2017 Searle Scholars Program

2017 Searle Scholars Program

2017 Searle Scholars Program

Penn State Internal Deadlines:Notice of Intent dueJune 30, 2016 by 4pm

Nominee’s materials due July 14, 2016 by 4pm

Sponsor Deadline:September 30, 2016 at 4pm EST

Institutional Limit:2

Amount:$300,000 ($100,000 per year for a three-year period)

Number of Awards: 15 new grants annually

Program Focus:
The Searle Scholars Program gives grants to support independent research in medicine, chemistry, and the biological sciences for exceptional early-career scientists who have recently begun their appointment at the assistant professor level, and whose appointment is their first tenure-track position.

More information available on the Searle Scholars Program website:

Eligibility:

• Candidates should have begun their appointment as an independent investigator at the assistant professor level on or after July 1, 2015. The appointment must be their first tenure-track position at their current institution.
• Expected to be pursuing independent research careers in biochemistry, cell biology, genetics, immunology, neuroscience, pharmacology, and related areas in chemistry, medicine, and the biological sciences.

Internal Nomination Process:

The Searle Scholars Program has invited Penn State to nominate twofaculty members for the 2017 competition.The online application submission system will be made available to selected individuals once nominations have been determined. The final application submission deadline is September 30, 2016.

Step 1: Notice of Intent (NOI) due June 30, 2016 by 4pm

1. Submit NOI form containing nominee’s name, contact information, appointment start date, and confirmation of potential nomination from Associate Dean or Department Head. NOI form can be found at , save it as a single PDF and email to . Note to departments: Please submit no more than two nominees for this award.

Step 2: Nominee materials due July 14, 2016 by 4pm

For consideration as an institutional nominee, submit ONLY the required items below electronically (contained in one PDF file)by July 14, 2016 by 4pm to .

1. Research Summary (maximum 3 pages) that includes (1) description of current areas of research and (2) defines the specific research (purpose, methodology, and overall goal) the nominee would pursue with this funding award.
2. Explain why your proposal is bold and impactful if successful; novelty and risk-taking are greatly encouraged. Searle (and the internal reviewers) are looking for the best ideas articulated well.
3. Format: Proposal documents should be single-spaced, at least 11pt font, ½ inch margins. Illustrations and figures are allowed.
4. A personal statement (maximum 1 page) describing why you should be Penn State’s nominee (i.e., why your past record makes you competitive for this program). Include a summary of early-career achievements and/or awards, significant research to date. If possible, show how you made an impact in the lab where you worked as a post doc.
5. NIH biosketch - NEW format.
6. Nomination from your department head or chair. A nomination letter is preferred, but a brief statement by the department head or chair is also acceptable due to the short time frame.
7. Recent letter of support attesting to the nominee's potential and quality and scope of his/her research. This letter is only for internal review; if it was obtained for another recent award review or your recruitment application, you may use this rather than requesting a new letter.Note: The final application will require four Letters of Support. These individuals must consist of the applicant’s doctoral and post-doctoral mentors, a person of the applicant’s choosing, and the fourth individual must be the applicant’s department chair(s).

Foundation Relations Insights:

Searle likes projects that are unlikely to be funded by NIH because 1) the investigator is young and the goals are too ambitious, 2) the project is too novel, 3) there is no preliminary data or it is something that has been tried and others have failed at it.

The Searle Scholars Program selection committee is primarily interested in the potential of the applicant to make innovative and high-impact contributions to research over an extended period of time. Potential applicants are encouraged to assess the Searle advisory board’s membership and consider projects that border their expertise.

Proposed work can be unique and not funded elsewhere, or it may be a component of on-going research. Funds awarded by the Program are not intended to replace monies obtained from another funding agency but may be used to supplement on-going research.The program does not ordinarily support purely clinical research but has supported research programs that include both clinical and basic components. Potential applicants who are unsure if their research is appropriate for our Program are encouraged to examine the research interests of present and former Searle Scholars on the program website.

Those considering applying should review the sample application providedhere:

Previous Penn State Scholars:
Michael Axtell (2008), Amie K. Boal (2014), J. Martin Bollinger, Jr. (1996), Gregory K. Farber (1991), Kenneth S. Feldman (1986), Tae-Hee Lee (2008), Randen L. Patterson (2006), B. Franklin Pugh (1992), Beth A. Shapiro (2009)

Questions should be directed to and Eric Reinhard () Associate Director, Foundation Relations. The Foundation Relations team will be available to assist the University nominees in preparing their applications.