2016 Summer Fellowship Application Form

Application due Friday February 12th, 2016 by 5:00 PM

Email to or

drop off at the SCCR Office E-181 BNSN or C-100 BNSN

NAME:
ADDRESS:
PHONE NUMBER:
E-MAIL:
BYU STUDENT ID NUMBER: / - / -
MAJOR:
MENTOR:
MENTOR DEPARTMENT:
If Undergraduate, YEAR IN SCHOOL: / GPA:
IF GRADUATE, MASTERS OR DOCTORAL:
NAME OF PROPOSAL:
RELEVANT COURSES TAKEN AND GRADES RECEIVED (COURSES YOU FEEL MAY PREPARE YOU TO COMPLETE THE PROPOSED RESEARCH):
PREVIOUS RESEARCH EXPERIENCE:

Instructions for Preparing Application

The application must be double spaced, with 1-inch margins and 12 point font.It must include the following sections. No more than 5 pages should be used to complete Sections II through IV.

I.Abstract: Project Summary and Relevance (≤ 300 words; not included in page limitation)

The abstract should be a succinct and accurate description of the proposed work. It should include the broad, long-term objective and specific aims, and describe concisely the research design and methods for achieving the stated goals. It should also describe the relevance of this research to cancer prevention or treatment.

II.Specific Aims (one-half page is recommended)

List the broad, long-term objectives and the goal of the specific research proposed, e.g., to test a stated hypothesis, create a novel design, solve a specific problem, challenge an existing paradigm, address a critical barrier to progress in the field, or develop new technology.

III.Background and Significance (one and one-half pages are recommended)

Using references from the scientific literature, including recent results from the mentor’s laboratory, briefly sketch the background leading to the present application. Critically evaluate existing knowledge, and specifically identify the gaps that the project is intended to fill. Include preliminary data from the applicant’s own experiments, if relevant. State concisely the importance and cancer relevance of the research described in this application. If the aims of the application are achieved, state how scientific knowledge or practice will be advanced in preventing or treating cancer.

IV.Research Design and Methods (three pages are recommended)

Describe the research design, procedures, and analyses to be used to accomplish the specific aims of the project. Include how the data will be collected, analyzed, and interpreted. Describe any new methodology and its advantage over existing methodologies. Describe any novel concepts, approaches, tools, or technologies for the proposed studies. Discuss the potential difficulties and limitations of the proposed procedures and alternative approaches to achieve the aims. As part of this section, provide a tentative sequence or timetable for the project showing how the aims can be accomplished in the four month time period of the Fellowship. Point out any procedures, situations, or materials that may be hazardous to personnel and the precautions to be exercised.

V.Vertebrate Animals or Human Subjects

If vertebrate animals are to be used in the proposed experiments, identify the species, strains, ages, sex, and numbers of animals to be used and provide a justification for their use, including the calculations demonstrating adequacy of sample size to achieve appropriate statistical power. Provide evidence that the protocol has received approval from the BYU Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, or that such approval is pending. If human subjects are to be used, describe and justify the use of the genders, ages, ethnicities, or other distinguishing characteristics (e.g. obesity, family history of cancer) of subjects chosen for study, and provide evidence that the protocol has received approval from the BYU Institutional Review Board, or that such approval is pending.

  1. Literature Cited

List all publications cited in Sections II-V above. Each citation must include the title, names of all authors, book or journal, volume number, page numbers, and year of publication.

VII.Time/Effort

Describe the time and effort to be spent on the proposed research, including an estimate of hours per week.List other employment, course work, or positions (paid or volunteer) as well as anticipated interruptions (vacations, marriage, etc.) which will compete for your time during this four month fellowship. Indicate educational or professional plans following completion of the fellowship. Describe how successful completion of the proposed research will help to achieve those educational or professional goals.

  1. Other Funding

List all scholarships, research assistantships, and fellowships (e.g. ORCA grants, department or college awards, etc.) that you will have during the four month period of the SCCR Fellowship.

  1. Expectations of Mentors – Letter of Support and List of Publications
  1. The mentor will provide a sealed letter of support for the applicant to include with his/her application. The mentor’s letter should include 1) a short description of how the proposed research relates to the specific aims and long-term goals of the mentor’s research program; 2) a statement that the mentor is prepared to provide the funds necessary for supplies to carry out the proposed research and an estimate of how much money this will be; 3) an evaluation of the applicant’s capability to conduct the proposed research, and whether it can be completed in the time frame specified; 4) a ranking of this application among all others (if any) from the mentor’s laboratory; 5)a brief description of how the results from the proposed research will be used to strengthen applications for external funding that are now being planned, written, or in revision.
  2. In addition, the mentor should state that he/she
  • Will be on campus for the majority of spring and summer terms to provide direct supervision of your research project. If any substantial periods of absence are planned, the mentor must provide a detailed plan for supervising your project while he/she is away from campus.
  • Is willing to participate as a presenter during one of the weekly workshops during the period of the Fellowship.
  • Will cite the SCCR as a source of funding for any published works that result from the SCCR Fellowship.

3.It is important to determine the level of commitment of the mentor to cancer research and their overall research productivity before an award from the SCCR is made. To show the level of commitment to cancer research, and as an indicator of their research productivity, the mentor should include with the letter of support a list of all publications including the mentor in their authorship during the last five years (January 2011 – Present). Cancer-related publications should be highlighted.

Applicant Statement

To accomplish the principal goal of SCCR Fellowships it is essential that proposals submitted by student applicants be written entirely by the applicants themselves. While it is important for applicants to review their mentors’ previous work, including papers published and grant applications submitted, it is inappropriate for students to put together their SCCR applications by simply cutting and pasting from previous or current research grant applications prepared by their mentors or others in the mentors’ laboratories. Writing his/her own proposal in his/her own words demonstrates the depth and clarity of the applicant’s understanding of the issue they intend to address and increases reviewers’ confidence in the applicant’s ability to successfully conduct and complete the proposed project. The application should end with the following statement signed and dated by the applicant:

“I certify that this application is entirely of my own creation and writing. Any assistance from others in its composition has been limited to minor editorial correction.”

______

Signature of ApplicantDate