November 18, 2021

VUMC Limited Submission Opportunity: Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation Clinical Investigator Award; deadline is Dec. 1

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

VUMC may nominate five candidates for the 2022 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 award provides $600,000 over three years, and the foundation will retire up to $100,000 of medical school debt owed by the awardee. Indirect costs are not allowed.

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.

Eligible clinical research categories:

  • Patient-oriented research: Research conducted with human subjects (or on material of human origin such as tissues, specimens and cognitive phenomena) for which an investigator directly interacts with human subjects. This area of research includes: patient-based studies of mechanisms of human disease, diagnostic and therapeutic interventions, clinical trials and development of new technologies for the detection, treatment and prevention of human cancers.
  • Epidemiologic and behavioral studies.
  • Outcomes research and health services research.

Preference will be given to research that adheres to the “Handshake Rule,” meaning that the physician will conduct research studies that directly involve patients.

Eligibility:

  • Must have received an MD, DO, 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, 2017). Adjunct or acting positions are not eligible.
  • The applicant must be involved in patient care and be conducting research that has the potential to be translated to impact patients.
  • Candidates holding or awarded R01s at the time of application are not eligible. There are several other awards (e.g. NIH DP2/DP5, AACR, HHMI) that cannot be held concurrently. See Foundation Website.
  • Must be affiliated with VUMC and/or VICC.
  • Applicant must commit to spending 80% of their time conducting research (a very modest reduction may be considered with justification.)
  • Candidates may apply up to two times during this eligibility period.
  • 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 1:

 

  1. Brief (2 page maximum) research plan. Please include name of proposed mentor. No budget required.
    1. Only one application will be accepted from a Mentor per cycle
  2. Statement of support from department chair/center director.
    1. Letter must additionally acknowledge that this grant does not allow indirect costs.** This statement can be used/modified within the letter: “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.

**Process for cost-sharing typically coordinated at the departmental level and approved by department chair and/or dean.

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 1, 2022 deadline.

Contact LSO@vanderbilt.edu with questions about the program, foundation, or internal review process.