Applications due April 13
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 V Foundation V Scholar Award program. The V Foundation aims to “achieve victory over cancer” in part by funding cancer research grants. The V Scholar Award supports early tenure-track faculty in cancer research careers by funding either laboratory-based fundamental research or translational research projects.
This call is specifically for adult cancer research that is focused on laboratory research. This year the V Foundation has a special interest and funding for therapeutic resistance and welcomes proposals in this area. Areas not included in this scope are epidemiology, behavioral science and health services research. The foundation especially encourages applications from minority ethnic groups underrepresented in cancer research, including Blacks or African Americans, Hispanics or Latinos (non-European), American Indians and/or Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and other Pacific Islanders.
This $600,000 grant is paid in three annual installments of $200,000 and does not cover indirect costs.
Eligibility
This call for applications is specifically for adult cancer research focused on laboratory research. Additionally, by April 27, 2023, all of the following must apply:
- Have been appointed to their first full-time, tenure-track assistant professor position within the last five years and not yet been promoted to associate professor.
- Clinical scientists are eligible if their department can demonstrate that it will fully support the research applicant (e.g., dedicated lab space, startup funds, dedicated research time).
- Applicants must have at least two years postdoctoral (M.D. or Ph.D.) fellowship training. For M.D.s, a minimum of one year is acceptable if only one year is required for the specialty.
- Applicants must be either U.S. citizens or permanent legal residents in the U.S.
- Applicants must NOT:
- have accepted or received notification of an R01 award by the nomination due date
- have accepted or received award notification of any peer-reviewed, non-mentored single grant that totals or exceeds $750,000 in total direct funding at any point in their professional career. This calculation should exclude indirect costs.
- have accepted or received award notification of any peer-reviewed, non-mentored funding that exceeds $1 million in aggregated total direct funding at ANY point in their professional career. This calculation should exclude indirect costs.
- NOTE: The V Scholar Award is intended to support research to leverage these larger awards, so the nominee should not have already received such awards.
View the 2023 V Scholar Eligibility: Are they Eligible handout for additional guidance.
Internal selection process
Anyone interested in being considered as Vanderbilt’s nominee must submit the following (in a single PDF) to LSO@vanderbilt.edu by 5 p.m. on April 13, 2023.
- Brief (2-page maximum) research plan including summary budget;
- If the nature of the research is bench to bedside with patient contact, briefly describe how patient advocacy/communication will be incorporated into your training.
- Letter of support from department chair/center director;
- Letters must also 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/school policy.” Consult LSO@vanderbilt.edu for further guidance.
- NIH biosketch or 5-page CV.
- Financial Worksheet (download template here)
- Please fill out the Grant Awards table and any “Notes and Remarks.” Other information and signatures not required.
Submissions should reference “2023 V Scholar Award” in the subject line of the email. Note that the selected candidate will need to prepare a brief nomination form and draft a VICC director letter of recommendation by April 21.
Please contact us at LSO@vanderbilt.edu if you have any questions about the program, foundation or internal review process.