Limited Submission Internal Deadline: The Searle Scholars Program

Limited Submissions: Internal Call for Proposals 

The Searle Scholars Program 

UNC Internal Deadline: 11:59PM, Monday, July 26, 2021 

 

*Please distribute to relevant faculty* 

Key Dates

UNC Internal Deadline: 11:59PM, Monday, July 26, 2021

Foundation Deadline: September 30, 2021

Important Information

Number of Applications per Institution: Two

Award Information 

Grants are set at $300,000 for a three-year period with $100,000 payable in the first year and equal sums payable in the second and third years and are subject to the receipt of acceptable progress reports. Generally, fifteen new awards are granted annually and are activated on July 1 of the year of the competition.

To Apply

Submit the following via LAMSeS by 11:59PM, Monday, July 26, 2021.

 

1. A letter of nomination from a department chair, school dean (if there are no departments within a school), or center/institute director (maximum 2 pages), addressing:

• • What is innovative and high-risk about the applicant’s research?
  • What is significant/impactful about the applicant’s published/yet-to-be published work?
  • Are there specialized facilities and resources available to the applicant and their lab?

2. A summary for the research proposed (2 pages).

• • The program calls for strong proposals that incorporate creative, innovative approaches that contribute to biomedical science in their areas of interest.

3. Separate page(s) can be included for references, if applicable.
4. Curriculum vitae with a full list of publications and a list of current and pending funding.
5. Names (alongside contact information) of three experts, internal to UNC, who could speak knowledgeably about your research as part of an internal review panel, in the event of an internal review:

• • Please do not include the names of faculty named on the project, chairs, deans, directors, direct reports or others who have a conflict of interest.
  • Please notify all potential internal reviewers before submitting the application to ORD.

6. The names and titles of five potential letter of recommendation writers

• • The list must include at least two external individuals who are familiar with the nominee’s work. For each, include a two to three sentence overview of their area of expertise.

Eligibility 

Applicants should have begun their appointment as an independent investigator at the assistant professor level on or after July 1, 2020. The appointment must be their first tenure-track position (or its nearest equivalent) at an invited institution.

 

Institutions which do not have tenure-track appointments should consult with the Scientific Director of the Program regarding eligibility of selected applicants PRIOR to nominating such individuals.

 

The Searle Scholars Program does not ordinarily support purely clinical research but has supported research programs that include both clinical and basic components. Potential applicants who are unsure if their research is appropriate for our Program are encouraged to examine the research interests of present and former Searle Scholars on this website.

 

Applicants who were nominated for awards in the previous competition year but were not awarded may still meet the eligibility criteria for the current competition. Institutions should consult with the Scientific Director of the Program regarding renomination of such individuals.

Program Description 

The Searle Scholars Program Scientific Advisory Board is primarily interested in the potential of applicants to make innovative and high-impact contributions to research over an extended period of time.  Applicants for the 2022 competition (awards which will be activated on July 1, 2022) are expected to be pursuing independent research careers in biochemistry, cell biology, genetics, immunology, neuroscience, pharmacology, and related areas in chemistry, medicine, and the biological sciences. The purpose of this program is to support research of outstanding faculty who have recently begun their appointment at the assistant professor level.

Internal Review Criteria 

The Internal Review criteria will reflect the Searle Foundation’s general criteria that is stated within this internal solicitation.

Additional Information              

UNC Recipients: Wesley Legant (2019) (Biomedical Engineering/Pharmacology);
Rob McGinty (2017) (Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Chemical Biology, and Medicinal Chemistry);
Mark Zylka (2007) (Cell Biology and Physiology, Neuroscience Center);
Brian Kuhlman (2004) (Biochemistry and Biophysics)

 

FAQs: https://www.searlescholars.net/competition/faqs

Past Recipients: https://www.searlescholars.net/scholarships/latest

Review Committee: https://www.searlescholars.net/advisory-board

Searle Scholars Website: https://www.searlescholars.net/competition/

 

Please contact the Limited Submissions Team with questions at Limited_Submission@unc.edu

 

 

Limited Submissions Team

Office of Research Development

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill