Damon Runyon Quantitative Biology Fellowship Award Application Guidelines

Quick Links: Program Overview

Application must be submitted through Proposal Central by 4:00 PM Eastern Time on December 2, 2024. Application instructions and relevant forms will be available on the site.

No hard copies or emailed applications will be accepted. 

Applicants must not have been in their Mentors’ labs for more than 24 months prior to the application deadline date.

Application Deadlines

*Include a copy of diploma to confirm date of conferral.

Application Requirements (Forms are on Proposal Central)

REFERENCE LETTERS

Three letters of reference are required from qualified individuals, other than the candidate's Mentors, who can evaluate the candidate's qualifications for the proposed research project and assess the candidate's potential for successful independent cancer research. For candidates with a PhD, one of the reference letters must come from the candidate's thesis advisor. 

All reference letters must be submitted on or before the application deadline. Applicants will NOT be able to submit their application unless all reference letters are uploaded to the portal.
 
The complete application should include the following in sequence order:

• Application Cover Sheet with all required signatures (electronic/scanned). This fellowship requires two Mentors (one from a dry lab and wet lab setting) and both Mentors must fill out the form.
   
• Each Mentor’s Biosketch in NIH format. (SAMPLE)
   
• Each Mentor’s Letter of Support evaluating the candidate’s qualifications for the proposed research project and an assessment of the candidate’s potential for successful independent cancer research in the quantitative biology space.
   
• Each Mentor’s Mentorship Track Record with names and current positions of graduate and postdoctoral trainees from the past 10 years.
   
• A single Training Plan for the candidate from the Mentors, up to two pages. The training plan for the candidate must be written jointly elaborating specifically on the interdisciplinary nature of the fellowship and feasibility/advantage of the dual mentorship. Preference will be given to mentorship teams where the labs are in close physical proximity to encourage frequent in person training. The labs may be located at the same or distinct institutions.
   
• Applicant’s Biosketch in NIH format (non-fellowship) (SAMPLE) Do not complete the "Scholastic Performance" section.
   
• Applicant's Research Support Form (if applicable).
   
• Applicant's Bibliography, a separate list with hyperlinks to each publication (in addition to the NIH Biosketch).
   
• Applicant's Letter, approximately two pages including:
  • description of previous research and teaching experience
  • statement on the transformative impact they had on their field of research as a graduate student
  • statement of interest in quantitative biology
  • if applicant is training at the same institution in which received their degree, an explanation of the reason(s) for remaining at the same institution (can be copied from page 2 of cover sheet).
      
• Applicant's Personal Statement, a one-page narrative including:
  • What they anticipate gaining from this award with respect to its impact and their career development
  • Optional: personal background. (Applicants may choose to indicate if they identify as an individual underrepresented in the life sciences.*)

*NIH definition: https://diversity.nih.gov/about-us/population-underrepresented

• Statement of Applicant's Long-Term Commitment to a career in cancer research. This statement should be no longer than one paragraph and indicate what applicant plans to do after completing their postdoc.
   
• Research Proposal including figures and/or tables incorporated into the text, not to exceed five pages of single-spaced, 12-point type with at least 0.5-inch margins. In the proposal, the applicant should:
  • provide a summary of the research proposed (this is in addition to the required summary form)
  • provide a brief background to the proposed research
  • state specific research objectives/aims
  • describe concisely the method of approach for the proposed research
  • explain the significance of the proposed research to the Foundation’s goals: understanding the causes and mechanisms of cancer and developing more effective cancer therapies and prevention
  • demonstrate the relevance of own background and the background and previous work of the Mentors and any other investigators to the proposed research
  • list references including the full title of each work cited—references are not included in the five page limit.
     
• A brief paragraph, no more than 250 words, concisely describing the innovation of the computational methods for the proposed research.
   
• A brief paragraph, no more than 250 words, concisely describing the computational challenges that currently prevent the field from answering the question that you propose to solve in the application. Describe the computational tools you plan to develop and/or modify to use in your proposal that will overcome these challenges.
   

• Copy of the Applicant's Diploma. Applicants who have not yet received their PhD diploma but have successfully completed all PhD requirements, including PhD defense, may submit a letter from their graduate school explicitly stating such, with the dates of the PhD defense and degree conferral.

• Summary of Research Form, not to exceed one page (same as Abstracts tab, copy/paste).
   
• Collaboration Letters. If applicable, up to two letters from collaborators indicating their willingness to contribute equipment, materials, or expertise (not reference letters).
   

Contact Information

Award Programs | awards@damonrunyon.org