The Award will support individual postdoctoral scientists of exceptional creativity in the field of neurosciences.
These transitional 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 medical school, research institute, or academic hospital appointing the scholar will be awarded $200,000 annually for two years to cover salary, lab costs, and related expenses. Under certain circumstances, the awardee may transfer funding to support their beginning faculty position. Indirect costs of up to 15% of direct costs, may be included in the $200,000.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:
- Must have an MD, PhD, or both
- Must hold a post-doctoral research position at a United States medical school, research institute, or academic institution.
- Minimum of 3 years and no more than 6 years of a post-doctoral fellowship by July 1, 2024
- Research focused in the field of Neuroscience
- Must be nominated by the dean of the medical school or equivalent institutional senior leader.
- Must include a nomination letter
- Commitment of a minimum of 75% effort
- 3 letters of recommendation
- Budgets submitted in NIH G300 format
Scholars will be chosen on the basis of the success in their prior post-doctoral work and other research as well as in the importance and creativity of their proposed future research.
The Foundation will select recipients for awards using an objective and nondiscriminatory selection process based upon criteria that include each applicant’s research achievements, academic records, scientific proposal and submitted letters of recommendation.
Interested applicants should upload the following documents in sequence in one PDF file (File name: [Last name]_Alpert-2023) no later than 4:00 p.m. on the internal submission deadline:
1. Cover Letter (1 page, pdf):
- Descriptive title of proposed activity
- PI name, departmental affiliations(s) and contact information
- Title of this funding opportunity
2. Project summary (no more than four pages, pdf) Introduction, importance of the project, methods and likely presentation results.
3. Background of Applicant and the special characteristics that they have for implementing the project and career plan. (<250 words)
4. Email from Dean or equivalent institutional senior leader confirming their willingness to write a letter of nomination
5. CV of Investigators (< 5 pages)
Formatting Guidelines:
Font/size: Times New Roman (12 pt.)
Document margins: 1.0” (top, bottom, left and right)
Standard paper size (8 ½” x 11)
The Office of Foundation Relations is available to consult on proposal narrative elements and answer other foundation-related questions. Applicants should please contact Brady Lucas, Assistant Director, Foundation Relations (blucas1@pennstatehealth.psu.edu) for additional support.