Limited Submission Opportunity: Warren Alpert Distinguished Scholars Fellowship

Applications due August 14, 2024

Vanderbilt (VU + VUMC): This is a joint competition for VU and VUMC investigators. All investigators should follow these instructions.

Vanderbilt (VU+VUMC, collaboratively) may nominate one candidate for the 2025 Warren Alpert Distinguished Scholars Fellowship Award. This program supports individual postdoctoral scientists of exceptional creativity who have an MD or PhD degree and who have completed by July 1, 2025 a minimum of three years of a post-doctoral fellowship in the field of neurosciences at a medical school, research institute, or academic institution. Scholars will be chosen based on the success in their prior post-doctoral work and the importance and creativity of their proposed future research.

These awards are to enable a postdoctoral researcher to advance to become a full-time faculty member at the Assistant Professor level or higher and to promote the development of a laboratory program that will lead to independent funding. The institution nominating each scholar will be awarded $200,000 annually for two years to cover their salary, lab costs, and related expenses. Under certain circumstances, the awardee may transfer funding to support their beginning faculty position. Indirect cost of up to 15% of direct costs, may be included in the $200,000. All applicants are required to provide 75% effort.

Eligibility:

  1. Research focused in the field of Neuroscience
  2. Postdocs must have completed a minimum of 3 years and no more than 6 years of a post-doctoral fellowship by July 1, 2025
  3. Postdocs must have an MD and/or PhD
  4. Commitment of a minimum of 75% effort

Internal Application 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. on August 14, 2024: 

  • Brief research plan including summary budget; 2 pages max, references may be included on a separate page
    • Plan should describe importance of the project, methods, and likely presentation results.
  • 1/2 page description of your applicant background and the special characteristics that you have for implementing the proposed project and career plan.
  • Statement of support from department chair/center director;
  • NIH Biosketch or abbreviated CV (5 page max)

Submissions should reference “Warren Alpert Distinguished Scholars” in the subject line of the email. Any questions about this opportunity or the LSO process may be directed to LSO@vanderbilt.edu.