AGA-Gastric Cancer Foundation Ben Feinstein Memorial Research Scholar Award in Gastric Cancer Grant

The AGA-Gastric Cancer Foundation Ben Feinstein Memorial Research Scholar Award provides $100,000 annually for three years to early-career faculty dedicated to gastric cancer research. Eligible candidates must have an MD, PhD, or equivalent and a full-time faculty position in North America. The award supports research in various areas related to gastric cancer, ensuring a minimum of 50% time commitment to the project, thus fostering independent careers in digestive diseases.

AGA-Gastric Cancer Foundation Ben Feinstein Memorial Research Scholar Award in Gastric Cancer
This award provides $100,000 per year for three years (totaling $300,000) to early career faculty (i.e., investigator, instructor, research associate or equivalent) working toward an independent career in gastric cancer research. Research involving precancerous lesions will be considered if relevance to gastric cancer is explicitly outlined.
Objective
The objective of the AGA Research Foundation Research Scholar Award (RSA) is to support early-career investigators working toward independent and productive research careers in digestive diseases by ensuring that a major proportion of their time is protected for research (i.e., a minimum of 50 percent effort dedicated to the proposed project). The award will support junior faculty (not fellows) who have demonstrated exceptional promise and have some record of accomplishment in research pertaining to upper GI (gastric) cancer.

Eligibility

Applicants for this award must hold an MD, PhD and/or equivalent degree (e.g., MBChB, MBBS, DO), and a full-time faculty or equivalent position at an institution in North America (U.S., Canada or Mexico) by the start date of this award.
Applicants must classify as “early career” according to the following criteria:
MD (or equivalent) applicants are considered “early career” if no more than seven years have elapsed following the completion of clinical training (GI fellowship or its equivalent) and the start date of this award.
PhD (or equivalent) applicants are considered “early career” if no more than seven years have elapsed following the conferment of the PhD degree and the start date of this award.
An appropriately documented leave of absence, such as parental or medical leave, will not be counted toward the above seven-year eligibility criteria.
Exceptional circumstances may also be considered. Exemption requests must be submitted to AGA via email at least three weeks prior to the application deadline and be clearly indicated in the submitted application documents.
Applicants performing any type of research (basic, translational or clinical) relevant to digestive disorders are eligible to apply.
AGA membership is required at the time of application submission.
Candidates whose AGA membership applications are pending approval may apply for the award.
AGA membership must be maintained throughout the three-year duration of the award.
The proposed research must focus on the pathophysiology, epidemiology, prevention, diagnosis, treatment or patient outcomes of pancreatic cancer. Applicants who have held a K12 or KL2 in the past are eligible to apply.
Applicants with an active K12 or KL2 may apply in the final year of their active K12 or KL2 so long as the award will end before the Research Scholar Award term begins.
The following expenses are allowable:

• Salary and benefits of the principal investigator.
• Salary and benefits of research assistants, laboratory technicians and/or other key personnel.
• Biostatistics support.
• Supplies, animals, equipment or other materials necessary for the proposed research.
• Equipment, not to exceed $5,000 per year.
• Travel, not to exceed $1,500 per year.
• You must be a member of this organization to apply for this award - become a member.

Ineligibility

At the time of application submission, applicants may not hold, or have held, a NIH K01, K08, K23, K99, R00, R01, R21, R29, Veterans Affairs Career Development Award or any award with similar objectives from non-federal sources (e.g., American Liver Foundation, Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation).
The following expenses are not allowable:

• Salary, benefits or other support for the mentor.
• Indirect costs.