Damon Runyon-St. Jude Pediatric Cancer Research Fellowship Award Grant

Damon Runyon-St. Jude Pediatric Cancer Research Fellowship Award Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation
Amount: Up to US $300,000
Last Updated: April 30, 2025

Summary

The Damon Runyon-St. Jude Pediatric Cancer Research Fellowship Award seeks to address the need for more researchers in pediatric oncology. This award, a collaboration between the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, supports innovative research proposals aimed at understanding and treating pediatric cancers. Eligible candidates are mentored by experienced sponsors, ensuring a thorough development of their research and career goals. The fellowship also offers financial assistance for outstanding candidates.

Overview

Due to the lack of funding opportunities in pediatric oncology research, fewer scientists are focusing their efforts on prevention and new treatments for childhood cancer. The goal of this Award, a partnership between the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, is to address the critical shortage of scientists focusing on pediatric cancer by recruiting outstanding young minds committed to tackling these issues. Damon Runyon encourages all theoretical and experimental research relevant to the study of pediatric cancer and the search for pediatric cancer causes, mechanisms, therapies, and prevention. The goal is to fund individuals who propose innovative approaches in either basic or clinical research with the potential to significantly impact the prevention, diagnosis, or treatment of one or more pediatric cancers. Candidates must apply for the Damon Runyon-St. Jude Pediatric Cancer Research Fellowship under the guidance of a Sponsor, a scientist (tenured, tenure-track, or equivalent position) capable of providing mentorship to the Fellow. In addition to aiding in the planning, execution, and supervision of the proposed research, the Sponsor’s role is to foster the development of the Fellow’s overall knowledge, technical and analytical skills, and capacity for scientific inquiry. The Sponsor is also expected to assist the Fellow in attaining career goals. Awards are made to institutions for the support of the Fellow under direct supervision of the Sponsor. The Damon Runyon will retire up to $100,000 of any qualifying medical school debt still owed by the Fellow. Payment will be made annually over the course of the award.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Applicants may apply for either the Damon Runyon Postdoctoral Fellowship Award or the Damon Runyon-St. Jude Pediatric Cancer Research Fellowship Award, not both.Candidates may hold a T32 at the time of application, but not concurrently with the Damon Runyon-St. Jude Pediatric Cancer Research Fellowship Award.Applicants must have completed one or more of the following degrees or its equivalent: MD, PhD, MD/PhD, DDS, DVM, DO. If an applicant has not yet received their PhD diploma but has successfully completed all PhD requirements, including PhD defense, they may submit a letter from the graduate school explicitly stating such, with the date of the successful PhD defense and date of degree conferral.Level 1 applicants: Basic and physician-scientists must have received their degrees no more than 18 months prior to the application deadline date. Applicants must not have been in their Sponsors' labs for more than one year prior to the application deadline date and are expected to devote 100% of their time to Damon Runyon-supported research activities.Level 2 applicants: Physician-scientist applicants (MD, MD/PhD, DDS, DVM, DO or the equivalent) must have completed their residencies and clinical training, must be board eligible in the United States at the start date of the Damon Runyon-St. Jude Pediatric Cancer Research Fellowship Award, and be able to devote at least 80% of their time to Damon Runyon-supported research activities. Applicants may apply at any time prior to their initial assistant professorship appointment (or equivalent); postdoctoral fellows, clinical fellows, and clinical instructors are eligible to apply.  Candidates holding institutional K12 awards may apply but must turn-back K12 funding if they are awarded a Damon Runyon-St. Jude Pediatric Cancer Research Fellowship Award.The proposed research must be conducted at a university, hospital, or research institution.No more than two Fellows will be funded to work with the same Sponsor at any given time (including Co-Sponsors).Only one application will be accepted from a Sponsor or Fellow per review session (including Co-Sponsors); there is no limit, however, to the number of applications from an institution.Postdoctoral training in the same institution in which the applicant received their degree is discouraged, particularly if it is in the same department. If either situation applies, the applicant must address the reason(s) in the application. Candidates applying to work in foreign-based or United States government laboratories may be awarded a fellowship if the program represents an unusual opportunity for postdoctoral training.Foreign candidates may apply to do their research only in the United States.

Ineligibility

Candidates who have already accepted a postdoctoral research fellowship award are not eligible. Candidates holding or awarded NIH K awards at the time of application are not eligible to apply.Proposals to continue training in the laboratory where the applicant received their PhD will not be considered. Proposals that are direct extensions of graduate work will not be funded.Candidates who are pursuing a degree are not eligible.