FUNDING MEMO

Title: Postdoctoral Fellowship in Drug Discovery - LOI

Funding Agency: PhRMA Foundation

External Deadline(s):

06/16/2022 08:59 PM PDT (LOI)
09/15/2022 08:59 PM PDT (Full Proposal)

Cognizant Office: Office of Sponsored Research/Office of Foundation Relations

Description:

The PhRMA Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship in Drug Discovery provides stipend support for individuals engaged in a multidisciplinary research training program that will create or extend their credentials and provide new skills in drug discovery research.

Frequency: Typically annual

Total Award: $60,000 to $120,000

• $60,000 per year to be used for stipend support only.
  • The fellowship provides no other subsidies (travel, tuition, fringe benefit costs, etc.)

Indirect Costs: Not Allowed

• This award is considered a “true fellowship” and will not be subject to Caltech’s minimum overhead requirement, however, an approved MORA and DAF are still required.

Duration: Up to 2 years

• The award may be activated beginning January 1, 2023, or on the first day of any month thereafter, up to and including August 1, 2023.
• To receive funding beyond the first 12 months, applicants must provide the PhRMA Foundation with a satisfactory  progress report upon completion of the first 10 months of funding.

Discipline(s): Biology and Biological Engineering; Chemistry and Chemical Engineering; Engineering and Applied Science

Eligibility: Postdoc

• Applicants (U.S. and non-U.S. citizens) must currently be in a PhD and/or MS degree-granting accredited institution in the United States.
• Applicants must have a firm commitment from a research supervisor or sponsor at their institution.
• Applicants must hold a PhD or appropriate terminal research doctorate in a field related to the proposed postdoctoral activities or expect to receive such a degree before activating the award.
• Applicants must be within their first five years of postdoctoral study at the time of award activation.
• While all applications involving drug discovery research will be considered, preference will be given to individuals sponsored by a unit with responsibility for drug discovery training and research as part of its core mission. If the Drug Discovery mission is not apparent at the sponsoring unit’s website, the sponsor letter must describe how the academic appointment will support the applicant’s career development in drug discovery.
• Applicants who are applying for funds to support postdoctoral work in the laboratory where their graduate work was performed will be given lower preference. One of the objectives of this fellowship is to gain new skills, and therefore an ideal candidate will be conducting their research in a new laboratory and not where their graduate work was performed.
• If multiple applicants are submitting proposed efforts on the same project, the efforts must be separate activities and not duplicative. This pertains to applications in all three categories of our Drug Discovery programs (predoctoral and postdoctoral fellowships and faculty starter grants). We will not consider multiple applications for the same or similar efforts on the same project.

Research Areas of Interest:

• PhRMA Foundation Definition of Drug Discovery: Modern drug therapies utilize a wide range of cutting-edge technologies, including biologics, small molecules, and cell and gene therapies, in a variety of novel therapeutic approaches. Successful drug discovery involves the innovative application and integration of multiple scientific disciplines to create efficacious, safe, and differentiated treatment options for patients.

Research Exclusions:

• Applications which focus exclusively on development of assays, target identification, chemical probes, biomarkers or diagnostics will not be considered for review.

Post-Award Obligations:

• A financial report will be required upon completion of the first twelve months of funding.
• A final progress report and financial report will be required within sixty day’s of the fellowship’s conclusion.

Recent Caltech Recipients:

• None

Guidelines & Other Information:

Guidelines: https://www.phrmafoundation.org/awards/post-doctoral-fellowships/drug-discovery/

Drug Discovery Brochure: https://www.phrmafoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/DrugDiscovery_2023.pdf

Past Recipients (all programs): https://www.phrmafoundation.org/awards/past-award-recipients

Please notify the Foundation Relations team if you anticipate making a submission or if you have any questions regarding this opportunity. We are here to help ensure that Caltech’s proposals are competitive. We can assist with proposal development and advise you on the routing of your paperwork. Interested researchers should work with their division grant manager to prepare the budget, the MORA form, and the Division Approval Form (DAF). Submissions and awards for this grant program will be processed through the Office of Sponsored Research.

Opportunity ID: 1151