INFORMATION FOR RESEARCHERS

Established in 1961 by Norman Orentreich, M.D., OFAS is a Private Operating Foundation registered with and classified by the United States Internal Revenue Service as a 4942(j)(3) organization. As such, it is a foundation whose primary activity is to conduct its own research (or social welfare or other programs determined by its governing body or establishment charter).
SOURCE OF FUNDING AND DEDUCTIBILITY OF CONTRIBUTIONS OFAS is supported by contributions and grants for its own research. Contributions are fully tax-deductible in accordance with IRS regulations under section 501(c)(3). For contributions to OFAS from private foundations, OFAS provides, upon grantor's request, expenditure responsibility report(s) for their compliance with IRS requirements.
PUBLICATION Each year (usually in December), OFAS distributes to supporters and other interested parties a report on research activities. Occasionally, interim communications occur.
RESEARCH INTERESTS OFAS is interested in biomedical research in general, but OFAS research typically is focused on aging, dermatology, endocrinology, and serum markers for human diseases.
UNIQUE SCIENTIFIC ASSET A unique OFAS asset is a computer-cataloged Serum Treasury. The Treasury consists of:
  1. 280,000+ 1-4 ml frozen serum specimens drawn between 1964-1971 from 120,000+ healthy persons on whom subsequent health/disease information is recorded; and
  2. new samples that have been added at the rate of 25,000-50,000 each year since 1984 about 20+% of which are from previous donors.
GRANTS BY OFAS OFAS generally makes only occasional and limited grants to help fund joint or collaborative research in fields of substantial OFAS research interest. OFAS usually is the initiator of such joint projects.
  • APPLICATION
Submit an outline of proposed joint or collaborative research, including, as a minimum, a brief overview of the current research in the field of interest, a statement of scientific objectives, a protocol summary, curriculum vitae of principal investigator, needed funding, and total estimated project budget. Conforming applications are reviewed at least quarterly.
  • VALUE
Amounts vary depending upon the needs, nature and level of OFAS interest in the project.
  • ELIGIBILITY
Recipients are typically at or above post-graduate level in science or medicine at accredited universities or research institutions in the U.S. There is no restriction on citizenship.
If you have a research question relating to a human disease or disease prevention factor, for which there is adequate scientific evidence of a serum marker to justify use of the Serum Treasury in pursuit of a definitive answer, please submit your proposal for consideration to: Rozlyn Krajcik, PhD, RPh
Assistant Direrctor of Scientific Affairs OFAS, Biomedical Research Station
855 Route 301
RD 2 Box 375
Cold Spring, NY 10516-9802
Tel: 914.265.4200
Fax: 914.265.4210
E-Mail: ofas1@juno.com