SCDAA Post Doctoral
Research Fellowship

SCDAA Post-Doctoral Fellowship Program

The Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Inc. (SCDAA) announces its post-doctoral research fellowship program to support young investigators in sickle cell disease related research.

Program Objectives
This is a research-training program. Its primary objective is to encourage young investigators to develop research careers in sickle cell disease. Supported research will be conducted at institutions under the supervision of experienced mentors with a record of research accomplishment in sickle cell related areas.

Mechanism of Support
Each fellowship award is for a total of $25,000 ($20,000 salary, $5,000 supplies) per year. One fellowship will be awarded in July. The award will be for a period of two years. No indirect costs will be provided.

Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible, fellowship applicants must have completed a doctoral degree (M.D., Ph.D., or equivalent), must have completed clinical training, and have no more than a total of five years of post-doctoral research experience by the award date. The applicant must be affiliated with a non-profit institution of higher learning or non-profit research facility in the U.S., and a research mentor must supervise him or her. To be considered for review, the research proposal must address the broad subject of sickle cell disease in basic laboratory, clinical or psychosocial research areas.

Review Considerations
Applications will be reviewed initially by a selected panel of expert reviewers selected based on the area of proposed research of each application. The initial expert reviews will be presented to the Post-Doctoral Fellowship Program Sub-committee of the Medical and Research Advisory Committee of SCDAA who will make the final selection of fellowship awardees and report to the SCDAA Board of Directors.

Award Criteria
Awards will be based on evidence of the applicant’s commitment to a research career in sickle cell disease, the scientific quality and originality of the proposed research, importance of the research to the field, available matching support for the fellow and the quality and expressed support of the research mentor and resources available to the applicant.

Receipt date: Must be postmarked by May 1, 2007

Award date: July 1, 2007

Application Procedures
The application will consist of two parts: the candidate’s application and the mentor’s support documents. Eligible applicants should submit an application in the format designated by SCDAA's Application.  The research mentor’s support documents must include the following:

1. A letter of commitment describing in detail the plans of the mentor for supervision of the candidate’s research and career development, and the level of institutional support that will be available to the applicant if she/he were successful in this application.

2. The biographical sketch of the mentor as well as a list of names, addresses, and current professional positions of the mentor’s post-doctoral research trainees in the last five years.

The name, address, telephone and fax numbers of the financial officer of the institution, through whose office research budgets are administered, should be included in the budget section of the application.

Policies and Conditions of the Award
Successful applicants will be required to sign a letter of agreement concerning the conditions and policies under which the fellowship is awarded prior to a notice of award being issued.

These conditions include the issue of publications. All publications (as well as posters and/or abstracts at scientific meetings) that result from support provided by SCDAA should acknowledge that support in writing.

Awards will be made to the institutions in the names of the fellow and the mentor. The fellow and mentor are responsible for the scientific conduct of the research, and the institution is responsible for financial and administrative matters.

The entire application (original and 3 copies) should be submitted to:

Post-Doctoral Fellowship Program 2007
Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Inc.
231 E. Baltimore Street, Suite 800
Baltimore, Maryland 21202

For more information please contact Sonya I. Ross, Vice President, Programs and Services at (410) 528-1555