Request for Proposals:

Mathilde Krim Fellowships in Basic Biomedical Research

Maximum Funding: $150,000
Performance Period: October 1, 2016 – September 30, 2018

Deadlines
Request Instructions and Portal log-in (REQUIRED) – Closed
LOI Submission - Closed

Background
The goal of amfAR’s Mathilde Krim Fellowships in Basic Biomedical Research is to:

• Facilitate the exceptional postdoctoral researcher’s transition to an independent career in HIV/AIDS research within an academic institution or non-profit organization
• Support two years of postdoctoral basic biomedical research (phase I)
• Provide the possibility of one additional year of research funding during the first year of an independent research position (phase II)

Applicant Eligibility and Qualifications
Applicants must:

• Hold a research or clinical doctorate completed between three and six years prior to April 14, 2016*
• Be affiliated with a nonprofit research institution anywhere in the world
• Be positioned to secure an independent research position no later than March 2019
• Be mentored by an experienced investigator at the same institution who: (a) is qualified to oversee the proposed research; (b) has successfully supervised postdoctoral fellows; and (c) is at the associate professor level or higher.
• Propose a line of research that indicates the applicant is ready to become intellectually independent of the mentor.
• Be the first author on significant publications in leading peer-reviewed journals
• Have made oral and poster presentations at major scientific conferences and meetings

*The three to six year period for applicants who have earned only an M.D./M.D. Ph.D. begins with the date they finished their internship.

Submission Requirements and Deadlines
Submission of a letter of intent is completed through an online web portal.

Step 1: Request web-portal login credentials, letter of intent forms and instructions no later than 12:30 PM EDT on May 10, 2016. Deadline extensions will not be provided. Please be sure to request the forms with adequate time to complete them.
To request log-in credentials:

Click here to request forms.

Step 2: Enter web portal to upload completed LOI forms, including:

• Fellow’s Eligibility Details, Publications, Presentations, and Posters
• Fellow’s Biographical Sketch and Mentor’s Biographical Sketch and List of Fellows Supervised
• Resources and Environment Form
• Signature Form

Funding Restrictions

• Maximum Funding: $150,000 including maximum 10% indirect costs
• Salary support is allowed for fellow only at a maximum of $100,000 for the two-year period; percent effort on the fellowship project must be at least 85%; additional funds needed to support salary for effort at that level must come from other non-project specific sources available to the institution.
• The balance of direct costs is available to support research costs, fringe benefits, and employer taxes
• The grantee Institution is required to provide funds or in-kind support to enhance the career development of the fellow (e.g. CFAR development funds; mentoring program; reduced-rate use of core facilities; etc.). The Institution must provide support for attendance at an NIH grant-writing workshop, or a similar training activity approved in advance by amfAR,
• Phase II funding for an additional $50,000 may be approved, at a later date, to support basic biomedical HIV/AIDS research costs during the first 12 months of an independent research position at any US or international nonprofit research institution.
• Phase II funding must start no later than six months following the end of the phase I period.  

Please refer to our Frequently Asked Questions for additional information about this RFP. If your question is not answered in the FAQs, please email grants@amfar.org.

Other Important Dates
Applications invited:
Mid-to-late June, 2016

Applications due:
July 28, 2016 (tentative)

Funding decisions announced:
Late September 2016

Review
LOIs will be reviewed by amfAR staff to verify applicant eligibility. The qualifications of eligible applicants will be assessed by peer review. The best-qualified, eligible applicants will be invited to submit complete applications proposing original research to be conducted during the phase I fellowship period.

The LOI and application processes are highly competitive. Only a limited number of investigators submitting an LOI will be invited to submit an application, and only a limited number of applicants will be awarded funding. Submission of an LOI does not guarantee an invitation to submit a full application. An invitation to submit a full application is not a guarantee of funding.

Future requests for proposals
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