Program Summary
Dean Robert Harrington and the Office of the Research Dean are pleased to announce the ninth round of funding for the Ritu Banga Impact in Healthcare Research Awards. Generously endowed by Ajay and Board Fellow Ritu Banga, these awards support outstanding research aimed at closing knowledge gaps and addressing treatment shortcomings to improve patient health locally and globally.
The awards align with Weill Cornell Medicine’s mission to advance patient care both in our community and around the world. We invite proposals for translational, clinical, or implementation research, particularly in disease areas that are institutional priorities, including (but not limited to): cancer, cardiovascular disease, neurodegeneration, children’s health, women’s health, metabolic health, and infectious diseases.
We are especially interested in proposals that meet one or more of the following criteria:
- Demonstrate potential for measurable impact on the target patient population within three to five years
- Evaluate the effectiveness of existing therapeutic protocols in a new population
- Repurpose existing data to explore a novel research question
- Offer clear potential for direct clinical application
- Represent projects for which the infusion of Ritu Banga Award funding would be transformative, enabling progress that would not otherwise be possible
The Ritu Banga Impact in Healthcare Research Awards will provide $50,000 in support for one year to faculty members whose exceptional research aligns with the program’s mission.
The award recipients will be announced in the late winter/early spring of 2026.
Applications due: Wednesday, December 17, 2025, at 11:59pm
Eligibility
- Applicants must be full-time faculty at Weill Cornell Medicine at the rank of Instructor, Assistant Professor, or Associate Professor.
- The PI must hold a primary appointment at WCM.
- Applicants may collaborate with senior faculty for mentorship and guidance. However, the award must be granted to the junior faculty member. The application must clearly describe how the project will support the junior investigator’s path toward research independence.
- A letter of departmental support is required, affirming commitment to the applicant’s retention and career development.
- One-year projects are preferred. A second year of funding may be requested if a compelling justification is provided.
- Awardees must maintain their appointment at Weill Cornell Medicine for the full duration of the award (until June 30, 2027, in the case of a one-year award and until June 30, 2028, in the case of a two-year award.)
- Projects must present a well-developed, feasible, and innovative research plan focused on shrinking knowledge gaps in care.
- Returning awardees are eligible to apply as long as the current project is clearly distinct from the previously funded project.
- Prior applicants who were not selected may reapply if the project meets current eligibility criteria.
- Project budgets must adhere to a salary cap: no more than 25% of the total budget may be allocated to the PI’s salary and fringe benefits. Please note that salary re-budgeting after award notification is not permitted.
- Co-PIs are not permitted.
Please consult the FAQs below for additional information about eligibility.
Application Requirements
Instructions for Submitting an Application:
Please provide the following items in the order listed as a single PDF file (single-spaced, 11-point Arial type with 1-inch margins). Applications should be submitted via an online portal (click here) using the naming convention “Lastname.Firstinitial_2026RBImpact.”
Example: Smith.J_2026RBHImpact.pdf
Application packages must include*:
- Project title and scientific abstract (250 words)
- Non-technical abstract/project description for lay public (250 words max)
- Key co-investigators (names and titles)
- NIH-style biosketch of the applicant and co-investigators (limit 5 pages each)
- In Other Support section, indicate current, pending, or in-kind scientific or budgetary overlap with other internal or external funding mechanisms related to the project proposed for the Ritu Banga Awards.
- Research plan (limit 5 pages)
- Background, rationale and significance
- Specific research objectives/aims
- Preliminary studies (if applicable)
- Experimental design and procedures
- Significance of the proposed research to the Award’s closing knowledge gaps and addressing treatment shortcomings goals
- Project timeline and specific expected deliverables
- Impact statement (250 words max)
- Describe how the Award will help advance the candidate’s research project within a 2-5 year timeframe.
- Human subjects (if applicable). Include all sections required for an NIH application.
- Vertebrate animals (if applicable). Include the 5-point narrative required for an NIH application.
- References, including the full title of each work cited.
- Detailed budget (PHS 398 form) and brief budget justification. Please note that indirect costs are not allowed.
- Letter of support from department chair/division chief attesting to the candidate’s eligibility, resources available for support of his/her research, the candidate’s past academic record, scientific progress to date, and potential for academic career development
*** Please note that materials and letters exceeding the specified limits will not be reviewed and may result in the application being returned.***
Applications due: Wednesday, December 17, 2025, at 11:59pm
To submit an application before the deadline, please follow this link.
Review Process and Review Criteria:
A scientific review committee will evaluate proposals through the Office of the Research Dean. The main criteria for the review of the applications are:
- Scientific merit, including potential for publication and for subsequent extramural funding of the research project
- Relevance of the proposed work to the goals of the Ritu Banga Impact in Healthcare Research Awards
- Applicant’s personal qualifications and potential for academic success
Final Report:
Awardees must file a summary report due September 1 of the year following the commencement of the grant.
Questions:
Please consult the FAQs below. Please contact us if you have any additional questions at ritubangaquestions@med.cornell.edu.
Past Recipients
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the Ritu Banga Awards be used as bridge funding?
No. The objective of the Ritu Banga program is to support a new and innovative line of research not funded otherwise. The Ritu Banga Awards are not intended to bridge funding between grants.
Can multiple individuals from the same department apply?
Yes. There is no restriction in the number of applications per department.
Are former award recipients / former applicants eligible?
Returning awardees are eligible to apply as long as the current project is clearly distinct from the previously funded project. Prior applicants that were not selected for an award may apply as long as the project fulfills eligibility criteria.
Are indirect costs allowed?
No. Indirect costs are not allowed.
Are external co-investigators or consultants allowed to have a budget line?
Are co-PIs allowed?
No. The award is to an individual.
Can the research project span other Weill Cornell Medicine sites?
Yes. Other WCM sites can be included as long as the applicant holds a WCM primary appointment.
Are applicants from WCM-Qatar or from Burke Neurological Institute eligible for this application?
No. Only applicants based full time at WCM are eligible to apply.
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