  • Cellular reprogramming technologies
  • Aging research and longevity science
  • Muscle biology and regeneration
  • Biomedical innovations with potential to increase human healthspan
  • Research led by established investigators at major research institutions

What They Don't Fund

While specific exclusions are not publicly documented, the foundation's grant portfolio indicates a narrow focus on aging and cellular biology research, suggesting they do not fund:

  • Research outside biomedical sciences
  • Clinical trials or applied medical research (focus appears to be basic science)
  • Community health programs
  • Medical equipment or facilities
  • General operating support for organizations

Governance and Leadership

Key Personnel

Richard D. Klausner, M.D. - Director, President & Treasurer Dr. Klausner served as the 11th Director of the National Cancer Institute under Presidents Clinton and Bush (1995-2001). His research focused on T cells, CAR-T therapies, and the genetics of Von Hippel-Lindau disease. He is also the Founder and Chief Scientist of Altos Labs, a well-funded biotechnology company focused on cellular rejuvenation that evolved from the foundation's early grantmaking work.

James A. Hutchinson, Esq. - Director & Secretary Contact person for correspondence and co-director of the foundation.

Rajan Munshi - Chief Administrative Officer (since January 2021) Leads overall administration of grant award programs and collaborates with the executive team on implementation, management, monitoring, and assessment. Previously served as Deputy Director of Scientific Program Management at Stanford University School of Medicine (2014-2020).

Advisory Board

Grant proposals are reviewed by an advisory board that has included:

  • Shinya Yamanaka - Nobel Prize laureate in Physiology or Medicine (2012)
  • Jennifer Doudna - Nobel Prize laureate in Chemistry (2020) for co-discovery of CRISPR genome editing; Breakthrough Prize winner (2015)

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The foundation maintains an online grants application portal at https://milkywayrf.org/ (requires JavaScript to access).

Based on the foundation's history and grant patterns, the foundation appears to operate through a combination of invited proposals and open applications, though specific application procedures are not publicly detailed. The presence of an online portal suggests some form of open application process exists.

Decision Timeline

Specific decision timelines from submission to award notification are not publicly disclosed. Given the foundation's connection to major scientific meetings and its advisory board structure, decisions likely follow a peer-review model common in scientific grantmaking.

Success Rates

Not publicly available. With 36 grants awarded in 2024 out of an unknown application pool, success rates cannot be calculated from available data.

Reapplication Policy

No publicly available information on reapplication policies or waiting periods for unsuccessful applicants.

Application Success Factors

Based on analysis of known grant recipients and the foundation's focus areas:

Research Excellence and Innovation: The foundation funded Stanford's Blau Lab for research exploring "15-PGDH as a potential master regulator of aging," examining how enzyme inhibition might restore PGE2 homeostasis to rejuvenate tissues and address sarcopenia. This exemplifies the type of mechanistic, potentially transformative research the foundation supports.

Leadership Credentials: Grant recipients include established researchers at premier institutions (Stanford Medicine, Harvard Medical School, and other major universities), suggesting the foundation values proven track records in biomedical research.

Focus on Mechanisms of Aging: The foundation's support for research on "augmenting healthspan and lifespan" through molecular interventions indicates interest in understanding fundamental aging processes rather than treating age-related diseases.

Connection to Cellular Reprogramming: The foundation's origins lie in supporting cellular reprogramming research following a 2020 scientific meeting at Yuri Milner's home, where proposals were discussed with advisory board members including Yamanaka (whose work on induced pluripotent stem cells revolutionized the field).

Alignment with Foundation Evolution: Understanding that the foundation's early work led to the creation of Altos Labs (a $3 billion biotechnology company focused on cellular rejuvenation) provides insight into the foundation's interest in research with potential for significant real-world impact.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Target major research institutions: Known recipients include Stanford, Harvard, and other premier universities, suggesting strong institutional infrastructure matters
  • Emphasize transformative potential: The foundation's evolution into supporting Altos Labs demonstrates interest in research that could fundamentally change approaches to aging
  • Highlight cellular and molecular mechanisms: Focus on mechanistic understanding of aging processes, particularly cellular reprogramming, enzyme regulation, and tissue rejuvenation
  • Three-year awards are typical: Structure research proposals for multi-year support, typically $1 million per year for three years
  • Advisory board includes Nobel laureates: Applications likely undergo rigorous scientific peer review by leaders in stem cell biology, gene editing, and cellular biology
  • Rapid growth indicates expanding opportunities: The foundation scaled from 3 grants in 2021 to 36 grants in 2024, suggesting increasing funding availability
  • Visit the online portal: With an active grants application portal, interested researchers should access https://milkywayrf.org/ for current opportunities and application requirements

References

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