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- AACR-AstraZeneca Clinical Hematology/Oncology Research Training Fellowships
- AACR-Johnson & Johnson Clinical Oncology Research Training Fellowships to Further Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
The AACR Clinical Oncology Research (CORE) Training Fellowships Program is designed to provide an industry-academic clinical practicum with a unique opportunity for academic clinicians to train in drug development. Each fellowship provides $100,000 over one year for the fellow to work on site at the facility of one of the AACR’s pharmaceutical industry partners.
Please see the following for an account of inaugural grantee Siddharth (Sid) Sheth’s rewarding experience with the AACR CORE Training Fellowship program:
- Interview at the AACR Annual Meeting 2019
- First-person testimonial published in Leading Discoveries
Program Overview
Purpose: This fellowship is designed for early-career clinical scientists who hold a medical degree (MD, DO, or MD/PhD) and are interested in acquiring the knowledge and skills related to drug development from the perspective of the pharmaceutical industry. The fellow will gain real-world experience in drug development, including clinical research, clinical trial design, and data analysis.
Activities: It is expected that the fellow will be accountable for executing clinical activities and research projects to be completed during the one-year program. Depending on the background of the fellow, additional focus areas may also be provided (e.g., preclinical research, biomarker discovery). Opportunities for publication and presentation of completed work will be provided. The industry partners for this program and their areas of interest include the following:
- AstraZeneca (facility located in Gaithersburg, MD):
- Late-stage clinical development within medical affairs in hematology/oncology
- Johnson & Johnson (facility location to be agreed to, but possible locations include the greater Boston or Philadelphia areas):
- Early-stage clinical development in interventional immuno-oncology therapies for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)
- Early-stage clinical development program aiming to intercept lung cancers in a high-risk population
Duration: 12 months. Note that the continuous duration of time spent on site at the industry site may be flexible and will be determined on a case-by-case basis between the fellow, the fellow’s academic institution, and the industry partner (e.g., if a fellow must return to their academic institution during parts of the 12-month term to complete clinic duties).
Application Process Overview
1. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis via submission to grants@aacr.org.
2. Submitted applications will be reviewed quarterly by an AACR Scientific Review Committee.
3. Selected fellows will be notified following this review.
4. The start of the grant term is flexible and will be determined upon mutual agreement between the selected fellow, the fellow’s institution, and the industry partner.
Please note that applications will be accepted after the above application deadline but may be reviewed during a later quarterly review period.
Program Guidelines and Application Instructions are available for download. For frequently asked questions and additional information, please review frequently asked questions (FAQ) here.
At the start of the grant term, applicants must:
- Have a medical degree (including MD, DO, or MD/PhD) in a related field, and not currently be a candidate for a further doctoral degree.
- Have enrolled in an accredited hematology/oncology fellowship program at an academic, medical, or research institution within the United States
- Not be employees or subcontractors of a U.S. government entity or for-profit private industry or be clinical fellows applying from a U.S. government laboratory (e.g., NIH, CDC, FDA, etc.).
- For the Johnson & Johnson grant only, applicants must be female or belong to one of the following underrepresented groups as per NIH guidelines (Notice of NIH’s Interest in Diversity)
- Individuals from racial and ethnic groups that have been shown by the National Science Foundation to be underrepresented in health-related sciences on a national basis
- Individuals with disabilities, who are defined as those with a physical impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities
- Individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds
There are no citizenship requirements. However, by submitting an application for this grant, the applicant who is not a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident assures that their visa status will provide sufficient time to complete the project and grant term.
The applicant should ensure that their visa status will allow them to complete the fellowship onsite with the industry partner while maintaining their employment with the host institution.
Applicants must be AACR members. Annual dues are not required for early-career researchers interested in Associate membership. Nonmembers interested in this grant opportunity must submit a satisfactory application for AACR membership by the application deadline. Nonmembers can apply for membership online or by submitting the Official Membership Application Form to the AACR with the required documents. Please review the Membership Categories for the category that best fits your qualifications. Members can renew their membership through myAACR to bring their membership current. You will need your login (email address) and password to access the member portal. If you require assistance logging in, please contact myaacr@aacr.org. Lapsed members must be members in good standing by the application deadline and should contact the Membership Department at membership@aacr.org for assistance.
Program Guidelines and Application Instructions are available here.
Applicants should send all application materials as email attachments to grants@aacr.org under the subject line “Applicant name – AACR CORE Training Fellowship Application Submission”, including:
A. Completed Application Form with all necessary signatures obtained
B. Applicant’s Curriculum Vitae
C. Academic Mentor’s Biographical Sketch
Applicants should contact AACR’s SRGA to provide the e-mail address of the academic mentor submitting a letter of reference and the e-mail address of the endorser (if applicable) at least two weeks before the application deadlines. AACR’s SRGA will reach out to them for letter(s) of reference with instructions, and the letter(s) should be sent directly from the academic mentor and endorser (if applicable) to grants@aacr.org:
D. Letter(s) of Reference
a. Academic Mentor’s Letter of Reference
b. Endorser’s Letter of Reference (if applicable)
E. Applicant Checklist with all necessary signatures obtained
Please review section 3.3. of the Program Guidelines and Application Instructions for detailed instructions. An application is only considered complete when all required documents are received and are in compliance with the Program Guidelines.
For frequently asked questions and additional information, please review frequently asked questions (FAQ) here.
Applicants with questions about this grant may contact AACR’s Scientific Review and Grants Administration (AACR’s SRGA) at grants@aacr.org before submitting an application.
Job Features
Job Category | Internship and training |