Funding-Limited Submission - Ellison Medical Foundation New Scholar Award in Aging; December 7, 2009

The University of Kentucky has been invited to nominate two candidates for the Ellison Medical Foundation New Scholar Award in Aging. The objective of this award is to support new investigators of outstanding promise in the basic biological sciences relevant to understanding lifespan development processes and age-related diseases and disabilities. The award provides $100,000 per year for a four year period to enable new investigators to become established in the field of aging.

Eligible candidates are investigators who are in the first three (3) years of their research career following their post-doctoral fellowship experience. As of March 1, 2010, nominees must hold regular full time appointments (tenure or non-tenure) on the faculty of the sponsoring institution and they must not have been in such an appointment, at the sponsoring institution or other institution(s), for more than three years as of July 15, 2010, i.e. the appointment having been made no earlier than July 15, 2007. Time spent in clinical internships, post-doctoral training, residencies, or in work toward board certification does not count as part of the three-year limit.

Ellison Medical Foundation New Scholars may hold one similar award from a private source concurrently for up to one year. The guidelines include a list of conflicting career development or new faculty awards as examples. New Scholar Awards will only be made for the full four-year term. If a conflicting award is accepted prior to the New Scholar Award, this must be resolved by either declining the Ellison Medical Foundation award or arranging to terminate the conflicting award within one year.

Nominees for the New Scholars Award are expected to have great promise as potential leaders of biomedical science with relevance to aging. Each nominee's potential for scientific innovation, leadership, and relevance to aging will be evaluated by the Ellison Medical Foundation’s Aging Review Group and the Scientific Advisory Board, based upon the nominee's research proposal, scientific contributions to date, and the reference statements provided by those who know the nominee and his/her work well. The quality and relevance of the nominee's publications and the importance to aging of the nominee's proposed research will be significant factors in the evaluation process. Depending upon the number of nominations submitted and the qualifications of the nominees, up to 25 scholars will be selected.

See the following website for information about the goals and objectives of the Aging Program, detailed guidelines for the New Scholars Program, and lists of previously funded New Scholars: http://www.ellisonfoundation.org/adsp.jsp?key=10aging_about

UK has established an internal selection process. Eligible faculty interested in submitting an application should send the following information electronically to the Office of the Vice President for Research at vpr@email.uky.edu and a copy to their Associate Dean for Research by Monday, December 7, 2009:

• Candidate’s curriculum vitae not to exceed 4 pages
• Letter of reference from the department chair
• Abstract (1 page) of the proposed research
• Description of the candidate’s most significant research contribution to date (1 page)

A committee will be convened to review the applications and make recommendations as to the University’s nominees. The Office of the Vice President for Research will notify all applicants of the outcome and the two candidates will prepare the nomination forms to be submitted online by February 25, 2010.

Questions about the submission process may be sent to Ms. Annette Evans in the Office of the Vice President for Research (alevan4@email.uky.edu or 257-1663).