Limited Submission Opportunity: V Foundation 2025 V Scholar Cancer Research Grant

Applications due May 15

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

Vanderbilt (VU + VUMC, collaboratively) may nominate up to two candidates for the V Foundation V Scholar Award program.

Overview

The V Foundation aims to “achieve victory over cancer” in part by funding cancer research grants. The V Scholar Award supports early career faculty in cancer research at the assistant professor stage by funding either laboratory-based fundamental research or translational research projects.

This call is specifically for adult cancer research. Research on ANY adult cancer type will be funded in this call. Emphasis for this grant mechanism is on supporting exceptional early career investigators to be better positioned to leverage large R01 or similar sustaining grants. Areas not included in this scope are epidemiology, behavioral science, and health services research.

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-based fundamental research or translational research.  Additionally, by nomination due date, 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, start-up funds, dedicated research time).
• Applicants must have at least two years post-doctoral (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 US.
• 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 $750K in total direct funding at any point in their professional career. This calculation should exclude indirect costs and/or institutional funds.
  • have accepted or received award notification of any peer-reviewed, non-mentored funding that exceeds $1M in aggregated total direct funding at ANY point in their professional career. This calculation should exclude indirect costs and/or institutional funds.
  • 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 2025 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 11:59 p.m. on May 15, 2025.

1. Brief (two-page maximum) research plan including summary budget;
2. Letter of support from department chair/center director;
   • Letters must 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.
   • 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.
   • If the nature of the research is basic and/or translational science, briefly describe how will science communication with diverse audiences be incorporated into your training.
3. NIH Biosketch or five-page CV;
4. Financial Worksheet (download template here)
   • Please fill out the Grant Awards table and any “Notes and Remarks.” Other information and signatures not required for the internal selection process.

Submissions should reference “2025 V Scholar Award” in the subject line of the email.

Please contact us at LSO@vanderbilt.edu if you have any questions about the program, foundation, or internal review process.