Fund Details
Pew Biomedical Scholars Program Spring 2021
Award Amount
$75,000 For Up to 4 Years

Brief Description:

The Pew Scholars Program in the Biomedical Sciences provides funding to young investigators of outstanding promise in science relevant to the advancement of human health.  Awards are granted in the broad field of biomedical research, including areas such as bioengineering, biophysics, and chemistry. The program supports the independent research of outstanding individuals who are in their first three years of their appointment at the assistant professor level.


Description:

Eligible Faculty: Assistant Professors at Harvard Medical School, Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.  Applicants must have received their appointment on or after June 14, 2017. 
Note: BIDMC, BWH, CH, DFCI and MGH are invited to submit separate nominations for this award.  Faculty at these hospitals should NOT apply for the Harvard University nomination. Please contact your research administration representative for details.

Based on their performance during their education and training, candidates should demonstrate outstanding promise as contributors in science relevant to human health. This program does not fund clinical trials research. Strong proposals will incorporate particularly creative and pioneering approaches to basic, translational, and applied biomedical research. Candidates whose work is based on biomedical principles but who bring in concepts and theories from more diverse fields are encouraged to apply.

Ideas with the potential to produce an unusually high impact are encouraged. Selection of the successful candidates will be based on a detailed description of the work that the applicant proposes to undertake, evaluations of the candidate’s performance, and notable past accomplishments, including honors, awards, and publications. In evaluating the candidates, the National Advisory Committee gives considerable weight to evidence that the candidate is a successful independent investigator and has published significant work.

Funding from the NIH, other government sources, and project grants from nonprofit associations do not pose a conflict with the Pew scholars program.

Application Information:

Please fill out the online form and attach the following documents as a single PDF:
  • Summary of proposed research (limit 2 pages including images.  A third page may be used for references)
  • Nominating letter signed by your department or division head.
  • NIH Biosketch, including past and pending sources of funding.  For current funding include abstract and specific aims and indicate if there is any overlap with your proposal.  (Limit 5 pages).

Style Requirements:
  • 11pt font or larger.
  • No more than 6 lines per inch.
  • Color images are allowed, however any copies will be printed in Black and White.



Eligibility Criteria:

Assistant Professors at Harvard Medical School, Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.  Applicants must have received their appointment on or after June 14, 2017. 
Note: BIDMC, BWH, CH, DFCI and MGH are invited to submit separate nominations for this award.  Faculty at these hospitals should NOT apply for the HMS nomination. Please contact your research administration representative for details.

Candidates must meet all of the following eligibility requirements:
  • Hold a doctorate in biomedical sciences, medicine, or a related field.
  • As of Sept. 1, 2021, hold a full-time appointment at the rank of assistant professor. (Appointments such as research assistant professor, adjunct assistant professor, assistant professor research track, visiting professor, or instructor are not eligible).
  • Must not have been appointed as an assistant professor at any institution prior to June 14, 2017, whether or not such an appointment was on a tenure track. Time spent in clinical internships, residencies, in work toward board certification, or on parental leave does not count as part of this four-year limit. Candidates who took parental leave should contact Pew’s program office to ensure that application reviewers are aware of their circumstances.
    • Please note that eligibility criteria have been temporarily expanded to account for COVID-related lab shutdowns and research disruptions.
  • May apply to the program a maximum of two times. All applicants must be nominated by their institution and must complete the 2022 online application.
  • If applicants have appointments at more than one eligible nominating institution or affiliate, they may not reapply in a subsequent year from a different nominating entity.
  • May not be nominated for the Pew Scholars Program and the Pew-Stewart Scholars Program for Cancer Research in the same year.

Funding from the NIH, other government sources, and project grants from non-profit associations do not pose a conflict with the Pew scholars program. 


Review Criteria:

The HMS Foundation Funds Committee advises department heads, mentors, and candidates to be particularly aware of the committee's selection criteria when making nominations:
  • A technically feasible research proposal
  • Applicants with the potential to successfully carry out the research described in the proposal
  • Relevance of the proposal to the mission of the foundation award
  • Career trajectory
  • Letter of support and institutional commitment to the applicant
  • Publications
  • Current funding



Additional Information, Related Websites, and Proxy Instructions:

Assistant Professors at Harvard Medical School, Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.  Applicants must have received their appointment on or after June 14, 2017. 

Note: BIDMC, BWH, CH, DFCI and MGH are invited to submit separate nominations for this award.  Faculty at these hospitals should NOT apply for the HMS nomination. Please contact your research administration representative for details.

The amount of the award that may be used for the principal investigator’s salary is limited to $12,500 per year (including benefits) or $50,000 over the duration of the grant. There are no limits on student or postdoctoral salaries.
Not more than 8 percent ($24,000) of the total award value may be allocated for facilities and administration (F&A) charges or indirect costs (IDCs)


Contact Information:

For questions about this application, please contact Clare Lamont at clare_lamont@hms.harvard.edu

Search Filters:

Institution
  • Faculty of Arts and Sciences
  • Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
  • Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health
  • Joslin Diabetes Center
  • Harvard Medical School (Quad)
  • Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM)
    Position
    • Assistant Professor
      Type of Competition
      • Limited Submission
        Discipline
        • Basic Science
          Type of Award
          • Early Career