Research News

Limited Submission Opportunity: 2024 Mary Kay Ash Foundation Innovative/Translational Cancer Research Grant

Applications due Dec. 6

This is a combined competition for VU and VUMC investigators. All investigators should follow these instructions.

VU and VUMC each may nominate one candidate for the Mary Kay Ash Foundation Innovative/Translational Cancer Research Grant program for 2024. These awards provide $100,000 over two years to support innovative translational research for cancers affecting women, including, but not limited to, breast, cervical, endometrial, ovarian, uterine or cancers predominantly affecting women.

The foundation seeks to fund innovative research that will provide a scientific link between laboratory research and the clinic. Ultimately, such research would lead to improvement in the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention or treatment of cancer.

You can find a list of the previous award recipients here. Review additional guidelines in the RFP.

Eligibility

  • The principal investigator must be a full-time assistant professor or higher (assistant, associate or full professor) and commit a minimum 5 percent effort.
  • Staff scientists, postdoctoral trainees and instructors are NOT eligible.
  • Up to one co-PI is permitted. The co-PI must meet the same eligibility requirements as the PI (assistant professor or higher).
  • Postdoc contributors may be listed as co-investigator, but not co-PI.
  • The maximum total budget is $100,000. Indirect costs may not exceed 15 percent of direct costs (e.g., direct costs ≤ $86,956; indirect costs ≤ $13,044).
  • U.S. citizenship is not required.

Internal application process

Anyone interested in being considered as VU or VUMC’s nominee must submit the following to LSO@vanderbilt.edu by 5 p.m. on Dec. 6, 2023. Please combine your materials into a single PDF and reference the program name in the subject line of the email.

  1. Brief research plan including summary budget (2-page max.);
  2. Statement of support from department chair/center director;
  3. NIH Biosketch or brief CV (5-page max.).

The chosen nominee will submit a full proposal to the foundation by the deadline of Feb. 1, 2024. Direct all questions about this opportunity to LSO@vanderbilt.edu.