Smith Family Award for Excellence in Biomedical Research: Sponsor Initial Proposal Deadline

Medical Foundation: Smith Family Award for Excellence in Biomedical ResearchFAS/OSP Initial Proposal Deadline: August 5, 2021Sponsor Initial Proposal Deadline: August 10, 2021FAS/OSP Deadline (if invited to submit full proposal): 5 business days in advance of sponsor deadlineSponsor Full Proposal Deadline (if invited): TBD in November 2021Award Amount: $100,000 per year for three years, inclusive of 5% institutional overhead

The Smith Family Award for Excellence in Biomedical Research supports promising junior faculty who are beginning to establish their own independent laboratories and research programs. Applications may focus on all fields of basic biomedical science. Investigators in the physical sciences (physics, chemistry and engineering) with biomedical research projects are also encouraged to apply. In recognition of the importance of research collaboration within the scientific community, collaboration is an additional, but not required, positive ancillary factor. These projects may involve researchers within and/or outside the applicant’s institution.

Applications will be accepted from full-time faculty who have received or will receive their first independent research faculty appointment on or between October 1, 2018 through April 1, 2022. If an applicant has been on medical or family leave, or if research was interrupted for other reasons, this period of absence does not count towards eligibility. Applications from women and people of color are particularly encouraged.  Applicants are ineligible if, at the time of application, they have combined federal and non-federal funding totaling $500,000 or more in direct costs in either of the first two years (4/1/22 - 3/31/23 or 4/1/23 - 3/31/24) of the three-year Smith Award. This figure refers to external funding only and not an Applicant’s start-up package, other intramural support, or the Smith Award. Applicants are also ineligible if they were previously or are currently a Principal Investigator or Multiple PI (NIH), Co-PI (NSF), or equivalent on an R01, P01, Pioneer Award, New Innovator Award or similar large awards from other federal agencies or national foundations.

There is no limit on the number of applicants from a given institution. The Smith Family Foundation is piloting a two-stage application process in which the institutional nomination process is eliminated, and any eligible candidate is invited to submit an initial proposal. The Scientific Review Committee will select a subset of initial applicants to invite to submit full proposals.