Introduction

The SASS Foundation for Medical Research, a 501(c)(3)non-profit organization, is committed to education, research, and education in various hematological and malignant diseases. As a part of research commitment, the SASS Foundation offers four research grants annually to bright young post-doctoral fellows to pursue innovative ideas that have the potential to develop into independent investigators with sustained extramural NIH type funding. The amount of funding is $40,000 for one year, which can be competitively renewed for a second year.

Goal and Scope of Program

The goal of The SASS Foundation Fellowship award is provide salary stipend for novel research projects in cancer to be conducted by postdoctoral fellows under the guidance of an able mentor. The Foundation is especially interested in hypothesis driven novel research and NOT AN EXTENSION OF MENTOR’S RESEARCH. The intent is to help the postdoctoral fellows to obtain data and to submit proposals to NIH and other extramural funding agencies in order to become independent investigators.

Eligibility

The fellowship is open to any postdoctoral fellow with MD, Ph.D. or both degrees who have not completed more than 2 years of postdoctoral training at the time of the award and is associated with an academic non-profit institution. The mentor should have established record as an established independent investigator. Applicant from a mentor’ laboratory whose fellow has received award from the Foundation are ineligible.

Type of Research

Applications will be entertained in the area of cancer biology. Preference will be given for the translational research.

Conditions of Award

Awards are for the salary support of the fellow. Awards will be given according to pay scale of the candidate’s institution or in case of Ph.D. candidate according to NIH guidelines. However, individual award may not exceed $40,000 annually. The award may be renewed for the 2nd year; however, renewal application will be evaluated with new applications submitted for that cycle. Indirect costs will not be supported. Funded candidates and their mentors MUST attend The SASS Foundation’s ANNUAL BLACK TIE GALA DINNER in New York City, where the candidate is expected to make a brief presentation of his/her work supported by the SASS Foundation. The award of $40,000 includes salary support of the fellow (a minimum of $35,000), funds for travel and accommodation for the fellow and the mentor to attend the annual Gala Fundraiser of the SASS Foundation, and travel for the fellow to present his/her data obtained from this grant at one national conference. NO FUNDS MAY BE USED FOR EQUIPMENT, SUPPLIES, COMPUTER ETC.

Application Deadline and Review Process

The Letter of Intent should be sent VIA E-MAIL to Dr. Sudhir Gupta, Director of Scientific Development, of The SASS Foundation at sgupta@uci.edu no later than Friday, March 1, 2009 at 5:00 PM. This allows The deadline for submission of full proposal is Thursday, May 1, 2009 at 5:00 PM. Late proposals will not be accepted. Applications will be reviewed and scored (NIH style) by an ad hoc Scientific Peer Review Committee of the SASS Foundation will review applications. Awards will be approved by the Executive Board of the Foundation. Awards will be made strictly by the assigned priority score. Applicants will be notified of intention to fund or not fund by June 22, 2009. A brief written summary of the review may be provided. The funding will start from July 1, 2009.

General Length and Format

Proposals must not exceed five single-spaced; one-sided pages in addition to an abstract, program cover sheet, and references (two-page limit for references). Margin should be 1 inch blank space on top, bottom and side of each page, excepting applicant’s identification headers (NIH style). Text may not be smaller than 11 point, 15 characters per horizontal inch. No more than six lines per vertical inch of text are permitted. Proposals must be in English. Proposals that exceed any of these limit requirements will not be reviewed.

Research Plan

Proposal should include a cover page with title of project, providing applicant’s name, mentor’s name and title, location of research, address for correspondence, including telephone and FAC numbers and e-mail address, and name and address of the Contract and Grant Officer of the Institution. An abstract of 350 words should be provided. The research plan of the proposal outlines the proposed research project, and should include the following sections (5 page limit): [1] Specific aims, including statement of testable hypotheses; [2] Background and significance, including preliminary data (if any; all preliminary data must be within 5 page limit, since no appendices are allowed); [3] Research design and methods, including appropriate control studies, statistical methods, timeline, and justification of the number of subjects or animal to be used (if any); and [4] Expected results, potential problems, and alternative hypotheses. Note: Up to two additional pages of cited references (full citation required) may be added. Applications must be processed through Contract and Grant Office of the institutions and signed by the fellow, mentor and Contract and Grant Officer. Grant and Contract should provide details (to whom check has to made payable and address) in case an award is made.

Bio-Bibliographical sketch of the applicant and the mentor

Two page limit for each applicant and the mentor, using NIH style.

Other Supports

List of all currently funded research projects and pending research grants for both applicant and the mentor. A copy of the abstract of funded and pending grants must be included.

Letter of Intent

A Letter of Intent containing a one page summary of the proposal along with a title, name, and address of the applicant should be emailed to Dr. Sudhir Gupta sgupta@uci.edu by March 1, 2009 by 5:00 PM Pacific Time. This is to help the SASS Foundation to organize ad hoce Study Section reviewers.

Submission of Proposals

Proposals may be submitted electronically via email (sgupta@uci.edu) both as a WORD and PDF document. One original copy of the proposal with signatures of applicant, mentor, and institutional Contract and Grant Officer( not the departmental Grant and Contract Officer) to Sudhir Gupta, M.D., Ph.D, Director of Scientific Development of the SASS Foundation, Medical Sciences I, C-240, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697 (Phone: (949) 824-5818; e-mail: sgupta@uci.edu). All materials MUST be received by 5:00 PM on May 1, 2008. Proposals submitted after the deadline will be returned without review.

Progress Report and Financial Report

For funded research, a progress report will be required by April 1 and a financial report by July 30th.

Use of Funds

Funds provided should be used in accordance to the letter of award. Any deviation may require that all funds be returned to The SASS Foundation. Any unused funds at the end of the funding year must be returned to the SASS Foundation.