ERF Funded SNMMI Grants, Awards and Scholarship Program
Grants, awards and scholarships, proudly funded by ERF, allow the SNMMI to keep its commitment to supporting the next generation of researchers and advancing molecular imaging and therapy. This support of early career pilot grants fills a funding void for young innovators who need funding to demonstrate the feasibility of their novel ideas before they can apply for larger government grants from the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation or other sources.
For a complete listing of all SNMMI awards, visit their website.
Cassen Postdoctoral Mentoring Award
Applications are now closed.
The Education and Research Foundation for Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (ERF), through a bequest from the estates of Benedict Cassen and Mary Wiley Cassen, is offering grant support for a junior scientist faculty member to recruit a post-doctoral to support research in the field of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging. The grant is intended to provide an early-career scientist with mentoring experience and the opportunity to develop preliminary data for federal or other competitive research support. The grant will provide support for the postdoctoral fellow to carry out the research under the supervision of the junior faculty member, with the assistance of a senior faculty member or principal investigator. Selection of a postdoctoral fellow from relevant disciplines outside nuclear medicine and molecular imaging is encouraged but not required. Overall administrative and research guidance for the postdoctoral fellow is to be provided by a senior mentor in the same institution.
Award Information
The Postdoctoral Mentoring Award provides up to two years of research support. The amount of the award is $50,000 per year, payable to the applicant’s institution, which is to be used for salary support (including benefits) of the postdoctoral fellow. The postdoc candidate does not need to be nominated or identified at the time of application and can recruited after the award is made. The award may be renewed for a second year, subject to ERF review and approval of first-year progress.
Eligibility
- Applicant must hold a doctoral degree (M.D. or Ph.D. or equivalent) from an accredited institution.
- Applicant must have a full-time position at an accredited university or medical school or equivalent in the United States.
- Applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States.
- Applicant must be no more than 10 years beyond his/her doctoral degree or final year of postgraduate training, whichever is later.
- Applicant must have a senior mentor with significant research experience.
- Previous recipients of this award are not eligible for a new award.
- Institutions are not eligible for consecutive awards, but they are eligible for repeat awards that are not consecutive.
Application Contents
- Applicant curriculum vitae
- Research plan (five pages maximum), to include research question and significance, experimental design and methodology, role of postdoctoral fellow, relevance of research to applicant’s career objectives and development of research skills, and anticipated publications.
- Senior mentor details:
- One-page statement of support including mentorship plan.
- Curriculum vitae, including research support and publications.
- Previous experience in fostering development of junior researchers.
- Description of institutional facilities relevant to the proposed research.
- Institutional commitment to 20% FTE research requirement of applicant from applicant’s department chairman, dean or other responsible administrator.
Application Submission
- Incomplete packages or packages that do not follow the submission requirements will absolutely not be accepted.
- Late submissions will not be acknowledged or accepted, regardless the rationale.
- All components of a package must be combined into one, single PDF file in the order outlined above.
- Packages that are emailed pieces at a time or several PDF’s as attachments will not be accepted.
- Submit all materials electronically to the following address: erfsnm@gmail.com, using “Cassen Grant Material Submission” as the subject line.
- All materials must be received no later than 5:00 PM Eastern Time on March 15, 2018.
Application Review
The ERF Cassen Review Committee will review proposals. The Committee is composed of internationally prominent scientists with expertise in education, research and technology in nuclear medicine and molecular imaging. Review criteria includes the applicant’s academic record, career development plan and potential to develop into an independent researcher in nuclear medicine and molecular imaging, research plan, mentor and mentorship plan, and institutional research environment.
Award Requirements
Each recipient of an ERF grant, as a condition of acceptance of the award, agrees to the following:
- Submission of annual progress reports for each year of funding and a final report at the conclusion of the award period.
- Acknowledgment of ERF Cassen funding in all presentations and publications resulting from the award.
The 2018 ERF Cassen Prize
Nominations are now closed.
The Benedict Cassen Prize is awarded in recognition of outstanding achievement and work leading to a major advance in nuclear medicine science. The prize award is $25,000 and is only offered every other year (even years).
Proposal Requirements
- A letter nominating an individual or group should be sent to the ERF, providing a concise summary of the nominee's work that has led to a major advance in nuclear medicine science. It is advisable that the nominee not be made aware of the nomination. All nominations are kept confidential by the Foundation.
- Also provide a biography, not to exceed two pages, including past positions and prior awards or recognition received by the nominee.
- On an additional page, list no more than six peer-reviewed journal references, which substantiate the statements made in your nomination. Do not send reprints or a bibliography.
- Submit letters of support (no more than three) from persons who are qualified to appreciate the nominee's contributions to nuclear medicine science.
Submission Details
- Submissions of the nomination letter and all supporting documents must be completed by 5:00 p.m. Eastern time on March 16, 2018.
- Electronically submit nomination letter and all documentation to: info@mierf.org. Email subject: 'Benedict Cassen Prize Material submission -'LAST NAME'
- Incomplete submissions will not be considered. It is advisable that you contact the office to ensure all documents were received prior to the submission due date.
