December 5, 2019

VUMC Limited Submission Opportunity: 2020 Clinical Investigator Award -- Damon Runyon Cancer Research Found.; deadline is Dec. 9

VUMC:  These instructions are for VUMC investigators. VU investigators should address any questions to VU-LSO@vanderbilt.edu.

VUMC may nominate five candidates for the 2020 Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation Clinical Investigator Award. The award supports independent young physician-scientists conducting disease-oriented research that demonstrates a high level of innovation and creativity. The goal is to support the best young physician-scientists doing work aimed at improving the practice of cancer medicine. 

The Clinical Investigator Award program is specifically intended to provide outstanding young physicians with the resources and training structure essential to becoming successful clinical investigators, capable of moving seamlessly between the laboratory and the patient’s bedside in search of breakthrough treatments. The award provides $450,000 over three years, and the foundation will retire up to $100,000 of medical school debt owed by the awardee. Please note that indirect costs are not allowed.

Eligibility

  • Must have received an MD or MD/PhD degree(s) from an accredited institution, completed his/her subspecialty training and be U.S. board-eligible.
  • Must hold a valid, active U.S. medical license at the time of application.
  • Must hold an independent assistant professor position or equivalent. Must apply within the first 5 years of initial full faculty appointment (cut-off July 1, 2015). 
  • Candidates holding or awarded R01s at the time of application are not eligible. There are several other awards (e.g. AACR, HHMI) that cannot be held concurrently. See Foundation Website.
  • Must be affiliated with VUMC and/or VICC.
  • Must commit a minimum of 80% effort to research/ research career development.
  • There are additional key requirements that you must review on the Foundation Website

Internal Application Process

Anyone interested in being considered as one of VUMC’s nominee must submit the following (in PDF format) to LSO@vanderbilt.edu by 5 p.m. on December 9, 2019.

  1. Brief (2 page maximum) research plan. Please include name of proposed mentor. No budget required.
  2. Statement of support from department chair/center director.
    1. Letter must acknowledge that this grant does not allow indirect costs.** This statement can be used/modified: “The Department recognizes that this grant does not allow indirect costs and will commit to covering any associated indirect costs per applicable institutional policy.”
  3. NIH Biosketch.

Submissions should reference the program name in the subject line of the email. Please include a statement within the email that the candidate has reviewed the eligibility requirements on the Foundation website.

After review by the internal selection committee, the chosen nominee(s) will submit a full proposal to the Foundation by the February 3, 2020 deadline.

Please contact us at LSO@vanderbilt.edu if you have any questions about the program, foundation, or internal review process.