Applications due Feb. 6, 2020
*This is a joint competition for VU and VUMC investigators. All investigators should follow these instructions.
Vanderbilt (VU and VUMC, collaboratively) may nominate one candidate for the 2020 Rally Foundation for Childhood Cancer Research Career Development Award. The Rally Foundation aims to support the development of independent research of highly qualified individuals still early in their careers. Rally Career Development awards are intended to take an investigator from mentorship to independence by providing the opportunity to develop independent research through protected time.
Career development grants up to $300,000 over three years will be awarded. Up to $100,000 may be used for the principal investigator’s salary and fringe benefits. If the applicant chooses to include research support, up to $25,000 may be used for research support (i.e., support personnel, supplies, travel, contractual) with the remaining funds available for the principal investigator’s salary and fringe benefits. Three‐year grants will receive six funding installments, one every six months.
Applicant eligibility guidelines
- Applicants with M.D., D.O. and/or Ph.D. degrees who are within seven years of their first independent full‐time faculty appointment at the time the award begins.
- Principal investigators must dedicate at least 40 percent effort to the funded project.
- Career development grants are intended to support early career investigators’ research to leverage larger awards in the future. At the time of award, principal investigators may not be recommended for funding or hold a funded NIH ‘K’ level award or an independent ‘R’ or ‘P’ level award as a PI or co‐leader.
- Principal investigators do not need to be U.S. citizens.
Research priority areas
- Innovative or novel approach to childhood and adolescent cancer research.
- Research studies that are likely to lead to a clinical trial.
- Personalized, alternative or integrative research proposals for childhood and adolescent cancers.
- Basic science or translational studies for childhood and adolescent cancers.
- Quality of life, survivorship or palliative care studies for childhood and adolescent cancers.
Internal selection process
Anyone interested in being considered as Vanderbilt’s nominee must submit the following (in PDF format) to LSO@vanderbilt.edu by 5 p.m. CST on Feb. 6, 2020.
- Brief (2-page maximum) research plan including summary budget
- Include a brief discussion on the following items in relation to your project: significance, innovation, experimental approach and research design, and career plan
- Statement of support from department chair/center director
- The Career Development Award does not allow indirect costs. Support letters 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/school policy.” Consult LSO@vanderbilt.edu for further guidance.
- NIH Biosketch or 5-page CV
Submissions should reference the award name in the subject line of the email. Vanderbilt will submit a short nomination form by Feb. 17, 2020, and the selected nominee will submit the full application by April 1, 2020.
Please contact us at LSO@vanderbilt.edu if you have any questions about the program, foundation or internal review process.