External Deadline: (LOI) July 24, 2025; (Full application – by invitation) October 2, 2025
Internal Deadline: June 23, 2025
Instructions for electronic submission: To apply for the Susan G. Komen Career Transition Award, please submit the materials requested below to this link no later than June 23, 2025, at 11:59 PM.
Program description: Through our research program, Komen awards grants to support cutting-edge breast cancer research that will provide the greatest benefit to patients. We’re focused on conquering metastatic and aggressive breast cancers, advancing personalized breast care and eliminating breast cancer disparities and inequities. The Foundation’s goal is to improve breast health care and outcomes for everyone and save lives.
Susan G. Komen Career Transition Awards (CTA) aim to help outstanding postdoctoral fellows and clinical fellows, working under the guidance of a mentor, to launch their competitive, independent breast cancer research careers. These awards provide up to five years of funding in two phases: Phase 1 supports the final years of mentored, postdoctoral training and Phase 2 supports the independent research of the early career, tenure-track investigators.
CTA Research Focus: Research projects must be hypothesis-driven, breast cancer-focused studies. They may be considered basic, translational, clinical and/or population science in nature and should align with Komen’s research goals and priorities and mission to save lives from breast cancer.
Check the Foundation website for more information: https://www.komen.org/breast-cancer-research/grants/opportunities/
Number of Applications: 1 application from WCM
Budget: Applicant/Primary Investigator (PI) may request up to 5 years of funding totaling up to $650,000.00 over the two phases of the Award. Up to $100,000.00 per year (direct costs only) for up to two years may be requested for the first phase of the Career Transition Award to support the postdoctoral work. For the second phase of the Career Transition Award, the Applicant/PI may request up to $150,000.00 per year (direct and indirect costs) for up to three years to support independent research.
Eligibility
- Must be nominated by the Institution. Applicants cannot self-nominate.
- Individuals pursuing independent breast cancer research careers who are in mentored postdoctoral research training positions with no more than five years of total postdoctoral research experience at the time of Letter of Intent submission (July 24, 2025). For this application clinical fellows are considered eligible and equal to the postdoctoral rank.
- Applicants must complete 12 months in the mentored Phase 1 to be considered for Phase 2.
- Must have a doctoral degree, such as M.D., Ph.D., Dr.P.H., D.O., or equivalent.
- May not hold any appointment designated as faculty (e.g., assistant professor, clinical assistant professor, faculty-level instructor, or equivalent) that would allow them to apply for independent research funding. Clinical fellows with the title instructor are allowed as long as they are no more than 5 years into their training similar to above bullet concerning postdoctoral training.
- Must be able to devote at least 75% of full-time effort to breast cancer research and activities, i.e., protected research time.
- Must conduct proposed breast cancer research and training at the Lead Mentor’s U.S.-based institution and must be designated as a member/employee of the Lead Mentor’s laboratory by date of Letter of Intent submission.
- Applicant/PI may not hold another career transition award, training award (K-type awards) or R-type award at time of notification of intent to fund (on or around April 15, 2026). If Applicant previously held an R-type award at any point, they are not eligible to apply for this award.
- Must ensure that all past and current Komen-funded Grants are up to date and in compliance with all Komen requirements, e.g., progress and financial report submissions, IRB approvals, etc. by the Letter of Intent due date (July 24, 2025).
- Is not required to be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
- May only submit ONE LOI/Application in response to this Announcement
Application Requirements
Internal Application Requirements:
Weill Cornell Medicine is limited to submitting 1 nominee. Due to this limitation an internal selection process will be coordinated. Chairpersons/Division Heads/Institute Directors may submit no more than two nominations from their department/division/institute.
Chairs/Division Heads submitting more than one nomination must send a description on the relative strengths and weaknesses of the two nominees to researchdean@med.cornell.edu by the internal application deadline.
Internal submissions should contain the following information:
- Letter of nomination by Chair of Department, Division Head, or Institute Director. Letter must explain why the candidate is deserving of this nomination and must be co-signed by the candidate’s mentor (1-2 pages).
- Narrative (2 pages max.). Include:
- Project title
- Research Plan: Research projects must be hypothesis-driven, breast cancer-focused studies. They may be considered basic, translational, clinical, data science and/or population science in nature and should align with Komen’s research priorities and mission to save lives from breast cancer. The Research Plan must demonstrate consideration to the entire 5-year grant term expected of this grant mechanism, including detailed information on the near-term specific aims and research goals and how the mentored phase (Phase 1) will lead to the independent phase (Phase 2) of research. The Applicant/PI must propose a Research Plan that includes a clear and concise statement of the research question, hypothesis(es) and specific aims of the Research Project. The Research Plan must be included within the two-page limit.
- Impact and Innovation: Briefly summarize how, if successful, the proposal and specific aims will increase our understanding of breast cancer and lead to advances in the field and/or breast cancer care, and the project’s significance and potential impact to breast cancer patients, including who will/will not benefit from the findings of the research study. This is included within the two-page limit.
- Career Development Plan: The Applicant/PI must submit a career development plan encompassing the 5- year grant term that conveys how the Applicant/PI is well positioned to pursue a career in breast cancer research and discusses their potential for making an impact in the breast cancer field. The Applicant/PI needs to present a clear, convincing, and feasible career development plan for developing the necessary research, scientific, management, and leadership skills to achieve career advancement during the Grant term; and how the Applicant/PI plans to transition to research independence beyond the Grant term and how their research project is independent or different from their mentor’s studies. This is included in the two-page limit.
- Candidate’s biosketch
Submit the items listed above here no later than June 23, 2025, at 11:59 PM in the order listed as one PDF document using the naming convention: Candidate’s last name-first initial_ KomenCTA2025.pdf (see example below).
Example: Smith-J_ KomenCTA2025.pdf
- Cancer