Tumors Grants

ABTA Research Award Applications
The American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA) is now accepting applications for Basic Research Fellowships and Translational Research Grants to begin July 1, 2009, for studies to be conducted in the United States or Canada. We are seeking outstanding young researchers conducting quality brain tumor research. All such proposals will be given serious consideration, including pediatric brain tumor research. Additionally, we are interested in receiving innovative research proposals – those that incorporate novel or original concepts that have the potential to make a difference.

Basic Research Fellowships are $80,000 payable over a two-year period.
The Fellowships provide salary support to post-doctorates who have demonstrated the potential to do basic brain tumor research. MDs will be within two years of completing a residency or will be within five years of post-residency training. PhDs will have no more than five years postdoctoral laboratory experience.

Translational Grants are one-year $75,000 awards.
This is pre-clinical research beyond the molecular level. Human studies are excluded. Eligible candidates are MDs who will be within five years of post-residency training and have attained Junior Faculty to Assistant Professor status. PhDs will have three to five years postdoctoral laboratory experience. 

Additional Information

Applications and more detailed eligibility information are available online at www.abta.org or from the ABTA office. Email: researchawards@abta.org or call 847-827-9910.
The deadline for completed applications, including all attachments, is January 7, 2009.

RFA (2008): Canary Foundation/ACS Postdoctoral Fellowship in the Early Detection of Cancer for 2009
CANARY FOUNDATION AND THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY ANNOUNCE A NEW CYCLE OF POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP AWARDS IN THE EARLY DETECTION OF CANCER FOR 2009

Technical developments in the rapidly advancing fields of genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and imaging are transforming how patients and physicians evaluate risk, prevention, detection, and the treatment of cancer. These emerging technologies will lead to rapid, cost-effective, and coordinated evaluation of an individual's DNA sequence, complex patterns of RNA and protein expression, and metabolic regualation. This in turn, presents exciting opportunities to translate such knowledge into clinical management.

The Canary Foundation, in partnership with the American Cancer Society, is extending its postdoctoral fellowship program focused on
studies towards development of strategies for the early detection of cancer.. Research should be directed at new approaches to improve clinical methods for the detection of primary tumors and/or metastases, including, but not limited to research focused in the following areas:

Minimally invasive strategies for early detection
Biomarker identification or discovery
Imaging, including novel molecular imaging strategies
Segmentation of early stage disease according to prognosis

The projects that will be funded are expected to have a direct impact on the early detection of cancer or to provide a clear conceptual or experimental foundation for the future development of methods for early detection.

Awards will be 3 years in duration with progressive stipends of $40,000, $42,000, and $44,000 per year, plus $4,000 per year for fellowship allowance. It is anticipated that up to 5 awards will be made. Applications will only be accepted from scientists who, at the time of application, have had no more than 2 years of research experience beyond their terminal degree (MD or PhD). Applicants must be US citizens or permanent residents working with an accomplished mentor at a non-profit institution. Awardees will be asked to attend the Canary Foundation Early Detection Symposium June 16, 17 and 18, 2009 and to continue to the online Canary Journal project.

Deadline: Complete application: October 15, 2008. For additional information regarding program policies or to obtain an application, please refer to the ACS website: Access Electronic Grant application process at proposalCENTRAL.

To learn about the Canary Foundation, please visit canaryfoundation.org.

For specific inquiries, please contact:

Michael H. Melner, PhD
Scientific Program Director
American Cancer Society, Inc.
404-327-6528
michael.melner@cancer.org

The Pediatric Low Grade Astrocytoma Foundation (PLGA), a national non-profit organization, was founded in 2007 by a group of dedicated parents, physicians and friends to improve the treatment, quality of life, and long-term outlook for children with PLGA through research, support, education, and advocacy.

The number one priority of PLGA Foundation is to act as a catalyst for researchers world-wide to turn their attention to the area of PLGA brain tumors and to award research grants for the most promising programs and studies which will lead to a better understanding of the causes of PLGA as well as the creation of more effective treatments and a cure for pediatric low grade astrocytoma tumors.

Proposals related to basic and translational* projects that can advance understanding of the underlying biology of the development and treatment of PLGA tumors will be considered. Investigators in the early years of their careers are encouraged to apply.

PLGA Foundation will also consider funding start-up, dedicated PLGA research programs at specific medical institutions. (See PLGA Research Program at Dana Farber Cancer Institute for an example of such program.)

Award Description**

Award funding is based on size, impact and complexity of project.
Funding can be awarded over one, two or three year peiod.
Previous PLGA Foundation grant recipients are eligible to apply.
Timing and Criteria

The grant cycle is an on-going process throughout the year. Investigators from all over the world are invited to submit a 'Letter of Intent', at anytime throughout the year to PLGA Foundation. This 'Letter of Intent' should contain a brief synopsis, parameters, high-level budget and potential outcomes of the proposed study. This document will be reviewed by an expert panel and based on this feedback, a selected group of applicants will then invited to submit a full proposal.
Each proposal is peer reviewed by at least two leading experts in the specific area of research being studied. Only those proposals with the highest scores demonstrating the most potential to have a significant impact on the future of children with pediatric low grade astrocytoma tumors will be awarded.

The guidelines, forms and requirements for the grant proposal will be provided when pre-applicants are notified of PLGA Foundation solicitation.

The PLGA Foundation also collaborates with the Brain Tumor Society (BTS) and Childhood Brain Tumor Foundation for grant allocations. In these instances, grant applications would be subject to the terms and conditions of the respective foundation.

Conditions

Grant recipients are required to submit progress reports to the Foundation on an interim basis.
Grantees must acknowledge the Foundation's support in all publications about the research.
No grants will be made to private individuals.
All grants are awarded with the understanding of 0% overhead.
PLGA grant awards do not cover debt reduction, capital improvements, or travel expenses.
Grant recipients must be willing to collaborate with other PLGA Foundation grant reciepients when appropriate.
Please email us at contact@fightplga.org or call 914-762-3494 with any questions.

*NIH definition of translational research: “the process of applying ideas, insights, and discoveries generated through basic scientific inquiry to the treatment or prevention of human disease.”

**The PLGA Foundation takes no financial interest in the outcome of the research.