Applying for a Fellowship
NNPDF/Peter G. Pentchev
2012 Research Fellowship Request for Applications (RFA)
The National Niemann-Pick Disease Foundation (NNPDF) invites applications for post-doctoral research fellowships examining the biology of Niemann-Pick Type C (NPC) disease, a lethal neurodegenerative disease for which there are no effective therapies.
M.D., Ph.D., and D.V.M. postdoctoral fellows are eligible to apply for funding to improve our understanding of the biology and pathogenesis of NPC disease. Preference will be given to research projects developing new therapies for NPC, and identifying biomarkers of disease activity for diagnosis and clinical trials.
The fellowships provide support of $50,000 per annum for two years and may be renewable based on performance. Applicants must be currently associated with a recognized laboratory.
Applications are due May 1, 2012, and should be submitted by email to the Research Committee Chair. Information regarding application procedures is below. Applicants will be informed of the funding decision by August 15, 2012, via email. Fellowships awarded will begin September 1, 2012.
For further information please contact the National Niemann-Pick Disease Foundation's Central Office.
Printable Flyer/Poster about the Peter G. Pentchev Research Fellowship
Page Contents:
- Qualifying Projects and Candidates
- Fellowship Deadlines
- Evaluation of Applications
- Application Format
- File Format, Size & Naming Standards
- Application Submission
- Terms of the Award
- Contact Information
QUALIFYING PROJECTS AND CANDIDATES
The National Niemann-Pick Disease Foundation has established two-year
post-doctoral fellowships for the purpose of funding outstanding candidates
working on state-of-the-art projects that directly investigate Niemann-Pick
Disease Type C (NPC). The Fellowships provide support of $50,000 per annum
for two years and may be renewable based on performance.
(Click here to read about current and previously-funded research fellowships)
Applications are accepted from both U.S. and non-U.S. scientists.
Eligibility qualifications are listed below:
- Candidates must be beginning their first or second full-time postdoctoral research fellowship;
- Candidates must have completed one or more of the following degrees: M.D., Ph.D., D.V.M.
- Candidates must apply for a fellowship under the guidance of a Sponsor. The Sponsor should be actively involved in the planning, execution and supervision of the proposed research;
- The proposed investigation must be conducted at a university, hospital or research institution.
FELLOWSHIP DEADLINES
Our next fellowship grant deadline is May 1, 2012.
Applicants will be informed of the funding decision by August 15, 2012. Fellowships
will begin September 1, 2012.
EVALUATION OF APPLICATIONS
The primary criteria used to evaluate applications are:
- the quality of the candidate's research proposal (significance, soundness of approach, feasibility and projected scientific impact of the project)
- the qualifications, experience and productivity of both the candidate and the candidate's Sponsor.
All fellowship awards are approved by the NNPDF Board of Directors acting
upon the recommendation of the Scientific Advisory Board. The Board of
Directors consists mainly of parents of children with Niemann-Pick Disease,
therefore the Lay Summary is a very important part of the proposal.
APPLICATION FORMAT
Applications must be submitted in a format which allows for on-line storage
and retrieval - preferably as an email attachment; or on CD (formatted
for the PC only).
The fellowship Application Form consists of the following:
- Form A: Application Cover Sheet
- Sponsor's Biographical Sketch
A biographical sketch of the Sponsor (maximum 4 pages). The NIH R01 grant (PHS 398) format should be used. See NIH website for complete instructions. - Letter from the Sponsor
A letter from the Sponsor (maximum 2 pages) evaluating the candidate's qualifications for the proposed research project must be included. The Sponsor should assess the candidate's potential for successful independent research and indicate what percentage of the proposal was written by the candidate. - Applicant's Biographical Sketch
A biographical sketch of the applicant using the NIH R01 grant (PHS 398) format. (not to exceed 4 pages) - Letter from the Applicant
The candidate's letter (not to exceed 2 pages) should describe his or her previous research. - Lay Summary (1 page)
This is a very important page because, although the Scientific Advisory Board makes a funding recommendation to the NNPDF Board of Directors, it is the family members on the NNPDF Board who make all funding decisions. - Research Proposal (excluding references, not to exceed 6 pages
of single-spaced 12-point type):
- state the specific research objectives (1/2 page suggested)
- describe concisely the experimental design and methods (3 pages suggested)
- explain the significance of the proposed research to the Foundation's goals (1 page suggested)
- demonstrate the relevance of his or her own background, also the background and previous work of the Sponsor and any other investigators, to the proposed research. Relevant preliminary studies may also be described here (1 page suggested).
- Reprints of relevant publications are not required; however, manuscripts that are in press may be submitted if they pertain directly to the research project. If such a manuscript is submitted, please send it as a separate email, referencing your fellowship application in your email.
- Letters of Recommendation
Letters of recommendation, from two qualified individuals best able to assess the candidate and his or her research potential, should be emailed directly to the Research Committee Chair, c/o the NNPDF ,separate from the candidate's application package. For Ph.D. candidates, one of these letters should be from the candidate's thesis advisor. The name of the Sponsor and the applicant must appear in the heading of the letter. Letters of recommendation must be submitted by the application deadline and should be sent as email attachments. - Approval by Official of Sponsoring Organization
Approval from an official of the organization where research will be conducted should be emailed directly to the Research Committee Chair, c/o the NNPDF, separate from the candidate's application package. The name of the candidate, the Sponsor and the title of the project must be referenced in the approval.
FILE FORMAT, SIZE & NAMING STANDARDS
The file format used to submit your fellowship application must be one of the following:
- Microsoft Word (file extension ".doc") - version 6.0 or above
- Portable Document Format (file extension ".pdf") - created with a full version of Adobe Acrobat software
Application files must not exceed 500KB in size (uncompressed). To remain
within this limit, we recommend that all graphics be sent in a separate
file. (Please note naming standards below.)
Please give your application file an 8-character filename with a
3-character extension as follows:
- First 2 characters should be "FA" which indicates it is a Post-Doctoral Fellowship Application;
- Next 6 characters should be the first 6 letters of last name of the fellowship applicant;
- File extension should be appropriate to the format (i.e. ".doc", or ".pdf").
- Graphics file should have the same name as application file with "-pics" appended.
As an example, if Dr. Jerome Paretti applies to the NNPDF for a post-doctoral
fellowship and submits his application as a Microsoft Word document, his
file should be called "faparett.doc". His associated graphics
file should be named "faparett-pics.doc".
| FILE FORMAT | APPLICATION FORM |
| Microsoft Word (file extension ".doc") |
|
| Portable Document Format (file extension ".pdf") |
APPLICATION SUBMISSION
Applications should be emailed as an attachment to the Research
Committee Chair, c/o the NNPDF .
If submitting on CD, enclose in a protective mailer and mail to
the Research Committee Chair, c/o the NNPDF . PLEASE NOTE: Email submission is preferred.
Within 24 hours of emailing your application, you should receive an email
confirming receipt by the Research Committee Chair. If this confirmation
is not received, please contact the NNPDF by telephone.
TERMS OF THE AWARD
- Progress Reports
Second year award funding is contingent upon satisfactory progress. Fellows must submit progress reports to the NNPDF at the end of each 6 months of funding - i.e. a total of four reports over the period of the fellowship. The Sponsor must review and approve all progress reports.
A Lay Summary of the project and its findings must be part of each progress report. The Lay Summary should be suitable for distribution in the NNPDF newsletter and on the NNPDF website. Progress reports, with the exception of the Lay Summary, are confidential.
At the completion of the fellowship, Fellows must submit a detailed progress report which includes:- a summary of research performed during the period of the fellowship;
- an evaluation of the results; and
- a Lay Summary suitable for publication in the NNPDF newsletter and on the NNPDF website.
- Attendance at Family Conference
The NNPDF holds an annual Family Conference. Because the NNPDF considers patient interaction a significant aspect of research education, fellowship recipients are required to attend all Family Conferences occurring during the period of the fellowship. The Fellow will be expected to give a confidential progress report to the Scientific Advisory Board at its meeting held during the Conference. The NNPDF will reimburse travel expenses incurred in attending these conferences. - Full-Time Research Position
NNPDF Fellowship awards are intended for full-time research. Physician scientists must devote their principal time and effort (at least 80 percent) to NNPDF-supported research activities. Activities constituting the remaining 20 percent of time and effort should be clearly specified in the application and in all progress reports. - Publication
Any publication resulting from NNPDF funding should carry a credit line reading "supported in part by a fellowship from the National Niemann-Pick Disease Foundation." A reprint or other copy of any publication should be sent to the Research Committee Chair, c/o the NNPDF. - Overlapping Funding
Should additional funding for this research become available during the period of the fellowship, the Fellow must inform the NNPDF Research Committee Chair, c/o the NNPDF in writing. - Collaboration
Fellows are requested to collaborate with other investigators engaged in NPD research, provided that those seeking information comply with any government regulations pertaining to the sharing of such information. This requirement includes sharing products with whoever has a legitimate interest in or need for them, in order to expedite progress in NPD research. - Patient Education & Demographics
Fellows who deal with NPD patients are required to distribute NPD pamphlets, fact sheets and other educational materials to those patients with whom they come in contact. (The Foundation will supply these materials upon request.) We also ask that Fellows cooperate with the NNPDF in its efforts to update and maintain its demographics by encouraging their NPD patients and families to contact the Foundation. - Discontinuation of Project
Should the Fellow and/or Sponsor wish to discontinue the project, or leave the designated institution, the NNPDF must be notified. If the Fellow and/or Sponsor wish to modify any part of the fellowship agreement, he or she must seek approval from the National Niemann-Pick Disease Foundation in advance. Failure to comply with this requirement may jeopardize any future awards to the institution by the NNPDF. Unexpended portions of grants must be returned to the NNPDF within 60 days.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Questions may be addressed to:
Research Committee Chair |
Daniel S. Ory, M.D. Chair, NNPDF Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) Professor of Medicine, Cell Biology & Physiology Washington University School of Medicine Box 8086 660 S. Euclid Ave. St. Louis, MO 63110 Tel: 314-362-8737 Fax: 314-362-0186 dory@wustl.edu |
[Nov 17, 2011 mem]
“The National Niemann-Pick Disease Foundation (NNPDF) does not engage in the practice of medicine. It is not a medical authority nor does it claim to have medical knowledge. This site is an educational service of the National Niemann-Pick Disease Foundation and is not meant to provide diagnostic or treatment advice. Information contained or suggested on this Web site does not constitute medical advice. For all information related to care, medication or treatment, the NNPDF recommends consulting a physician to determine if information presented is applicable. Please review these additional cautions about medical information provided on the Internet.”