Applications due November 11, 2025

Vanderbilt (VU + VUMC): This is a joint competition for VU and VUMC investigators. All investigators should follow these instructions.

Overview

VU and VUMC may each submit one application per scientific focus area to the NCI Pathway to Independence Award for Early-Stage Postdoctoral Researchers (K99/R00) programs. The scientific focus areas are Cancer Data Science, Cancer Control Science, Molecular/Precision Cancer Prevention and Other Cancer Research. There are three separate RFAs, which allow different types of proposed research (e.g. basic, clinical): PAR-23-286, PAR-23-287, and PAR-23-288. Each of VU and VUMC’s four selected applicants (1/focus area) may apply to whichever RFAs best suit their research proposals.

The objective of the NCI Pathway to Independence Award is to help postdoctoral researchers complete needed, mentored training and transition in a timely manner to independent tenure-track (or equivalent) faculty positions. The program will provide independent NCI research support during this transition to help awardees to launch competitive, independent research careers. The K99/R00 award is intended to foster the development of a creative, independent research program that will be competitive for subsequent independent funding and help advance the mission of the NCI.

This program is designed for postdoctoral fellows with research and/or clinical doctoral degrees who do not require extended periods of mentored research training beyond their original doctoral degrees before transitioning to research independence. Researchers in the scientific areas of cancer control, cancer prevention and cancer data sciences are especially encouraged to apply.

Individuals must be in mentored, postdoctoral training positions for no more than 2 years as of the application due date to be eligible to apply to the K99/R00 program. The K99/R00 award will provide up to 5 years of support in two phases. The initial (K99) phase will provide support for up to 2 years of mentored postdoctoral research training and career development. The second (R00) phase will provide up to 3 years of independent research support, which is contingent on satisfactory progress during the K99 phase and obtaining an approved, independent tenure-track (or equivalent) faculty position.

In the mentored phase, the award covers up to $100,000 per year toward the salary of the career award recipient, and up to $30,000 per year toward the research development costs of the award recipient. The total cost for the independent phase (R00) may not exceed $249,000 per year. This amount includes salary, fringe benefits, research costs, and applicable indirect costs.

See solicitations for full program and eligibility details:

PAR-23-286 - Independent Clinical Trial Not Allowed

PAR-23-287 - Independent Clinical Trial Required

PAR-23-288 - Independent Basic Experimental Studies with Humans Required

Internal Application Process:

Anyone interested in being considered to submit a proposal must submit the following materials by 5 p.m. on November 11, 2025. Note the different submission instructions for VU and VUMC postdocs, below.

1. Brief (2-page maximum) research plan including summary budget;

2. Statement of support from department chair/center director;

3. NIH Biosketch

For VU-employed Postdocs:

· Submit all application materials via InfoReady by November 11, 2025 at the following link: https://vanderbilt.infoready4.com/#freeformCompetitionDetail/1996277

· In your application, indicate to which RFA and which scientific focus area (cancer data science, cancer control science, molecular/precision cancer prevention, or other cancer research) you would apply.

· Any questions about this opportunity, eligibility, or the LSO process may be directed to VU-LSO@vanderbilt.edu.

For VUMC-employed Postdocs:

· Submit all application materials in a single PDF to lso@vanderbilt.edu by November 11, 2025. Visit the OOR site for more detail.

· In your email, indicate to which RFA and which scientific focus area (cancer data science, cancer control science, molecular/precision cancer prevention, or other cancer research) you would apply.

· Any questions about this opportunity, eligibility, or the LSO process may be directed to LSO@vanderbilt.edu.

BACKGROUND

The Terri Brodeur Breast Cancer Foundation http://www.terribrodeurbreastcancerfoundation.org/ is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing critical funding to researchers investigating breast cancer cures and patient treatment options. Terri Brodeur, the Foundation’s namesake, was diagnosed with Stage 4 Breast Cancer in June 2003. Effective treatment options did not exist to help Terri. After a two-year battle, marked by courage, grace, and dignity, at the young age of 41 years, Terri succumbed to the disease, leaving behind a beloved husband and three cherished children. Our foundation is committed to the pledge of delivering 100 percent of gross fundraising dollars to breast cancer science and has held fast to this promise since its inception nearly 20 years ago. The Foundation’s Grant Program seeks to fund clinical and pre-clinical fellowships in high impact, breast cancer therapeutic research areas.

AWARDS

The foundation seeks to fund broadly the very best proposals across all relevant disciplines and as such focus areas can include basic, pre-clinical, clinical research and clinical care. While there are no strict limits, fellowships are generally intended to support PhD, MD/PhD and MD physician scientists at earlier stages of their careers to enable them to establish/develop independent programs and compelling careers in breast cancer research and forward-looking patient care. The award period is two years with a 1-year renewal to occur upon reporting successful progress towards year one research goals in a report sent to the Foundation. Stipends are $125,000 distributed over a 2-year period in $25,000 increments as funds are needed, with the intention that all funds are strictly used for direct support of the grantee or their research program. The foundation maintains the highest standards and thus no minimum quota of grants is made in any one year. However, given the outstanding quality of candidates requesting support since the founding of the Terri Brodeur Breast Cancer Foundation, the board seeks to fund as many meritorious fellowships as is financially possible each year. As such, it is our expectation that the grant administrators and mentors at each institution proactively carry out pre-screening of proposals or applicants to assure that proposals and applicants align with Foundation standards and philosophy. We ask that this occurs as an active process as it greatly enables the administration of the funds. We will provide additional guidance on this last point as may be needed.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Research Plan: Prospective applicants are expected to submit a research plan, pre-approved by their mentor or an organization-based board, to the foundation’s Scientific Advisory Board. The Foundation asks that the Institute specifically confirm review of the proposal in one or more of the documents described in the Supporting Materials. The research plan must be fundamentally sound and will include statements of (a) scientific, technical and clinical merit of the research question placed specifically in the context of current state of relevant area knowledge; (b) specific design, methodology, and feasibility of the study; (c) relevance of the proposed research plan to the applicant’s career/intellectual objectives; (d) medical and health significance of the proposed research to breast cancer prevention, control and/or treatment; and (e) appropriateness of the research plan as a vehicle for developing necessary research skills of the applicant. Where appropriate, the applicant is strongly encouraged to report preliminary findings that support the research proposal or concisely recount literature findings that do likewise. The research plan portion of the application contained in items (a) through (e) must not exceed 10 pages in length. This includes diagrams and figures but does not include supporting materials (see below) or scientific references. Applications falling outside of these nominal guidelines will not be reviewed and the applicant will not be notified of the failure to comply. However, the review board reserves the option of asking applicants for additional supportive information, to contact mentors and references directly and to interview any candidate prior to award. Supporting Materials: In addition, and not included in the 10-page limit, the applicant must present (a) evidence of the institutional commitment to the applicant; (b) a statement of the quality and relevance of their research, (c) the adequacy of the research facilities and training opportunities for the proposed project; (d) the appropriateness of the facilities and resources specifically available to the candidate, (e) a personal statement (f) biosketch/resume and (g) 2-3 letters of reference. We ask applicants to take the submission of supporting materials as seriously as the formal proposal given their importance to assessing the overall proposal and applicant. Applications missing supporting materials or submitting inadequate materials will not be reviewed. The entire proposal must be submitted as one well-organized rolling PDF.

SOURCE OF FUNDS

The Terri Brodeur Breast Cancer Foundation obtains its funds principally from private and corporate donations collected annually by our volunteers and through organized fund-raising events approved by the Foundation. Funding is recommended by the scientific advisory board and is administered by the sitting board of directors. While awards are never made based on need, the committee asks that applicants disclose other sources of funding or any relevant funding or administrative conflicts in their personal statement letter.

DEADLINES

An application is mandatory for those applying for a 2025-2026 fellowship grant and must be submitted no later than November 21 st , 2025. Proposals should be sent electronically to: Dr. Nicholas A. Saccomano, Ph.D. SAB Terri Brodeur Breast Cancer Foundation nsaccomano@gmail.com Applications will be reviewed promptly by the scientific advisory board. The board will evaluate applications based on the following criteria: (a) the scientific merit, originality, and technical feasibility of the application; (b) the qualifications, experience and productivity of the applicant, and the members of the investigative team; (c) the facilities and resources available; and (d) the promise of the research or training as related to the control of breast cancer or to the benefit to be gained by persons with breast cancer. At the discretion of the board, interviews will be requested of candidates. The evaluations of the board are provided to the Foundation’s Board of Directors. After considering the relative merit of the applications, the amount of available funds and the Foundation’s objectives, the board will determine which grants will be funded. Applications that are not funded may be revised and resubmitted in a future granting cycle under the guidance of the scientific advisory board.

NOTIFICATION OF APPLICATION RECEIPT AND REVIEW

Approximately one month after receipt of the application, the applicant will receive an email confirming receipt of application and an approximate date upon which the board will communicate a decision back to the applicant. Awards will be made and announced on or around the first week of February 2026.

PUBLICATIONS AND OTHER RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS

We require that publications and presentations resulting from research or training activities supported by this foundation, contain an acknowledgment that the effort was supported by the Terri Brodeur Breast Cancer Foundation”. We also require that a list of publications acknowledging TBBCF support is provided in a timely and thorough manner. This action is critical to our future fund-raising efforts and is required by our trustees and patrons. Failure to do so will be viewed negatively by trustees and donors.

The Misophonia Research Fund (MRF) is excited to announce the opening of its 2026 Cycle 8 Request for Proposals (RFP), providing research funding in the field of misophonia, a disorder in which everyday sounds can trigger intense emotional and physiological reactions.

The current RFPs solicit research proposals seeking to better understand misophonia, characterize symptomatology and associated impairments, develop and validate diagnostics, and assess interventional strategies to treat those with the disorder.

The MRF invites proposals from clinical and preclinical researchers across neuroscience, psychology, audiology, neurobiology, genetics, engineering, computational and data science, and related disciplines. 

Now accepting letters of intent / proposals for the 2026 funding cycle for three award mechanisms:

Misophonia Research Impact Award

Independent investigators and postdocs are encouraged to apply for the following grant opportunities focused on addressing clear gaps in the field and/or generating new knowledge about misophonia that builds upon previous findings using demonstrably rigorous study methods: 

• Independent investigator award: Up to $500,000 in total funding support for research projects led by independent investigators at qualifying research-based institutions who hold doctoral-level degrees (e.g., Ph.D., M.D., Psy.D., Au.D.). Grants may span two to three years, depending on the proposed project’s needs.
• Postdoctoral award: Up to $200,000 in total funding for postdoctoral applicants who will have earned their doctoral degree (e.g. Ph.D., M.D., Psy.D., Au.D.) by July 1, 2025. Grants may span two to three years, depending on the proposed project’s needs.

* LOI submission deadline: Friday, December 5, 2025, at 11:59 PM PT. Invited full proposals are due on Friday, March 6, 2026, at 11:59 PM PT.

Misophonia Data Discovery Award

Independent investigators, postdocs, and graduate-level students are encouraged to apply for this grant opportunity that provides up to $75,000 in total funding in support of innovative research projects to acquire key initial datasets that address clear gaps in the field and/or generate new knowledge about misophonia that is essential to the development of a large-scale research project.

* Full proposal submission deadline: Monday, January 12, 2025, at 11:59 PM PT.

Misophonia Research Consortium Award New for 2026!

Applications are now open for the Misophonia Research Consortium Award, designed to bring together two or more independent investigators to pursue ambitious, multi-domain studies that cannot be achieved through individual projects alone. By fostering collaboration at scale, this award aims to accelerate scientific progress through shared expertise, resources, and infrastructure.

Independent investigators are encouraged to apply for this grant opportunity that provides up to $1,500,000 in total funding for researchers dedicated to team science.

* LOI submission deadline: Friday, December 5, 2025, at 11:59 PM PT.

Cancer Research Institute (CRI) IGNITE Award | Apply by January 6, 2026

The Cancer Research Institute (CRI) has launched the IGNITE Award: Inspiring Growth and Nurturing Independence Through Excellence, designed to support outstanding postdoctoral researchers as they transition into independent roles.

The IGNITE Award provides a structured, two-phase pathway:

• Foundation Phase: Up to 2 years of mentored postdoctoral support ($150,000 annually) to solidify training and generate key preliminary data

• Independence Phase: Up to 3 years of faculty support ($250,000 annually) to launch an independent lab

Studies show that investigators who secure early support are significantly more likely to attain tenure and maintain long-term research productivity. IGNITE provides precisely this kind of catalytic funding targeted, timely, and transformational. This award ensures that when careers — and world-changing ideas — are ready to take flight, the funding is there to support them.

Eligibility

• Applicants must be in a mentored postdoctoral position at the time of application.

• No more than 5 years of postdoctoral experience (exceptions may apply).

• Open to U.S. and international researchers; no citizenship requirements.

• Applicants must not have previously held an independent or tenure-track faculty position.

• A minimum of 12 months of mentored research is required before transitioning to independence.

Deadline: January 9, 2026

For eligibility details, application requirements, and submission instructions, visit CRI IGNITE Award.

Supports postdoctoral researchers in performing work that will broaden their perspectives, facilitate interdisciplinary interactions, and help establish them in leadership positions within the atmospheric and geospace sciences communities.

Synopsis

The Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences (AGS), awards Postdoctoral Research Fellowships (PRF) to highly qualified early career investigators to carry out an independent research program. The research plan of each Fellowship must address scientific questions within the scope of AGS disciplines. These disciplines include Atmospheric Chemistry (ATC), Climate and Large-Scale Dynamics (CLD), Paleoclimate (PC), and Physical and Dynamic Meteorology (PDM) in the Atmospheric Sciences, and Aeronomy (AER), Magnetospheric Physics (MAG), Solar Terrestrial (ST), and Space Weather Research (SWR) in the Geospace Sciences.

The AGS-PRF program supports researchers (also known as Fellows) for a period of up to 24 months with Fellowships that can be taken to the institution of their choice. The program is intended to recognize beginning investigators of significant potential and provide them with experiences in research that will broaden perspectives, facilitate interdisciplinary interactions, and help establish them in leadership positions within the Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences community. Fellowships are awarded to individual Fellows, not institutions, and are administered by the Fellows.

AGS has made it a priority to address challenges in creating an inclusive geoscience discipline through activities that increase belonging, accessibility, justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (BAJEDI). Proposers are encouraged to explicitly address this priority in their proposed activities. Proposers who are women, veterans, persons with disabilities, and underrepresented minorities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), or who have attended two-year colleges and minority-serving institutions for undergraduate or graduate school, or plan to conduct their Fellowship activities at one of these institutions (e.g. Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, Alaska Native Serving Institutions, and Hawaiian Native and Pacific Islander Serving Institutions) are especially encouraged to apply.

Program Notice: https://new.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/atmospheric-geospace-sciences-postdoctoral