Weill Cornell Medicine - JumpStart Research Career Development Program

 Application

a) Cover page with proposal title, candidate’s name and table of contents

b) NIH style Biosketch

c) Candidate’s current and pending support

d) Detailed budget for initial period (PHS 398 FP4) and composite budget (PHS 398 FP5)

e) Candidate’s background, career goals and objectives. You may also include a section about your life experience and social background, though this is not required (1 page)

f) Candidate’s plan for career development including a timeline for K submission (1 page)

g) Research plan (max 3 pages)

• Prepared according to NIH 2009 revised PHS 398 guidelines. Begin each section of the Research Plan with a section header (e.g., Introduction, Specific Aims, Research Strategy, etc.). The Research Strategy Section should be composed of three distinct sections – Significance, Innovation, and Approach; the approach section may include preliminary data. Please include the title of your project. The research plan should include sufficient information needed for evaluation of the project independent of any other document.  Be specific, informative and avoid redundancies.  Limit to three (3) pages.

h) Letter of Support from Faculty Mentor (1 page)

• Describe the primary mentor’s research qualifications and previous experience as a research supervisor. The statement must include a description of the mentoring plan for the candidate, and a plan for transitioning the candidate from the mentored phase to the independent phase of the award.

i) Mentor’s Biosketch  

j) Letter of support from the Center/Institute director, Division Chief and/or Department Chair

• The letter of support is weighed heavily in determining the success of the application and should explicitly state that the applicant has at least 75% protected time dedicated to research. Other topics should include 1) a brief description of the candidate’s research plan; 2) a career development plan; 3)scientific environment in which the work will be performed; 4)evidence of institutional commitment in terms of space, equipment, protected time and other resources 5) the level of enthusiasm for the candidate’s likelihood for career success and 6) attest to the candidate’s likelihood to obtain a faculty position at WCM.

Application deadline and submission

Applications should be submitted as a single pdf file using the naming convention: PI LASTNAME_DIVISION_PREK.pdf. here by April 5, 2022 at 5:00 pm EST.

Please note that Assistant Professors, Instructors, and eligible senior clinical fellows or late-stage postdoctoral trainees with primary appointments in the Department of Medicine (DoM) seeking nomination for the JumpStart Program must submit their application as follows:

• If you would like to be considered for both the DoM Funds for the Future and JumpStart programs: Apply through the DoM Funds for the Future program using their application deadline and indicate your interest in being considered for both programs
• If you would like to be considered for the JumpStart program only: Contact your division chief as soon as possible for more information and to express intention to apply

Review Criteria

a) Each proposal will be evaluated based upon the candidate’s qualifications, the sponsor and training plan, the environment, and the scientific proposal.

b) The strength of the letter of support from the department chair, division chief, or center/institute director will be considered.

c) Particular attention will be directed at whether the applicant has the potential for a successful, independent research career and potential for garnering future NIH awards

d) The qualifications of the applicant, including suitable career stage, relevant research experience, prior scientific publications, and related accomplishments.

e) Scientific merit of the research proposal.

f) The training environment including the quality of the opportunity presented by the project for the candidate to acquire new approaches, techniques, and methods.

g) The mentor's relevant research expertise, previous training record, and specific plan for training the applicant, as well as resources and environment.

h) The commitment of the division and/or department to the development of basic scientists, physician and translational scientists, as reflected in a commitment to provide sufficient space, resources, and protected time to promote the development of young investigators.

Restrictions and reporting conditions:

a) The goal of the JumpStart program is to support junior faculty for up to 3 years or until a K award or equivalent is received. When the K award is received, JumpStart funding will be terminated.

b) Progress reports are required annually for continuing support in years 2 and 3. The annual progress report should be submitted by the first business day of March, and must be structured as described:

i. A two-page narrative consisting of the following sections: Major goals of the project; accomplishments under these goals; and goals for the coming year.

ii. A list of quantifiable measures of progress resulting from JumpStart funding, such as new publications, new related funding, and invited presentations.

iii. A current other support document listing pending and active grants

iv. A detailed budget for the coming year (PHS 398 FP4).

v. Progress toward applying for K award (including a timeline)

Progress reports will be carefully reviewed by the JumpStart review committee prior to the award of additional funding.