SCRMC Graduate and Postdoctoral Training Award

Award Background

The SCRMC Research Training Awards were established in 2008 to recognize and provide support for promising graduate students and postdoctoral fellows conducting stem cell and regenerative medicine research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The SCRMC Research Training Awards Program provides unique, interdisciplinary training for future leaders in stem cell and regenerative medicine research. Additionally, this program aims to foster interdisciplinary collaborations among campus investigators. These programs are funded by philanthropic support by the SCRMC, and the number of research awards is determined annually by available funds. This program is open to applicants of all citizenships.

Qualifications/Requirements

• Applicant’s mentor must be a SCRMC member.
• Applicants must be in good academic standing.
• Graduate applicants must have at least 2 years remaining in their graduate work.
• Only one active award is granted per faculty mentor, thus individuals under a mentor who is supervising an active awardee, either graduate or postdoctoral, are not eligible.
• More than one individual from the same lab or mentor may apply in the same award cycle, however only one research award per lab is possible.
• Individuals who have received a SCRMC Training Award are not eligible to re-apply for additional of funding through this program.

Time line

• Application deadline: Friday, January 13, 2023 by midnight
• Award Notification: February 15, 2023

Application process:

See checklist located on page 1 of the application.
(Applications exceeding any specified page limits will not be considered.)

Review process

• All reviewers will be SCRMC members.
• Graduate student and postdoctoral applications will be considered independently.
• A reviewer must be able to review all applications within a category (either graduate or postdoc) with no conflict of interest.
• Conflict of interest in one category (graduate or postdoc) does not necessary constitute a conflict of interest in the other category.
• Conflict of interest includes, but is not limited to, the mentor of an applicant, is collaborator or co-mentor of an applicant, written a manuscript with an applicant, or has written a letter of recommendation for an applicant.

Review criteria:

• Quality of the proposal
• Quality of the trainee
• Promise of the trainee for a career in stem cell and regenerative medicine research
• Appropriateness of trainer
• Quality and interdisciplinary nature of the training plan and research proposal (graduate students)
• Quality and interdisciplinary nature of identified collaborations (post-doctoral fellows)
• Prior SCRMC training awards to PI

Feedback/resubmission

Because of the limited time availability of reviewers, the necessarily rapid turnaround of the reviews and the number of applications it is not possible to provide written critiques for each of the applications. Individuals who were not awarded a training award can apply in subsequent years, assuming they still meet the eligibility criteria, but it will be considered a new application, not a resubmission.

Award

Students and advisors are notified of Award status by early February, with the formal award presented to the recipient and mentor at a SCRMC Stem Cell Seminar.

Award is for one year. Stipend amount varies based on NIH Guidelines.  Awards are made to the applicant, not to the mentor, and as such are not transferable to another trainee.

Requirements of Awardee:

• Retain good academic standing (graduate student).
• Awardees are expected to be actively involved in SCRMC trainee activities for at least two years following receipt of award (including 1 year following the termination of the award).
• Provide a report of the research to be submitted by January 31 the year following receipt of the award, to be reviewed by the SCRMC Education Committee.
• Present a seminar at the SCRMC Stem Cell seminar within 2 years of initiation of the award.
• Describe and document participation in at least one stem cell-related outreach activity, to be provided to the SCRMC Education Committee no later than January 31, 2 years following receipt of award (1 year following the termination of the award).

Requirements of Awardee Mentor:

• Mentors of awarded trainees are asked to serve as reviewers for subsequent year applicants.
• Mentors are expected to participate in relevant SCRMC activities including campus stem cell lab meeting and focus groups.

Past Training Award recipients