Due: February 1, 2024, at 5:00 U.S. Pacific Time 

 

I. Key Dates 

RFA Announcement: November 16, 2023 

Applications Due: February 1, 2024 

Review/Interview Process: Late February 2024 through Late March 2024 

Funding Decisions Announced: Late April, 2024 

Funding Start Date: July 1, 2024

 

II. Funding 

The GlomCon Physician Scientist (GPS) Scholarship provides one year of support toward a clinical research project in glomerular diseases. Educational programs within the GlomCon Clinical Research Training Program will be tuition-free. The funding will be used for project-related expenses, including the awardee’s FTE, analytical and statistical consulting support, database, registry, and other related IT support, and publication support. Funding for awardees begins July 1, 2024. There are no indirect costs associated with this award. Awardees' institutions must match funds 1:1 (matching of funds can either be in the form of direct financial support toward the recipient or indirectly by ensuring protected research time, giving access to institutional resources such as research coordinator support, biostatistical support, or other forms of support that demonstrate institutional commitment toward recipients research activities). The Awardee's institution must provide documentation on how the funds will be matched (e.g., awardee’s protected time, access to research coordinator, biostatistician and analyst, etc.).

 

III. Overview and Goals 

The GlomCon Physician Scientist (GPS) Scholarship) serves as a seed fund to support the research careers of senior fellows and junior faculty in epidemiological, clinical, and translational research in glomerular diseases. 

 

Awardees will pursue a mentored research project in their area of expertise. It is expected that the research performed within the GlomCon Physician Scientist (GPS) Scholarship program will provide the basis for a more substantial career development grant and pathway toward scientific independence and a career in clinical research. 

 

Each awardee will work with his/her mentor to develop and execute a work plan for his/her research project. Mentors must be accomplished investigators in clinical and translational research and have a track record of success in training new investigators and fostering their success as independent researchers. 

 

IV. Eligibility 

We encourage nephrology and Nephropathology applicants who meet the following criteria (at the time of application submission): 

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• Must hold a research or health professional doctoral degree. 

• Must be in the first five years of a faculty appointment or fellows on the cusp of their first faculty position (within six months). 

• Must ensure that funds are matched 1:1 by their department. 

• Must not use funds toward a project that is already funded (neither by government nor industry)

• Must not use combined funds with other awards and grants toward the same project.  

• Must be pursuing a career path and proposed program in clinical and translational research. 

 

V. Proposal Submission Information 

The application is a three-part form. Please be prepared to provide the following information.

 

Part 1 – The Applicant’s Information

• Full name 

• Email 

• Degree 

• Position/rank 

• Home contact information 

• Primary institution and department 

• Work contact information 

• Curriculum Vitae 

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Part 2 – Research Proposal 

(to be uploaded via survey link): https://ikgplk7aacm.typeform.com/to/wcPbbkVP

 

Section A: Provide a personal statement outlining your motivation and area of clinical and research interests. (max. 250 words)  

 

Section B: Provide a summary of any research experience. It may include publications and your contributions. (max 300 words). 

 

Section C: Provide a summary of any previous formal research training activities (e.g., degree program or formal course work). (max 200 words) 

 

Section D: Provide a general outline of your proposed project, including:

• Title

• Abstract (250 words)

• Specific Aims (500 words)

• Background and preliminary data (250 words) 

• Research plan (500 words) 

• Statistical analysis plan (500 words) 

• Milestones (250 words) 

• Potential pitfalls (250 words)

 

Section F: What were the reasons for your mentor selection? Limit your response to 150 words. 

 

Section G: Describe your short-term and long-term career goals. Limit your response to 200 words. 

 

Section H: Institutional Review Board (Ethics board) Project protocol and approval letter. Please provide full study approval, an IRB exemption letter, or an “Approval in Principle” (Delayed Onset Human Research / Just-in-Time). We require IRB (ethics board) approval before issuing the award and release of funds. A documentation of an “Approval in Principle” can be submitted with the understanding that the scholarship recipient will submit a full application to the IRB. “Approval in Principle” allows the IRB to make an “in concept” determination and means that the IRB approves the concept of the study but not the conduct of the study.  

 

Part 3 – Mentor’s and Division Chief’s Attestation  

• Division chief/department chair’s name, email, primary institution, and department/division. 

• Mentor’s name, email, primary institution, and department/division. 

 

The individuals you list as your mentor and division chief/department chair will receive an email with a link directing them to a secure website where they will be prompted to upload their letters of recommendation in PDF format. They will not have access to your application materials. 

 

These letters must include: 

• Signed letter of support (PDF format) from your division chief/department chair, guaranteeing protected time through the duration of the award to pursue the education and research goals of the program. And ensure a 1:1 institutional match of the award sum toward the recipient’s project.  

• Signed letter of recommendation (PDF format) from a mentor, guaranteeing ongoing mentorship and scientific support toward the success of the proposed project. 

 

Nature and content of the letters

Letter from division chief/department chair: 

• Is there a clear commitment of the sponsoring institution to ensure that professional effort will be devoted directly to the research and career development activities described in the application, with the remaining percent effort being dedicated to an appropriate balance of research, teaching, administrative, and clinical responsibilities? 

• Is the institutional commitment to the career development of the candidate appropriately strong? 

• Is there adequate assurance from the institution that the candidate will be an integral part of the research program? 

 

Letter from mentor: 

• Are there adequate plans for monitoring and evaluating the candidate’s research and career development progress? 

• Are the mentor's research qualifications in the area of the proposed research appropriate? 

• Does the mentor adequately address the candidate’s potential and his/her strengths and areas needing improvement? 

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75% of funds are made available July 1st, 2024. The remaining 25% of funds are contingent on the successful publication of study findings in any of the following nephrology journals (referencing GPS Scholarship as the funding source):

KI, JASN, CJASN, AJKD, KI Reports, Kidney360, KidneyMedicine, NDT, CKJ, BMC, Seminars in Nephrology

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For 2024, a total of $250,000 is made available through the following eleven scholarships: 

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1. The Sayna Norouzi Physician Scientist Scholarship. This grant provides $30,000 for a clinical research project in glomerular diseases and is available to applicants from high-income countries.

2. The Kate Robson Physician Scientist Scholarship. This grant provides $30,000 for a clinical research project in glomerular diseases and is available to applicants from high-income countries.

3. The Harish Seethapathy Physician Scientist Scholarship. This grant provides $30,000 for a clinical research project in glomerular diseases and is available to applicants from high-income countries.

4. The Dia Waguespack Physician Scientist Scholarship. This grant provides $30,000 for a clinical research project in glomerular diseases and is available to applicants from high-income countries.

5. The GlomCon Physician Scientist Scholarship. This grant provides $30,000 for a clinical research project in glomerular diseases and is available to applicants from high-income countries.

6. The GlomCon Physician Scientist Scholarship. This grant provides $20,000 for a clinical research project in glomerular diseases and is available to applicants from middle-income countries.

7. The GlomCon Physician Scientist Scholarship. This grant provides $20,000 for a clinical research project in glomerular diseases and is available to applicants from middle-income countries.

8. The GlomCon Physician Scientist Scholarship. This grant provides $20,000 for a clinical research project in glomerular diseases and is available to applicants from middle-income countries.

9. The GlomCon Physician Scientist Scholarship. This grant provides $20,000 for a clinical research project in glomerular diseases and is available to applicants from middle-income countries.

10. The GlomCon Physician Scientist Scholarship. This grant provides $10,000 for a clinical research project in glomerular diseases and is available to applicants from low-income countries.

11. The GlomCon Physician Scientist Scholarship. This grant provides $10,000 for a clinical research project in glomerular diseases and is available to applicants from low-income countries.