Research Announcements
Mid-Career Investigators Invited to Apply for 2010 Julie Martin Award in Aging Research
Sponsored by the Ellison Medical Foundation and administered by the American Federation for Aging Research, the Julie Martin Mid-Career Award in Aging Research provides support for outstanding mid-career scientists who propose novel directions of high importance to biological gerontology.
Proposals in areas where NIH awards or other traditional funding sources are unlikely to be provided because the research is high risk are particularly encouraged if they have potential to lead to major new advances in the understanding of basic mechanisms of aging. Projects investigating age-related diseases are also supported, but only if approached from the point of view of how basic aging processes may lead to these outcomes.
Projects that deal strictly with clinical problems such as the diagnosis and treatment of disease, health outcomes, or the social context of aging are not eligible.
The applicant must be an associate professor who achieved tenured status after December 1, 2006. Non-tenured associate professors at institutions with tenure are not eligible. Applicants at institutions that do not offer tenure must demonstrate that their appointment is equivalent to that of an associate professor who received tenure status after December 1, 2006. The proposed research must be conducted at any type of not-for-profit setting in the United States.
Two four-year awards of $500,000 each will be made in 2010 at the level of $125,000 per year. In addition, up to $50,000 may be requested for administrative/indirect costs.
Visit the AFAR Web site for complete program guidelines.
The 2010 AFAR Research Grants http://afar.org/afar99.html
The Program
The major goal of this program is to assist in the development of the careers of junior investigators committed to pursuing careers in the field of aging research. AFAR supports research projects concerned with understanding the basic mechanisms of aging. Projects investigating age-related diseases are also supported, especially if approached from the point of view of how basic aging processes may lead to these outcomes. Projects concerning mechanisms underlying common geriatric functional disorders are also encouraged, as long as these include connections to fundamental problems in the biology of aging. Projects that deal strictly with clinical problems such as the diagnosis and treatment of disease, health outcomes, or the social context of aging are not eligible.
Examples of promising areas of research include:
* Aging and immune function
* Genetic Control of longevity
* Neurobiology and neuropathology of aging*
* Invertebrate or vertebrate animal models
* Cardiovascular aging
* Aging and cellular stress resistance
* Metabolic and endocrine changes
* Age-related changes in cell proliferation
* Caloric restriction and aging
* DNA repair and control of gene expression
* Biology of the menopause
* Aging and apoptosis
* Biodemographic analysis of aging
* Comparative gerontology
* Evolutionary biological aspects of the biology of aging
*Applicants proposing a project in Alzheimer’s Disease research, should apply for the Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Foundation/AFAR New Investigator Awards in Alzheimer’s Disease. (This program is currently under review for renewal in 2010.)
It is anticipated that approximately 15 grants of up to $75,000 each will be awarded in 2010. Applicants may propose to use the award over the course of one or two years as justified by the proposed research. Funds may not be requested for overhead or indirect costs. Funding will begin July 1, 2010.
Eligibility
The applicant must be an independent investigator with assigned independent space and must be within the first four years of a junior faculty appointment (instructor, assistant professor or equivalent) by July 1, 2010.
The AFAR Research Grant Program does not provide support for:
* Postdoctoral fellows in the laboratory of a senior investigator
* Investigators who have already received major extramural funding for research on aging (such as an R01 grant)
* Senior faculty, i.e. at the rank of Associate Professor level or higher
* Former AFAR Research Grant recipients
* NIH Intramural program employees
* Applicants for the 2010 Glenn/AFAR Breakthrough in Gerontology (BIG) award
Application Guidelines
Four criteria are used to determine the merit of an application:
* Qualifications of the applicant;
* Quality of the proposed research;
* Excellence of the research environment;
* Likelihood that the project will advance the applicant’s career in aging research.
If you are using animals in your research, please review Principles of Animal Use for Gerontological Research.
Application Procedures
All candidates must submit applications endorsed by their institution (only not-for-profit settings in the United States.) The deadline for receipt of all applications and supporting materials is December 15, 2009 at 5:00 p.m. EST. Please refer to the AFAR instruction sheet and application for complete application procedures. Incomplete applications cannot be considered.
All candidates must submit applications endorsed by their institution. Applications are reviewed in two stages: An initial screening is made by an international team of reviewers after which candidates are advised of the status of their applications via email by mid-April. Proposals that are successful in the initial screening are then reviewed by members of the AFAR Research Committee and final awards are announced by early June. The award start date is July 1, 2010. AFAR can only provide critiques for those applications that went through to the second level of review.
Reporting Requirements
Investigators will be required to submit a brief narrative report on the progress of their research five months after the start date of the award. Final narrative and financial reports are required within three months following the end date of the award.
Annual Meeting
The award recipients are expected to attend the AFAR Grantee Conference which convenes AFAR grant recipients, mentors and leaders in the field to review and disseminate the research progress of the grantees and their findings. The meeting encourages networking, facilitates collaborations, and enhances the development of leadership.
Posted Aug 31, 2009