HRiA Robert E. Leet and Clara Guthrie Patterson Trust Mentored Research Award Grant

The HRiA Robert E. Leet and Clara Guthrie Patterson Trust Mentored Research Award aims to promote research on human diseases by supporting early-stage postdoctoral and clinical investigators. With a two-year award of $200,000 available to applicants in Connecticut, New Jersey, and Rhode Island, it prioritizes diversity and inclusion in biomedical research.

PROMOTING HUMAN DISEASE RESEARCH BY MENTORED POSTDOCTORAL AND CLINICAL INVESTIGATORS
The Robert E. Leet and Clara Guthrie Patterson Trust was established in 1980 to support “research relating to human diseases, their causes and relief thereof”. In alignment with this mission, the goal of the program is to support pilot studies and innovative research conducted by early stage mentored investigators and promote their transition towards independence. The program supports projects and studies spanning a broad range of disciplines involving patient-oriented and clinical research.
The Patterson Trust Mentored Research Award Program is administered by Health Resources in Action (the Administrator), on behalf of the Trustee, Bank of America, N.A. (the Funder). HRiA is a non-profit organization that partners with individuals, organizations, and communities to transform the practices, policies, and systems that improve health and advance equity.
Research Focus
This program is designed to support research and pilot studies in clinical research that focus on the causes of human disease and/or improving treatment. Investigators interested in population health research that seeks to address social determinants of health and/or health inequities as a lever for improving health, are encouraged to apply.
Please note, that while most of the definition aligns with that of the NIH, there may be research topics that are not eligible towards Patterson funding. Please use the NIH Decision Tool: Am I Doing Human Subjects Research? and reference our FAQs for additional guidance.
The program follows a similar definition as the NIH of clinical research which includes:
Patient-oriented research. Research conducted with human subjects (or on material of human origin such as tissues, specimens, and cognitive phenomena) for which an investigator (or colleague) on the proposed study directly interacts with human subjects. It includes: (a) patient-based studies of mechanisms of human disease, (b) therapeutic interventions, (c) clinical trials, or (d) development of new technologies. Excluded from this definition are in vitro studies that utilize human tissues that focus on fundamental aspects of phenomena or cannot be linked to clinically relevant health outcome or endpoint. Research conducted with human subjects data from biorepositories and/or electronic health records is allowable. Epidemiological and behavioral studies. Outcomes research and health services research.
Diverse and Inclusive Research
To promote and enable diversity in biomedical research, the Patterson Trust is committed to awarding researchers of all backgrounds, including racial/ethnic groups that are underrepresented in science. The National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health have established that individuals from the following groups are underrepresented in science: Blacks or African Americans, Hispanics or Latinos, American Indians or Alaskan Natives, Native Hawaiians, and other Pacific Islanders. Applicants that identify as a member of these groups are encouraged to apply. In addition, applicants and mentors are encouraged to speak to their commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion within the application.
Award Amount
Two-year awards of $200,000 ($100,000 per year) will be awarded to Applicants working in Connecticut, New Jersey, and Rhode Island.

Eligibility

Geographic/Institutional Eligibility: Applicants must work in a non-profit academic, medical, or research institution in the states of Connecticut (CT), New Jersey (NJ), or Rhode Island (RI). There are no institutional limitations on the number of applicants who may submit to this program, however, the number of awards per institution may be limited to a maximum of 2. United States citizenship is not required; visa documentation is not required.Applicant Eligibility: Applicants must have a doctoral degree (MD, MD/PhD, PhD, DO, DMD, PharmD, DPT, or equivalent). Degrees obtained outside the United States must be equivalent. Postdoctoral researcher OR Clinician scientist without clinical training – must have at least three (3) years and no more than six (6) years of full-time postdoctoral research experience. OR with clinical training – must have no more than 6 years of full-time postdoctoral (or equivalent) research experience since completion of residency (or similar clinical training). Clinicians in fields without formal internship and residency requirements (e.g., PhD Psychologists and PharmD applicants) may have up to six (6) years of cumulative research experience after completion of all clinical education required for licensing. Patterson Trust Award support may overlap with fellowship support with approval from the funding agency. Clinician scientist applicants must have completed residency and clinical training at the time of the funding start date.Candidates may hold a junior faculty appointment (Lecturer, Instructor, Assistant Professor-non-tenure track, etc.) that are not tenure track appointments. The program recognizes that some postdoctoral fellows may hold non-independent, mentored training positions with different titles, and some clinicians may hold an independent clinical faculty position but not an independent research position. To confirm eligibility, applicants are encouraged to contact program staff before preparing their applications. Must not have previously been a Patterson Award recipient.Pauses in Research Experience: For all applicants with and without clinical responsibilities, if research was interrupted for family or medical leave, or for other extenuating circumstances (including COVID-19, and military leave), these months are not considered part of the full-time employment experience. Pauses in research experience due to COVID-19-related disruptions cannot extend for longer than 6 months. Part-time employment may be cumulative towards these eligibility requirements. All research experience must be documented by the mentor. Level of Effort: Applicants without clinical responsibilities must have at least 90% protected time for research. Applicants with clinical responsibilities must have protected time of at least 70% time for research. Mentor(s): Applicants must apply for the award under the guidance of a primary mentor who is an established investigator with an active research program where the applicant will be conducting research. Mentors are expected to directly support the proposed research, and guide the candidate in planning, directing, monitoring, and executing the proposed project. Applicants are encouraged to identify a mentorship team and may nominate co-mentors as appropriate to the goals of the project.Level of Effort: Applicants without clinical responsibilities must have at least 90% protected time for research. Applicants with clinical responsibilities must have protected time of at least 70% time for research.Concurrent Funding:Applicants should check concurrent funding restrictions for existing awards and are encouraged to contact program staff to confirm eligibility.Applicants who have pending applications to the NIH and/or other funders are encouraged to submit proposals to the Patterson Trust. If notified on or prior to January 31, 2025, that they have been successful in securing such funding, applications to the program must be withdrawn. It is the responsibility of applicants to contact program staff as soon as they are notified of any new funding. Any scientific or budgetary overlap with other current or pending support should be clearly described, including a plan to avoid duplication of funding.

Ineligibility

Proposals utilizing animal studies or those with a predominant focus on fundamental aspects of phenomena without direct clinical application are ineligible.Applicant may not have held a previous R, K, or DP2 award. Applicant may not have held any previous career development award (such as those performed under the guidance of a mentor with the goal of a transition to independence), including those from foundations.Applicants may not hold a concurrent career development award, the equivalent of an R01, or other major source of research funding that covers more than half of their salary.Scientific and budgetary overlap is not allowable.Must not have a tenure-track faculty position or equivalent (no start-up package or lab space).