External Deadline: July 23, 2025 Internal Application Deadline: May 5, 2025
Instructions for lectronic Submission:
Submit the below items here no later than May 5, 2025, at 11:59 pm in the order listed as one PDF document using the naming convention PI last name. First initial_2025ADAInitiator/Accelerator/.pdf (see example below).
Example:
Smith.J_2025ADAInitiator
Smith.J_2025ADAAccelerator
Number of Applications: ADA will accept up to two (2) nominations per institution with one (1) nomination spanning basic through preclinical research and one (1) nomination spanning clinical through public health research. Each nomination can be for either of the Pathway Program Award types: Initiator or Accelerator (does not involve Ithaca)
Program Details:
The Pathway to Stop Diabetes® program intends to attract brilliant scientists approaching the peak of their careers in diabetes research, and to accelerate their research progress by providing the necessary resources and support for conducting transformative science. This call for nominations will prioritize exceptional investigators across the spectrum of diabetes research, spanning basic science through public health research and implementation science. The ideal applicant will propose innovative research with the ultimate goal of improving the lives of people at risk of diabetes or living with the disease - and the pathway to this impact is clear.
Examples of basic through preclinical research studies (for nomination #1) include:
- Innovative mechanistic studies on fundamental or new aspects of biology
- Novel insights derived from data science using AI/Machine Learning
- Development of new technologies, devices, and/or experimental approaches
- Identification and validation of novel and unique therapeutic target
Examples of clinical through public health research (for nomination #2) include:
- Clinical experimental medicine studies
- Identification and validation of novel biomarkers
- Health services research
- Behavioral research
- Population epidemiology
- Health economics research
- Patient preference / Quality of Life
- Dissemination and implementation science
- Health Care system-based interventions
Nominations are welcomed from all areas of diabetes and span prevention, management, and cure of all diabetes types (i.e. type 1, type 2 and gestational), diabetes-related disease states (obesity, prediabetes, and other insulin resistant states) and complications. The program intends to attract a broad range of expertise to the field of diabetes from various fields of science and technology, including medicine, biology, chemistry, engineering, mathematics, and physics.
Review Criteria:
Scientific excellence is the primary benchmark to be evaluated for all Pathway applications, with an emphasis on the investigator’s potential to significantly transform diabetes through translational research (‘moving the needle’) to improve the lives of people with diabetes. The proposed research strategy serves as a reflection of the individual’s capacity for innovation, creativity, and collaboration.
The challenges of comparing different research approaches and investigators across a broad spectrum are met by assembling the Pathway to Stop Diabetes’® Mentor Advisory Group; which is a committee of eminent scientists from diabetes research and other fields who personify the core elements needed for exceptional science: rigorous thought processes, keen intellect, and the capacity for innovation, creativity, and productivity.
Applications will be subjected to confidential scientific review by the Mentor Advisory Group and will be evaluated on the following:
Principal Investigator: • Proven ability to establish independent research program. • Proven ability for creativity, collaboration, and innovation • Institutional commitment
Research Strategy: • Innovation and creativity • Potential impact for understanding/treatment of diabetes • Clarity of thought and approach
These awards are extremely competitive – In previous cycles, the overall success rate was ~5%.
For further information please visit: https://professional.diabetes.org/research-grants/current-funding-opport...
Eligibility
Description of Funding Mechanisms & Eligibility:
Initiator Award
- Description: This two-phased award is designed to support the transition of postdoctoral fellow scientists from mentored training to independent research faculty.
- Budget: Phase 1 provides up to two years of support for mentored training at a maximum of $100,000 per year (10% IDC), Phase 2 provides up to five years of support for independent research at a maximum of $325,000 per year (30% IDC). Maximum combined support for Phase 1 and Phase 2 is $1,625,000.
- Award Term: Up to 7 years
- Principal Investigator Percent Effort Required: 75–100% effort in Phase 1, 50–75% effort in Phase 2
- Eligibility: Eligible applicants must currently be in research training positions (post-doctoral fellow, research fellowship) and have no more than seven years of research training following terminal doctoral degree. Applicants cannot concurrently hold an NIH K99/R00 grant. Candidates must be identified through institutional nomination; applications will be accepted only from individuals with the appropriate institution support.
Accelerator Award
- Description: This award is designed to support exceptional, independent early-career faculty who have distinguished themselves as promising investigators and are in the beginning stages of establishing successful, sustainable diabetes research programs.
- Budget: Awards provide five years of research support at a maximum of $325,000 per year (30% IDC), for a total of $1,625,000.
- Award Term: Up to 5 years
- Principal Investigator Percent Effort Required: 25–50% effort.
- Eligibility: Awards are available to early-career diabetes investigators proposing innovative and ambitious diabetes-related research programs. Applicants must hold faculty positions and have demonstrated independent productivity in diabetes research. Applicants may currently hold independent NIH funding (K, U or R awards, including an initial R01/U01) but must not have applied for (regardless of outcome), or received, an R01/U01 renewal or a second R01/U01 award. Candidates must be identified through institutional nomination; applications will be accepted only from individuals with the appropriate institution support.
Application Requirements
Weill Cornell Medicine may submit up to two (2) nominations per institution with one (1) nomination spanning basic through preclinical research and one (1) nomination spanning clinical through public health research. Each nomination can be for either of the Pathway Program Award types: Initiator or Accelerator. Due to this limitations, an internal selection is organized.
Department Chairs/Division Chiefs/Institute Directors may submit no more than two nominations from their department.
Department Chairs/Division Chiefs/Institute Directors submitting more than one nomination must submit a comparative statement to researchdean@med.cornell.edu commenting on the relative strengths and weaknesses of the two nominees.
Internal submissions should contain the following information:
1. Letter from the Department Chair/Division Chief/Institute Director (1-2 pages)
The Letter of Nomination must:
- Provide rationale for institution’s nomination of candidate, including why candidate is uniquelysuited for the award.
- Certify that the candidate has the appropriate full-time position at the sponsoring institution asrequired by the award.
- Outline the candidate’s responsibilities and ensure that at least 75% of the nominee’s totaltime and effort will be allocated to research during the term of this award.
- Provide assurance of an academic commitment to the candidate and to the research proposal.
- Outline the institution’s plans to support the long-term development of the candidate, includingspecific expectations for the individual’s career course.
2. Research Strategy (2 pages). The research strategy should provide a high-level description of your scientific question(s) and the strategy(ies) and approach(es) that you will employ to address this question. It should be written with a level of detail appropriate for reviewers who are knowledgeable of the field, but who may not be directly involved in the proposed area of research. The research strategy must address the following components:
- Scientific question(s)/specific problem(s) to be addressed
- Specific approach(es) that will be employed
- Significance and potential impact of the work
- The potential risks and challenges, and how they will be overcome
3. Essay Questions (1 page in total). Provide answers to each of the following three essay questions, using specific examples:
- What makes your research strategy particularly innovative and important for people with diabetes? What makes it uniquely suited for this program rather than a traditional research grant program?
- Describe your most significant research accomplishments to date and the personal qualities/characteristics that were required for these accomplishments. For example, provide evidence of innovation and creativity, the ability to challenge paradigms, identify opportunities and take intellectual risks, establish collaborations, integrate diverse sources of information, or develop novel alternative approaches when new challenges or opportunities arose.
- What are your future career plans and how will this award will further those objectives? What is your long-term commitment to diabetes research?
4. Annotated Publications (1 page). Provide a list of your five most impactful publications to date and briefly describe the qualities of these publications that make them notable. Include examples that represent/demonstrate independence, innovative approaches and any other unique characteristics that demonstrate your qualifications for the award
5. NIH Biosketch (5 pages max.)
Margins should be at least one inch and font size not less than 11 point.
Submit the above items here by May 5, 2025, before 11:59 pm, in the order listed as one PDF document using the naming convention PI last name. First initial_2025ADAInitiator/Accelerator.pdf (see example below).
Example:
Smith.J_2025ADAInitiator
Smith.J_2025ADAAccelerator
Investigators must not independently contact the funding agency outside of the limited submission process. Failure to adhere to this policy may jeopardize Weill Cornell’s privilege of participating in subsequent funding cycles. Interested Investigators must submit a pre-proposal for internal review. The Medical College will not support applications that circumvent this process.
Past Recipients
- Basic Science
- Clinical Science
- Diabetes
- Translational Science
- Junior Faculty
- New Investigator
- Postdoc/Residents/Fellows