American Association for Cancer Research

AACR Centennial Postdoctoral Fellowships in Cancer Research


Applications are now closed.  Four Fellowships will be awarded.

Submission deadline: February 1, 2008
Decision Date: July 15, 2008
Grant term begins: August 1, 2008

Award Summary

AACR Centennial Postdoctoral Research Fellowships in Cancer Research will provide $60,000 per year for up to three years to provide salary support and research funding for clinical and postdoctoral fellows in the first, second, or third year of their fellowship status.  In addition to financial flexibility these fellowships also provide career flexibility. Fellowship funds may be transferred to move with the grantee if the grantee's fellowship is completed during the grant term - a valuable commodity for a newly-independent investigator.

Under this award mechanism, the postdoctoral trainee is considered the Lead Investigator and should write the proposal independently with appropriate direction from the mentor.  Proposals may be submitted in any area of cancer research whether laboratory-based, translational, clinical, epidemiological, behavioral, or other.

For complete fellowship terms, please carefully read the Program Guidelines.  

Applicant Eligibility Criteria

  • Applicants must be in the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd year of their postdoctoral training at the start of the fellowship term.
  • Applicants must be members of the AACR or must submit an application for membership prior to the fellowship application deadline.
  • Applicants must have acquired a doctoral degree in a biological sciences-related field. 
  • Applicants must hold the title of Postdoctoral Fellow or Clinical Research Fellow at an academic facility, teaching hospital, or research institution. Applicants who believe that they are at the level of postdoctoral or clinical fellow, but who hold a title other than Postdoctoral  Fellow or Clinical Research Fellow, should contact the AACR to determine their eligibility before submitting an application.
  • Employees, trainees, or subcontractors of a national government or private industry are not eligible. Exceptions apply if an applicant holds a full-time position at a Veterans' Hospital or national laboratory in the United States or if an applicant resides outside the United States and is the employee of a governmental agency. In these cases, eligibility is determined on an individual basis.

Program Guidelines & Application Instructions

Applications must be completed online using the proposalCENTRAL website, with one paper copy submitted to the AACR office. Application instructions and program guidelines are available below and on the proposalCENTRAL website. 

Inquiries

Ms. Hanna Hopfinger, Program Assistant
Telephone: (267) 646-0665
Fax: (215) 440-9372
E-mail: hanna.hopfinger@aacr.org

SPOTLIGHT

About the Centennial Fellowships

The Associate Member Council is the AACR's leadership body for graduate students, medical students, and postdoctoral and clinical fellows. A major function of the AMC is to act as an advisory body to the AACR leadership on behalf of early-career scientists.

After supporting the AACR's Centennial fundraising initiative by encouraging the Associate membership to participate as donors, the AMC evaluated the existing grants available to early-career cancer researchers through the AACR and other organizations and considered how best to positively impact young researchers. What followed was the creation of formal proposals for the Centennial Fellowships. The Council is extremely gratified and proud to have participated in the development of these new funding vehicles to encourage and sustain early-career cancer scientists and physicians.

Competitive grants help scientists to develop grant writing skills, encourage mentorship, recognize the scientific contributions of trainees, and allow trainees to pursue independent research. Scientists who have received mentored awards are more likely to apply for and receive grants, be published, and achieve higher academic rank. The Associate Member Council feels strongly that competing for grants is a vital career development experience.