FUNDING MEMO

Title: Damon Runyon Quantitative Biology Fellowship

Funding Agency: Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation

External Deadline(s):

12/01/2023 01:00 PM PST (Full Proposal)

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

Description:

The Damon Runyon Quantitative Biology Fellowship award program is designed to encourage quantitative scientists (trained in fields such as mathematics, computer science, physics, engineering, or related) to pursue research careers in computational biology under the joint mentorship of leaders in both computational science ("dry lab") and cancer biology ("wet lab"). By investing in this area, Damon Runyon will bring additional attention to the importance of these specially trained scientists for making meaningful progress in cancer biology.

Frequency: Typically annual

Total Award: $240,000

• Stipend: Year 1- $76,000 , Year 2- $78,000, Year 3- $80,000
• An additional $2,000 expense allowance is awarded to the laboratory in which the Fellow is working and can be used by the Fellow for their educational and scientific expenses.
  • With written request to the Foundation from the Fellow, the expense allowance may be used to defray the cost of health benefits.
• The Foundation also provides a Dependent Child Allowance of $1,000 per child per year (there is no allowance for a spouse), with the completion of required forms.
• The Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation will retire up to $100,000 of any qualifying medical school debt still owed by the awardee. Payment will be made annually over the course of the award.
  • Note: Qualified candidates must first apply to the NIH Loan Repayment Program in order to be eligible for loan repayment from Damon Runyon.

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: 3 years

• Award begins the first day of April, May, or June 2024.
• Second- and third-year funding of awards is contingent upon satisfactory review of the annual progress reports.

Discipline(s): Biology and Biological Engineering; Chemistry and Chemical Engineering; Engineering and Applied Science; Physics, Mathematics, and Astronomy

Eligibility: Postdoc

• Applicants must have completed one or more of the following degrees or its equivalent: MD, PhD, MD/PhD, DDS, DVM, DO.
  • The applicant must include a copy of their diploma to confirm date of conferral.
• Applicants require two committed Mentors, one from the field of computational science (“dry lab”) and one from the area of cancer biology (“wet lab”).
• Level 1: Basic and physician-scientists must have received their degrees no more than five years prior to the application deadline date* and may apply at any time prior to their initial assistant professorship appointment (or equivalent). Applicants must not have been in their Mentors' labs for more than 24 months prior to the application deadline date and are expected to devote 100% of their time to Damon Runyon-supported research activities. No other postdoctoral fellowships can be held concurrently. Candidates holding or awarded NIH K awards at the time of application are not eligible to apply.
• Level 2: Physician-scientist applicants (MD, MD/PhD, DDS, DVM, DO or the equivalent) must have completed their residencies and clinical training, must be board eligible in the United States at the start date of the Damon Runyon Fellowship, and be able to devote at least 80% of their time to Damon Runyon-supported research activities. Applicants may not have had more than five years of postdoctoral laboratory research experience and may apply at any time prior to their initial assistant professorship appointment (or equivalent); postdoctoral fellows, clinical fellows and clinical instructors are eligible to apply. No other postdoctoral fellowships can be held concurrently. Candidates holding or awarded NIH K awards at the time of application are not eligible to apply. Candidates holding institutional K12 awards may apply but must turn-back K12 funding if they are awarded a Damon Runyon Quantitative Biology Fellowship.
• The proposed research must be conducted at a university, hospital or research institution.
• Postdoctoral training in the same institution in which the applicant received their degree is discouraged, particularly if it is in the same department. (If either situation applies, the applicant must address the reason(s) in their application.)
  • Proposals to continue training in the laboratory where the applicant received their PhD will not be considered.
  • Proposals that are direct extensions of graduate work will not be funded.
• Candidates applying to work in foreign-based or United States government laboratories may be awarded a fellowship if the program represents an unusual opportunity for postdoctoral training.
• Foreign candidates may apply to do their research only in the United States.
• Fellows are permitted to obtain additional awards or grants to cover research expenses only.
  • Fellows are not permitted to hold any other award or grant that supplements their stipend.
  • Fellows are required to seek approval from the Foundation before applying for any other award or grant. Budgetary overlap is not allowed.
• Damon Runyon Fellowship awards are intended for full-time research.
• Physician-scientists must devote their principal time (at least 80 percent) to Damon Runyon-supported research activities. Activities constituting the remaining 20 percent of time should be clearly specified in the application and in the annual progress report.
• Damon Runyon Fellows are not permitted to pursue additional degrees during the course of their fellowship.

Research Areas of Interest:

• Open to quantitative scientists with an interest in the intersection between computational biology, data science, and cancer research.

Post-Award Obligations:

• Annual scientific and financial progress reports are required.

Recent Caltech Recipients:

• None

Guidelines & Other Information:

Overview: https://www.damonrunyon.org/for-scientists/application-guidelines/quantitative

Application Guidelines: https://www.damonrunyon.org/for-scientists/application-guidelines/quantitative/forms

Selection Committee: https://www.damonrunyon.org/for-scientists/committees/quantitative

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: 1692