Annual Canine Health Grants: Fellowship Training

The Annual Canine Health Grants: Fellowship Training supports research aimed at improving canine health, particularly in the field of cancer. This program encourages innovative studies, including genetic epidemiology and tumor profiling, leveraging data from the Golden Retriever Lifetime Study. Additionally, it provides funding for applicants from historically marginalized groups, fostering diversity in animal health research. The Morris Animal Foundation aims to enhance veterinary science through impactful, hypothesis-driven projects.

NOTE: If you would like to use Golden Retriever Lifetime Study samples in your research, please complete and send the Sample Inquiry Form to the Foundation prior to completing your grant proposal to ensure adequate sample type(s) and volume are available for your research.
To achieve this mission, we fund hypothesis-driven, humane research projects with high scientific merit and the potential for significant impact. We are a nonprofit organization funded by public support from individuals, corporations, clubs and foundations, and by earnings from our endowed funds. Our donors are interested in supporting research that results in impactful animal health achievements and benefits both scientific and nonscientific stakeholders including veterinarians, pet owners and communities.
The Foundation’s Golden Retriever Lifetime Study is a longitudinal cohort study that began in 2012 and includes 3,044 purebred golden retrievers. The Study was designed to enable research into the incidence and risk factors for cancer and other diseases, and has accrued a large biorepository and extensive data. Information about Study specimens and data can be found here: Golden Retriever Lifetime Study RFP | Morris Animal Foundation.
This request for proposals is directed toward research on canine cancer that has potential to improve canine health. Of particular interest are genetic epidemiology studies, studies of genetic and epigenetic changes predictive of cancer risk, development of diagnostic and therapeutic biomarkers, and tumor genomic profiling. Proposals that aim to leverage Golden Retriever Lifetime Study specimens and data are encouraged, though proposals leveraging other samples and data may also be submitted.
Fellowship Training Grants
Fellowship Training Grants are designed to assist new investigators in launching a successful research career by providing salary support in a quality mentoring environment.
This year we have additional funding for applicants from historically marginalized groups through our Donor-Inspired Study program. These Minority Fellowships are being funded by Sally R. McIntosh, who has supported Morris Animal Foundation for nearly 14 years, making her first gift to support greyhound health research in 2009. As she has grown closer to the Foundation over the years, Sally’s support has expanded into different areas including wildlife health. Her real passion for our work lies within the comprehensive scientific process that Morris Animal Foundation has established to fund only the best and most critical areas of research. By creating these Fellowship positions, Sally hopes to make a tiny dent in diversifying the animal health research community.

Eligibility

Applicants must hold a veterinary degree (such as DVM) or a PhD at the time of the grant award. Awardees must devote at least 75% time to the research project;Applicants with a PhD must have earned the PhD within 4 years of the grant application date.The maximum duration of a Fellowship Training Grant is 24 months.Morris Animal Foundation funds researchers and research projects around the world.
Projects must adhere to the Foundation’s Health Study Policy for Animals Involved in Research.
Projects that include international collaborations should address international scientific engagement and benefits and include a named mentor in the country where the research will occur. The Foundation endeavors to achieve impact through ethical pathways and with the clear intention of inclusivity, diversity, and the elimination of the practice of parachute/colonial science.
A maximum of one application as PI in response to this RFP is permitted.

Ineligibility

Clinical residents and those with clinical service requirements greater than 25% time are not eligible. Candidates who have held a PhD more than 4 years, and other candidates in permanent salaried positions at the time of application, are not eligible for a Morris Animal Foundation Fellowship.Proposal resubmissions are not permitted without explicit written permission from the Foundation.