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Request for Applications:  2012 Pre- and Postdoctoral Training Awards

The 2012 Applications Process is Now Closed

RFA Released: August 18, 2011
Applications Due: December 16, 2011

Changes to this RFA since release:

On September 19 we changed the due date for proposals from November 18, 2011 to December 16, 2011. 

On October 17 we noted that the application should be double spaced in the following sections: Abstract, Research Plan and Personal Statement. 

On November 28 we adjusted wording in Abstract, Research Plan and Personal Statement sections to clarify page constraints. 

Introduction

The Autism Science Foundation invites applications for its Pre and Postdoctoral Training Awards from graduate students, medical students and post-doctoral fellows interested in pursuing careers in basic and clinical research relevant to autism spectrum disorders.  

The proposed training must be scientifically linked to autism and may be broadened to include training in a closely related area of scientific research.  Autism Science Foundation will consider for training purposes all areas of related basic and clinical research including but not limited to: human behavior across the lifespan (language, learning, communication, social function, epilepsy, sleep, repetitive disorders), neurobiology (anatomy, development, neuro-imaging), pharmacology, neuropathology, human genetics/genomics, immunology, molecular and cellular mechanisms, studies employing model organisms and systems, and studies of treatment and service delivery.

Awards

Autism Science Foundation will make a number of Awards determined by its available financial resources. The term of the award will be a period of one year and will include:

For predoctoral students: a $25,000 stipend (tuition reimbursement is not allowed) plus a maximum $2000 allowance to support registration and travel for the student to attend the International Meeting for Autism Research (original travel receipts must be provided).

For postdoctoral students: a $35,000 stipend plus a maximum $2000 allowance to support registration and travel for the post doctoral fellow to attend the International Meeting for Autism Research (original travel receipts must be provided).  

No portion of these funds shall be used to cover indirect university costs.

Eligibility

Applicants for pre-doctoral awards must be an enrolled student in good standing in a program in the United States leading to a research doctorate such as a Ph.D. or Sc.D., a combined degree such as an M.D./Ph.D., in an academic department at an accredited university or health/medical institution, or an M.D. at an accredited university medical school. Applicants for the post-doctoral awards must have completed their doctoral degree and have been accepted as a post doctoral fellow in good standing in a program in the United States. The selected awardee must spend 80% of his/her professional time engaged exclusively in the autism research activities stipulated in the application for the duration of the award, and cannot simultaneously hold another named fellowship award during the support period.

***Note: We cannot fund students enrolled in universities outside of the United States, but can fund non US-citizens enrolled in U.S. universities.

The proposed mentor must hold a tenured or tenure-track faculty appointment (or equivalent) at an accredited institution of higher education or health/medical/research institution in the United States, and must be an established and active investigator in some aspect of autism research.  Each mentor may sponsor one pre-doctoral candidate and one post-doctoral candidate per year and must show current grant support to fund the proposed studies.

Proposals Using Post Mortem Tissue

Proposals using post mortem tissue for research must provide documentation that the necessary tissue is or will be available at the research site at the time of the award.  Proposals without proper documentation will be returned without review.

Proposal Preparation

Proposals should be written in 12-point Arial font and should have margins of 0.5 inch or greater. Use of smaller or difficult to read fonts may result in the proposal being returned without review. Each proposal must include a title page with the name of the applicant, the name of the mentor, the title of the project and the name of the sponsoring institution. Double spacing is necessary for the following sections: Abstract, Research Plan, Personal Statement. Indicate on the title page whether the proposal is for a predoctoral or postdoctoral award. Proposals without a title page may be returned without review.

A proposal must include the following sections:

  • Proposal Abstract (written by applicant): (maximum 500 words, double spaced)

The abstract must be intelligible to a knowledgeable lay person or non-expert. It should indicate the proposed research and training goals and means, the training environment, and the relevance of the research to individuals with autism and their families.

  • Research Plan (written by applicant): (maximum 10 pages, double spaced):

The plan should describe the specific autism research project, including hypotheses to be tested, specific aims, background/preliminary studies, methods, expected results and timeline for completion.

  • Bibliography:

Include complete literature citations including titles and all authors

  • Personal Statement by Applicant (two pages, double spaced):

The applicant should submit a two-page personal statement describing her/his background, experience, and qualifications for this award, as well as his/her career plans in autism research. The statement should describe how the proposed project and selected mentor will foster the candidate’s progress toward the stated career goal.

  • CV of Applicant:

The CV should include the applicant’s SAT and GRE score as well as undergraduate and graduate GPA.

  • Candidate-Specific Training Plan (written by Mentor): (maximum 2 pages):

    The mentor should provide description of a training program that includes a clear plan of professional development for a future career in autism research for this specific applicant, as well as a comprehensive summary of the mentor’s autism research and experience mentoring other students and post docs.

    Mentors should also indicate current funding source(s), total award amounts, award durations (inclusive dates), and project titles and clearly explain the extent to which currently funded research projects will overlap, complement and/or contribute to the training of the Awardee.  Mentors may also choose to list recent (last 3 years) as well as pending grant support relevant to autism research.

    **Note: In past grant cycles, highly qualified applicants have been rejected due to mentors submitting inadequate, overly generic training plans.
     

  • CV of Mentor (NIH format)
     
  • Budget: Not required
     
  • Human Subjects and Animal Welfare Certifications:

    These must be documented with a copy of an official letter of approval (or equivalent for non-US applicants), which identifies the Principal Investigator, project title and date of approval, and is signed by the Review Committee Chair or equivalent responsible institutional/government official.  Prior certification for another project CANNOT be substituted, but can be officially amended to include the proposed project.  IRB and IACUC certifications are NOT required to submit an application, but are required if necessary before an award will be made. 
     

  • Letter of Commitment: 

    The proposed mentor must provide a letter providing his/her endorsement of the applicant and stating his/her commitment that a fellowship recipient will spend 80% of his/her professional time engaged exclusively in the autism research described in the application for the duration of the award.
     

  • Letter of Recommendation:

    A letter of recommendation should be provided by an individual (not the mentor) who is familiar with the applicant and addresses his/her education, research training and experience, and professional career goals in autism research.
     

  • Appendix:

    Applicants may submit a list of web links to a maximum of 5 peer reviewed research publications on which they are an author. Post Doc applicants may attach up to two manuscripts in review as part of the application, indicating whether the manuscript is "in press" (in which journal) or "under review" (by which journal).  Note: Appendix links and manuscripts are provided as a courtesy to the reviewers who are under no obligation to read or consult them in evaluating a proposal.

Submission of Proposals

  • Proposals should be submitted as a single PDF document with all materials, except the letter of recommendation, bundled together. Submit this pdf by email to grants@autismsciencefoundation.org with the subject line (Last Name/Institution Pre/Post Doctoral Application). 

    Example: Martin/Tulane Post Doc Fellowship Application.

  • Letters of recommendation should be sent by the recommender directly to ASF by email to grants@autismsciencefoundation.org. Please ask your recommender to use the subject line (Applicant last name, Pre/Post Doc, Letter of Recommendation).

    Example: Martin Post Doc Letter of Recommendation.
     

  • Successful electronic submission will be confirmed by email notification to the sender.
     
  • All materials, except the letter of recommendation, must be included in a single PDF bundle. Please collect all materials and send one PDF! 
     
  • Proposals are due on or before December 16, 2011.

Proposals will not be accepted after the due date unless prior permission is obtained, and only for exceptional circumstances.  It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that the proposal complies with the conditions prescribed in the RFA.  Autism Science Foundation reserves the right to return without review any proposal found not to be in compliance with the conditions prescribed on the RFA, or any proposal that is not responsive to its research goals or exceeds its funding limits or available resources, at any time during the application and review process.  

Autism Science Foundation reserves the right to make changes to this RFA at any time. Changes will be posted at www.autismsciencefoundation.org/ApplyForaGrant.html

Award notifications will be made in March 2012.  Awards must be started between July 1, 2012 and September 15, 2012.  Travel stipend for this round of grants will cover participation at IMFAR in Toronto in May 2012.

Payment of Awards

Awards will be paid in June, 2012 and will be contingent upon acceptance (by an official authorized to act for the institution receiving the award) of the Autism Science Foundation award terms and conditions without amendment (provided at the time of the award) and receipt by ASF of all required certifications.  An award cannot be transferred to another investigator, laboratory or sponsoring institution without prior written approval from Autism Science Foundation, even if the new investigator is working with the same mentor. Similarly, awardees cannot change mentors without prior written approval from Autism Science Foundation.

A one-time, six-month no-cost extension from the termination date of the award in order to complete necessary work (including data analysis and preparation/submission of dissertation and/or manuscripts for publication) will automatically be granted upon request.

Awardees must submit written reports to the Autism Science Foundation at the midpoint and at conclusion of the award, documenting the status of the research funded. A template will be provided by the Autism Science Foundation for this purpose. Failure to provide this written report will disqualify future applicants from that institution.

Review Process and Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be reviewed by members of Autism Science Foundation Scientific Advisory Board as well as active and experienced investigators recruited from the scientific community for their expertise in the research areas of the proposals. Proposals will also be reviewed by a panel of experienced laypersons (parents, individuals with autism, other advocates) who will provide input to the Scientific Advisory Board. Since the purpose of these awards is to train committed young scientists in an environment conducive to beginning a career in autism research, the following criteria will be used to evaluate how well a proposal will provide a research experience and environment suitable to training a future autism investigator:

  1. Significance of the Research: The quality of the proposed research project in terms of providing meaningful information for individuals with autism and their families and caregivers, as well as its potential to advance the scientific understanding of autism.
     
  2. Mentor Qualifications: Mentor’s expertise and experience in autism research; quality and productivity of current autism research program; experience training graduate students and postdoctoral fellows.
     
  3. Training Plan: The quality of the proposed training plan including the proposed fellowship research project, its link to autism research and potential for development of a dedicated career path in autism research.
     
  4. Resources and Facilities: Evidence of sufficient research support and adequate facilities and resources to provide an appropriate training environment; institutional research programs and/or clinical assets that enhance training in the multidisciplinary complexity of autism spectrum disorders.

Questions about proposal submission, proposal content and review, or applicant eligibility should be addressed to Jonathan Carter, Autism Science Foundation. (jcarter@autismsciencefoundation.org)