Molecular/Cellular Biology Grants

Funding Opportunities

The Dystonia Medical Research Foundation (DMRF) encourages and supports research related to the causes, mechanisms, prevention, and treatment of all forms of dystonia, the third most common movement disorder. Through a peer-review process, all applications are reviewed and ranked by the DMRF’s Medical and Scientific Advisory Council, who then make recommendations to the Board of the Directors for funding.

Types of Awards

Fellowships
A two-year Fellowship is designed to assist post-doctoral fellows establish careers in research relevant to dystonia.

The DMRF supports hypothesis-driven research at the genetic, molecular, cellular, systems, or behavioral levels that may lead to a better understanding of the pathophysiology of dystonia or to new therapies for dystonia.

Funding for fellowships is $50,000 per year for two years.

Research Grants
Research grants are available in support of hypothesis-driven research at the genetic, molecular, cellular, systems, or behavioral levels that may directly or indirectly lead to a better understanding of the pathophysiology and to new therapies for any or all forms of dystonia. Although early-onset primary generalized dystonia is of special interest, we also support studies on the focal dystonias, including laryngeal dystonia/spasmodic dysphonia, as well as secondary dystonias.

Funding for grants is available up to $65,000 per year for 1 or 2 years.

The deadline for grant and fellowship applications is December 15, 2008. Applications and guidelines will be available September 15.

Dystonia Medical Research FoundationNational Headquarters
One East Wacker Drive, Suite 2810
Chicago, Illinois 60601-1905
Phone: 312-755-0198
Toll free: 800-377-DYST (3978)
In Canada: 800-361-8061
Fax: 312-803-0138
Email: dystonia@dystonia-foundation.org

American Physiological Society Postdoctoral Fellowship in Physiological Genomics
Award: $36,000 annual stipend and $3,500 trainee allowance; $38,000 second- year stipend with $3,500 trainee allowance
Contact: Executive Office
Deadline: January 16

Formerly known as the APS-Genentech Postdoctoral Fellowship, the APS Postdoctoral Fellowship in Physiological Genomics has been established in recognition of the fact that many advances in genomics ultimately require a functional understanding in the context of the organism, and special training is needed to conduct this type of research. The ideal candidate is one who has completed outstanding work in a top-flight graduate program (e.g., molecular biology, genetics, etc.) and who has the intention of employing organ system approaches during his/her postdoctoral training. Alternatively, a well-trained graduate in integrative physiology might wish to expand his/her work through the use of molecular biological tools and genomics. A central criterion of the postdoctoral project requires the scientist to use the tools of cellular and molecular biology in the setting of the whole animal. [Assays and/or analyses can be performed in vitro on material harvested from control and experimental animals, but material cannot solely be harvested and then exposed to the control and experimental conditions in vitro].

A candidate for this program should identify a laboratory within the United States and a sponsor who is an APS Member in good standing under whose supervision a project in organ system physiology and molecular biology/genomics can be combined. The laboratory host/sponsor must be a member of the American Physiological Society, and it is anticipated that award recipients will join the Society. The award funds cover a two-year period and include an annual stipend for the first year of $37,000, plus a trainee allowance of $3,500; and a second-year stipend of $39,000, plus a trainee allowance of $3,500. The award does not include an indirect cost reimbursement.

Adequate progress must be demonstrated by a written report submitted to the APS following the first year before a second year stipend and trainee allowance can be awarded.

Applications will now only be accepted via online submission. Please go to http://www.the-aps.org/awardapps to apply.

The 2009 AFAR Research Grants

The Program
The major goal of this program is to assist in the development of the careers of junior investigators committed to pursuing careers in the field of aging research. AFAR supports research projects concerned with understanding the basic mechanisms of aging. Projects investigating age-related diseases are also supported, especially if approached from the point of view of how basic aging processes may lead to these outcomes. Projects concerning mechanisms underlying common geriatric functional disorders are also encouraged, as long as these include connections to fundamental problems in the biology of aging. Projects that deal strictly with clinical problems such as the diagnosis and treatment of disease, health outcomes, or the social context of aging are not eligible.

Examples of promising areas of research include:
Aging and immune function
Genetic Control of longevity
Neurobiology and neuropathology of aging*
Invertebrate or vertebrate animal models
Cardiovascular aging
Aging and cellular stress resistance
Metabolic and endocrine changes
Age-related changes in cell proliferation
Caloric restriction and aging
DNA repair and control of gene expression
Biology of the menopause
Aging and apoptosis
Biodemographic analysis of aging
Comparative gerontology
Evolutionary biological aspects of the biology of aging
*Applicants proposing a project in Alzheimer's Disease research, should apply for the Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation/AFAR New Investigator Awards in Alzheimer's Disease. (This program is currently under review for renewal in 2009.)

It is anticipated that approximately 15 grants of up to $75,000 each will be awarded in 2009. Applicants may propose to use the award over the course of one or two years as justified by the proposed research. Funds may not be requested for overhead or indirect costs. Funding will begin July 1, 2009.

Recipients of this award are expected to attend the AFAR Grantee Conference. The purpose of the meeting is to promote scientific and personal exchanges among recent AFAR grantees and experts in aging research.

Eligibility

The applicant must be an independent investigator with assigned independent space and must be within the first four years of a junior faculty appointment (instructor, assistant professor or equivalent) by July 1, 2009.

The AFAR Research Grant Program does not provide support for:
Postdoctoral fellows in the laboratory of a senior investigator
Investigators who have already received major extramural funding for research on aging (such as an R01 grant)
Senior faculty, i.e. at the rank of Associate Professor level or higher
Former AFAR Research Grant recipients
NIH Intramural program employees
Applicants for the 2009 Glenn/AFAR Breakthrough in Gerontology (BIG) award
Application Guidelines

Four criteria are used to determine the merit of an application:

Qualifications of the applicant;
Quality of the proposed research;
Excellence of the research environment;
Likelihood that the project will advance the applicant's career in aging research.
If you are using animals in your research, please review Principles of Animal Use for Gerontological Research.

Application Procedures

All candidates must submit applications endorsed by their institution (only not-for-profit settings in the United States.) The deadline for receipt of all applications and supporting materials is December 16, 2008 at 5:00 p.m. EST. Please refer to the AFAR instruction sheet and application for complete application procedures. Incomplete applications cannot be considered.

Applications are reviewed in two stages: The initial screening takes place in mid-April, after which candidates are advised of the status of their applications via email. A final decision about grant awards is made in early June. The award start date is July 1, 2009.

AFAR can provide critiques only for those applications that are reviewed, at the second stage, by their Review Committee.

Reporting Requirements

Investigators will be required to submit a brief narrative report on the progress of their research five months after the start date of the award. Final narrative and financial reports are required within three months following the end date of the award. 

American Federation for Aging Research (AFAR) | 55 West 39th Street, 16th Floor | New York, NY 10018
Phone: (212) 703-9977 | Toll-free: (888) 582-2327 | Fax: (212) 997-0330
E-mail: grants@afar.org or info@afar.org

Expertise Transfer Fellowship

The IARC is offering an Expertise Transfer Fellowship to enable an established investigator to spend normally from six to twelve months in an appropriate host institute in a low- / medium-resource country* in order to transfer knowledge and expertise in a research area relevant for the host country and related to the Agency's programmes: epidemiology, biostatistics, environmental chemical carcinogenesis, cancer etiology and prevention, infection and cancer, molecular cell biology, molecular genetics, molecular pathology and mechanisms of carcinogenesis.

Applications should include a proposed collaborative research project, specifying the link to IARC's on-going activities and a letter of support from the host lab giving details of feasibility and anticipated benefit to the receiving institute. A letter of endorsement from a research Group at IARC must also be provided. Priority will be given to projects directly linked to IARC's on-going research programme, involving at least one contact at IARC.

Applicants should be established cancer researchers actively engaged in the field with appropriate scientific or medical qualifications and an excellent publications' record. They must also belong to the staff of a university or a research institution.
Deadline for receipt of applications is: 30 November 2008

Candidates will be notified of the outcome of their application by the end of April 2009. There will be an annual remuneration of up to US$70,000, which will take into account the on-going salary of the Fellow. This amount may include limited support for the project. The cost of travel will also be met. The Award should be taken up no later than November 2009.

(*any country other than those classified as high-income economies by the World Bank)

Fellowship application forms and more detailed information are available from:

Fellowship Programme
INTERNATIONAL AGENCY FOR RESEARCH ON CANCER
150 cours Albert-Thomas, 69372 Lyon Cedex 08, France
Tel: +33 (0)472 73 84 48; Fax: +33 (0)472 73 80 80; E-mail: fel@iarc.fr

Visiting Scientist Award

The IARC is offering a Visiting Scientist Award for a qualified and experienced investigator with recent publications in international peer-reviewed scientific journals who wishes to spend from six to twelve months at the IARC working on a collaborative project in a research area related to the Agency's programmes: epidemiology, biostatistics, environmental chemical carcinogenesis, cancer etiology and prevention, infection and cancer, molecular cell biology, molecular genetics, molecular pathology and mechanisms of carcinogenesis.

Candidates are requested to contact the relevant Scientific Groups in order to set up a collaborative project. For details on scientific programmes and research groups please consult the IARC Web site: http://www.iarc.fr/en/Research-Groups/Clusters-Groups, or contact the IARC at the address below.

Applicants must belong to the staff of a university or a research institution and should provide written assurance of a post to return to at the end of the period of award.
Deadline for receipt of applications is: 30 November 2008

Candidates will be notified of the outcome of their application by the end of April 2009. There will be an annual remuneration of up to US$80,000-, which will take into account the on-going salary of the visiting scientist plus the cost of travel. The Award should be taken up no later than 30 November 2009.

Fellowship application forms and more detailed information are available from:

Fellowship Programme
INTERNATIONAL AGENCY FOR RESEARCH ON CANCER (IARC)
150 cours Albert-Thomas, 69008 Lyon, France
Tel: +33 (0)472 73 84 48; Fax: +33 (0)472 73 80 80; E-mail: vsa@iarc.fr

Potamkin Prize for Research in Pick's, Alzheimer's, and Related Diseases
Sponsored by the American Academy of Neurology and the AAN Foundation and funded through the philanthropy of the Potamkin Foundation.

This award recognizes major contributions to the understanding of the causes, prevention, treatment, and cure for Pick's, Alzheimer's, and related diseases.

Presentation
Recipient is expected to present a 20-minute lecture during an aging and dementia scientific session at the 61st AAN Annual Meeting.

Recipient will receive:

Medallion and $100,000 prize
Complimentary registration for 61st Annual Meeting
Recognition at 2009 Awards Luncheon at 61st Annual Meeting
Eligibility
Must be in any of the following biological disciplines: neurology, neuropathology, biochemistry, molecular biology, molecular genetics, chemistry, pharmacology, immunology, physiology, or cell biology

Application Procedure

Applicants should submit one complete set of the following materials:

Completed application form
Current curriculum vitae
Letter citing scientific accomplishments in detail
Two recommendation letters
Up to six selected reprints

Deadline

The deadline to apply for 2009 AAN Scientific Awards is November 3, 2008. Applications will be available in August 2008.

For more information, please contact Erin Jackson at ejackson@aan.com or (651) 695-2704.

Within Our Reach Rheumatoid Arthritis Grants

Application Deadline
The application deadline is December 1, 2008. Applicants are responsible for submitting all required documents prior to this deadline. If you have questions or need assistance, please contact the REF office by e-mail or by phone at (404) 633-3777.

For more information about this award, please contact the REF office by e-mail or by phone at (404) 633-3777.

American College of Rheumatology
Research and Education Foundation
1800 Century Place
Suite 250
Atlanta, GA 30345

Fanconi Anemia Research Fund Program Announcement:
Head And Neck Carcinogenesis 
 
Key Dates
Release Date: July 1, 2008
Application Submission Date: Ongoing
Peer Review Dates: Ongoing
Earliest Anticipated Start Date: Ongoing
Summary
Fanconi anemia is a rare hereditary disease characterized by bone marrow failure, developmental
anomalies, a high incidence of myelodysplasia (MDS) and acute non-lymphocytic leukemia (AML),
squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, and cellular hypersensitivity to cross linking agents.
The function of the proteins is largely unknown, but many of them form complexes with each other
and in one canonical “pathway” seven or eight of the known Fanconi anemia (FA) proteins bind
together in a nuclear complex, a complex apparently required for the monoubiquitination of two of
the three proteins not found in the core complex, FANCD2 and FANCI. Once this occurs,
FANCD2 and FANCI translocate to damage-induced nuclear foci containing BRCA1, BRCA2 and
Rad51. The functions of FANCD2 and FANCI in these nuclear complexes are unclear. Although
more than 90% of the research in this field focuses on mechanisms of genotoxicity, a goal of the
Fanconi Anemia Research Fund is to encourage investigative approaches dealing with the tissuespecific
issues of the FA phenotype.
Some have argued that because hypersensitivity to genotoxic stress is a feature of all somatic cells in
FA, tissue-specific outcomes (specific epithelial malignancies and bone marrow failure, for example)
are less likely to be related simply to genetic instability than to other functions of the protein. In fact,
multiple biochemical functions have been ascribed to some of the FA proteins and, in some cases,
these functions are cytoplasmic and not nuclear. The role of the Fanconi anemia proteins in
protecting normal individuals against sporadic head and neck cancers is entirely unknown.
The natural course of the disease in FA patients is unique. The onset of head and neck cancers in
patients with Fanconi anemia (age 18-40) is decades earlier than in non-FA patients with this type of
cancer and, unlike non-FA patients, the majority of such patients are neither tobacco smokers nor
alcohol drinkers. The management of FA patients with this malignancy is also challenging. For
example, FA patients may experience potentially lethal toxic effects from radiation and chemotherapy
doses conventionally prescribed to patients with head and neck cancers. Therefore, clinical
management is limited to surgical approaches and less-than-fully tested pharmacologic modalities
that do not lead to DNA damage.
This funding opportunity will use the investigator-initiated award mechanism to support work
focused on the molecular pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of head and neck squamous cell
carcinoma in patients with FA. We expect that the nature and scope of the proposed research
will vary from application to application. We expect that the size and duration of each award will
also vary. The total amount awarded and the number of awards will depend upon the number,
quality, duration, and costs of the applications received.
Eligible Applications
The goal of this initiative is to foster studies on the molecular pathogenesis, diagnosis and
treatment of head and neck cancers in patients with Fanconi anemia. Applications focusing
primarily on hematopoietic malignancies, bone marrow failure, developmental anomalies,
endocrinopathies, or general functions of the FA proteins in DNA damage and repair responses
will not be accepted for review under this RFA.
Applications from the following will be considered:
􀂃 Eligible domestic and foreign institutions/organizations, including for-profit or nonprofit,
public or private, units of state and local governments, and eligible agencies of the
federal government.
􀂃 Eligible principal investigators include any individual with the skills, knowledge, and
resources necessary to carry out the proposed research.
􀂃 Applicants may submit only one application.
Content and Form of Application Submission
Applications must be prepared using the most current Fanconi Anemia Research Fund (Fund)
research grant application instructions and forms.

Fanconi Anemia Research Fund, Inc.
1801 Willamette Street, Suite 200
Eugene, OR 97401

Telephone: 541-687-4658
Family Support Toll-Free Line (in United States):
1-888-FANCONI (888-326-2664)
Fax: 541-687-0548
E-mail: info@fanconi.org

Jackson Gabriel Silver Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa Career
Development Award
This award is offered for the first time in 2009 and is funded by a generous gift from the
Grossmann/Silver family. It is intended to assist an individual in the transition from
fellowship to established investigator. It provides career development support for a
junior investigator pursuing research that has significant potential to benefit the study and
treatment of recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa. The ultimate goal of the
proposed research is to provide new efficacious treatment modalities, and ultimately a
cure for the patients suffering from recessive dystrophic EB.
The proposed research must relate to and benefit the study of recessive dystrophic
epidermolysis bullosa. Research areas may include, but are not limited to molecular
diagnostics; skin repair and tissue regeneration; molecular therapies, including gene-,
cell- and protein-based approaches; stem cell research; tissue engineering; and other
novel approaches
Applicant Eligibility Requirements:
• M.D.; M.D., Ph.D.; Ph.D.; or D.O. degree
• Appropriate initial training in biomedical research (i.e., two to three-year
fellowship or postdoctoral training)
• Junior faculty member in a department or division of dermatology or another
program at the sponsoring institution that is approved by the dermatology
chair, through an Assistant Professor level, at the time of funding
• Junior investigator in the early stages of his/her career
• Demonstrates a strong commitment to skin research
• Strong institutional commitment for the individual’s career development
• NOT a recipient of an NIH career development award

To meet the application deadline, can my application be postmarked by October 15th?
No. To be considered for a 2009 research award, your complete research application must be
sent so that it is RECEIVED at the Foundation office on or before Wednesday, October 15,
2008. Your application should be sent to the following address:
Medical and Scientific Committee
Dermatology Foundation
1560 Sherman Avenue, Suite 870
Evanston, IL 60201-4808

Science of Human Appearance Career Development Award
This career development award (CDA) provides annual salary support for the
career development of individuals who wish to understand the cell and molecular
mechanisms of altered human appearance or of therapeutic interventions. This CDA
recognizes the specialty’s sizeable increase in focus on human appearance and the
paucity of high quality research in the area. This award is intended to support research
addressing human appearance issues caused by aging and/or environmental factors.
Funding is available for research involving the cell and molecular mechanisms of human
appearance including those mechanisms involved in hyper or hypo-pigmentation, aging,
photoaging, or dry skin NOT related to disease or congenital defects. Funding can also be
used to study cell and molecular mechanisms involved in therapeutic interventions such
as non/minimally-invasive devices, peels, fillers, antioxidants, retinoids, and other topical
and systemic agents. Research focusing on skin cancer or actinic keratosis is not suitable
for this award category.
The research proposal is expected to be hypothesis-driven. The successful applicant will
likely make cell and molecular or biophysical measurements on altered human skin in
relation to normal skin. This CDA will not support clinical trials. However, it will
support mechanism of action research on devices and agents such as those mentioned
above.
The applicant is required to spend sufficient time to carry the project to completion.
The career plans, required in the research proposal, will detail the ways in which
the applicant, aided by one or more mentors, will acquire expertise in the science of
human skin appearance. The applicant’s mentor and mentorship program are very
important selection criteria.

Applicant Eligibility Requirements:
• M.D.; M.D., Ph.D.; Ph.D.; or D.O. degree
• Dermatologist applicant must have completed a U.S. dermatology residency
program
• Ph.D. applicant must have completed at least 2 years post-doctoral training
• M.D. applicant must have a strong laboratory collaborator. Ph.D. must have a
strong connection with an M.D. conducting appearance work
• Junior faculty member in a department or division of dermatology, through
Assistant Professor level, at the time of funding
• High level of interest in the science of human skin appearance
• Strong institutional commitment for the individual’s career development
• NOT available to an individual receiving simultaneous salary support from
other granting agencies

To meet the application deadline, can my application be postmarked by October 15th?
No. To be considered for a 2009 research award, your complete research application must be
sent so that it is RECEIVED at the Foundation office on or before Wednesday, October 15,
2008. Your application should be sent to the following address:
Medical and Scientific Committee
Dermatology Foundation
1560 Sherman Avenue, Suite 870
Evanston, IL 60201-4808