MenuABTA Awards Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions About the 2013 American Brain Tumor Association Basic Research Fellowships, Translational Grants, Discovery Grants, and Medical Student Summer Fellowships
About All ABTA Awards
Where can I obtain ABTA Fellowship, Translational Grant, and Medical Student Summer Fellowship applications?
Beginning with the 2013 funding year, Basic Research Fellowships, Translational Grants, and Medical Student Summer Fellowships have transitioned to a web-based application system. Paper and PDF applications will not be accepted for these three award mechanisms.
To access the new ABTA grant application portal, please visit the Advancing Research section of our website – www.abta.org. A link to the ABTA grant application portal is posted on the menu bar (left screen).
Fellowship and Translational Grant applications will be accepted through January 9, 2013. The grant call for Medical Student Fellowships will follow, and will open mid-late January.
The new ABTA grant portal is applicant-centric, and requires the applicant to begin the application process. Once the application is started, grant officers, sponsors, and reference letter writers will receive an e-mail link, generated by the applicant, which will allow them to login to these applications. As part of the application process, applicants also have the option of giving their grant officer permission to edit/change or submit their application.
Applicants or authorized grant officers will be asked to upload letters of support from their sponsor(s) and/or department chair (where required). Reference letter authors (where required) will be asked to upload their letters of support directly into the grant portal. The content of the reference letters will be blinded to the applicant. Please be aware that the applicant will be unable to submit an application without all required documents being uploaded into this system.
How will Medical Student Summer Fellowship applications be handled in 2013?
Medical Student Summer Fellowships will also be accepted online beginning mid-late January. When the grant call for this award opens, the application login will appear on the grant portal page, in the Advancing Research section of the ABTA web site (www.abta.org)
How will Discovery Grants for 2013 funding be handled this cycle?
Discovery Grant proposals are accepted by invitation only. Letters of intent have already been voted; those invited to submit a full proposal will receive an application via e-mail. Those applications are to be returned electronically, per the instructions in the invitation.
May I use an application from a previous year?
We are not able to accept previous year applications.
May I apply for more than one of the above awards?
Each of the above ABTA awards has a very different focus; therefore, we will accept only one application per candidate, per funding period. In choosing a category for your submission, please review the intent and eligibility criteria for each award as stated on the award guides. In brief, Fellowships are training awards whose purpose is to help build basic research skills. Translational Grants are preclinical research awards targeted to faculty-level investigators. Discovery Grant applications are accepted by invitation only. Medical Student Summer Fellowships support an introductory summer laboratory experience for currently enrolled medical students.
May I apply for a second ABTA award while holding a currently-funded ABTA award?
ABTA awardees can hold only one ABTA grant at a time. Applications are accepted from currently funded awardees providing their current funding will conclude prior to the start of a new award. If the funding would overlap, applicants have the option of terminating an existing award if a second award is approved for funding.
Can indirect expenses be allocated from ABTA Fellowships or other grants?
No, indirects are not allowed.
What is the deadline for application submissions?
Applications for Basic Research Fellowships, Translational Grants, and Discovery Grants are due by end of day, Wednesday, January 9, 2013. Applications must bear a submission date no later than January 9,, 2013.
About Fellowships
My PhD will not be conferred by January 9, 2013 but my coursework will be complete. Am I still eligible for an ABTA Fellowship?
We encourage you to contact us again next year. PhDs must have their doctorate conferred by the application submission date.
I will have more than 5 years postdoctoral laboratory experience by July, 2013. May I still apply for an ABTA Basic Research Fellowship?
Because Basic Research Fellowships are career development training awards, applications outside the range of the eligibility criteria will not be reviewed. When you begin an online application, you will be asked to verify your eligibility. If you have any questions, please e-mail grants@abta.org. If your research is preclinical, approaching human testing, and you hold a junior faculty or faculty level position, please review the criteria for the Translational Grants.
Due to a delay in obtaining a postdoc position, I do have less than 5 years postdoctoral experience but it is not apparent when you look at the date my PhD was conferred. How can this be addressed?
Briefly explain the timeline difference in a letter, and make it the first page of your biosketch PDF.
Regarding the “post- residency training” eligibility criteria – is a fellowship considered post-residency training?
Yes, you may count your fellowship year/s within the training period.
Are there residency requirements for an ABTA Fellowship?
ABTA Fellowships do not have residency requirements, but the research must be performed in the United States or Canada.
May I apply for a one year fellowship?
Because these are training awards intended to provide a two year experience, applications for one year fellowships are not accepted.
May I have two Fellowship sponsors?
Yes. The online application provides for up to two sponsors. Each sponsor is required to agree to the 75% protected time statement, and both must submit a letter of support and a biosketch.
About Translational Grants
I hold a faculty position, but the title of that position does not obviously reflect the faculty status. How do I handle this situation?
If your institution considers your position to be faculty or junior faculty, and this is not obvious from the title, you can reference the level of the position on your biosketch, or attach a letter to the biosketch informing us that the position is faculty level within your institution.
I will be completing my fellowship this summer, then expect to hold a junior faculty position. Do I meet eligibility for the Translational Grant?
As of July 1, 2013, MD applicants must be within eight years of completion of their post-residency training, and hold a Faculty or Junior Faculty appointment. PhD applicants must be within three to ten years of having received their doctorate, and hold a Faculty or Junior Faculty appointment. If you do not hold a faculty position as of the application deadline date, we will accept a statement from your Department Chairman confirming that you will hold a junior faculty or faculty position by July 1, 2013. This confirmatory statement must be definitive, and should be included in the required Department Chair letter. If the candidate holds multiple postdoctoral degrees, the last conferred postdoctoral degree will be used to determine eligibility.
Are there residency requirements for an ABTA Translational Grant?
ABTA Translational Grants do not have residency requirements, but the research must be performed in the United States or Canada.
About Discovery Grants
How do I apply for an ABTA Discovery Grant? I did not submit a letter of intent.
The Discovery Grant program uses an LOI mechanism. Letters of intent for this award were due in the ABTA office in October, 2012. Invitations to submit an application will be extended by e-mail late
November, 2012 and include application instructions. If you received an invitation and will not be submitting, please notify us at grants@abta.org.
If you are interested in submitting an LOI next year, please watch the Advancing Research section of the ABTA website, www.abta.org, for announcements of 2014 Discovery Grant opportunities.
I submitted a Discovery Grant LOI but was not invited to submit an application. May I still apply for a Fellowship or Translational Grant?
Yes, if you meet the eligibility criteria. Please remember only one application per candidate will be accepted.
December 2012