Fellowship:

Online Application

To apply for a Research Grant, complete the Grant Application Fellowship Application Qualifying Projects and Candidates Fellowship Deadlines Evaluation of Applications Application Format File Format, Size & Naming Standards Application Submission Terms of the Award Contacts

QUALIFYING PROJECTS AND CANDIDATES
The National Niemann-Pick Disease Foundation has established a two-year post-doctoral fellowship for the purpose of funding outstanding candidates working on state-of-the-art projects that directly investigate Niemann-Pick Disease (NPD). Annual salary for these fellowships is $35,000 plus fringe up to 15%.

Applications are accepted from both U.S. and non-U.S. scientists. Please see our Post-Doctoral Fellowship Page for a list of fellowships awarded to date.

Eligibility qualifications are listed below:

• Candidates must be beginning their first or second full-time postdoctoral research fellowship;
  
  
• Candidates must have completed one or more of the following degrees: MD, PhD, DVM;
  
  
• Candidates must apply for a fellowship under the guidance of a Sponsor. The Sponsor should be actively involved in the planning, execution and supervision of the proposed research;
  
  
• The proposed investigation must be conducted at a university, hospital or research institution.

FELLOWSHIP DEADLINES
Our next grant deadline is November 30, 2007. A funding decision will be made by February 15th, 2008 and funds will be disbursed by March 15, 2008.


EVALUATION OF APPLICATIONS
The primary criteria used to evaluate applicants are:

• the quality of the candidate's research proposal (significance, soundness of approach, feasibility and projected scientific impact of the project);
  
  
• the qualifications, experience and productivity of both the candidate and the candidate's Sponsor.

All fellowship awards are approved by the NNPDF Board of Directors acting upon the recommendation of the Scientific Advisory Board. The Board of Directors is made up of parents of children with NPD, therefore the lay summary is a very important part of the proposal.


APPLICATION FORMAT
Applications must be submitted in a format which allows for on-line storage and retrieval – preferably as an email attachment; however applications submitted on 3 1/2" diskette or on CD (formatted for the PC only) will also be accepted.


The fellowship application consists of the following:

• Form A: Application Cover Sheet (available below)
  
  
• Sponsor's Biographical Sketch
  Biographical sketch of the Sponsor - not to exceed 4 pages - included. The NIH R01 grant (PHS 398) format should be used. See NIH website for complete instructions.
  
  
• Letter from the Sponsor
  A letter from the Sponsor (maximum 2 pages) evaluating the candidate's qualifications for the proposed research project must be included. The Sponsor should assess the candidate's potential for successful independent research and indicate what percentage of the proposal was written by the candidate.
  
  
• Applicant's Biographical Sketch
  Biographical sketch of the applicant using the NIH R01 grant (PHS 398) format. (not to exceed 4 pages)
  
  
• Letter from the Applicant
  Candidate's letter (not to exceed 2 pages) should describe his or her previous research.
  
  
• Lay Summary (1 page)
  This is a very important page because the Scientific Advisory Board only makes a funding recommendation to the NNPDF Board of Directors. The family members on the Board make all funding decisions.
  
  
• Research Proposal (excluding references, not to exceed 6 pages of single-spaced 12-point type):
  • state the specific research objectives (1/2 page suggested)
  • describe concisely the experimental design and methods (3 pages suggested)
  • explain the significance of the proposed research to the Foundation's goals; (1 page suggested)
  • demonstrate the relevance of his or her own background and the background and previous work of the Sponsor and any other investigators to the proposed research. Relevant preliminary studies may be described here as well. (1 page suggested)
  
  
• Reprints of relevant publications are not required; however, manuscripts that are in press may be submitted if they pertain directly to the research project. If such a manuscript is submitted, please send it as a separate email, referencing your fellowship application in your email.
  
  
• Letters of Recommendation
  Letters of recommendation from two qualified individuals best able to assess the candidate and his or her research potential should be emailed directly to the Chair, NNPDF Research Committee, separate from the candidate's application package. For PhD candidates, one of these letters should be from the candidate's thesis advisor. The name of the Sponsor and the applicant must appear in the heading of the letter. Letters of recommendation must be submitted by the application deadline and should be sent as email attachments.
  
  
• Approval by Official of Sponsoring Organization
  Approval from an official of the organization where research will be conducted should be emailed directly to the Chair, NNPDF Research Committee, separate from the candidate's application package. The name of the candidate, the Sponsor and the title of the project must be referenced in the approval.

FILE FORMAT, SIZE & NAMING STANDARDS
The file format used to submit your fellowship application must be one of the following:

• Microsoft Word (file extension ".doc") – version 6.0 or above
• Portable Document Format (file extension ".pdf") - created with a full version of Adobe Acrobat software

As an example, if Dr. Jerome Paretti applies to the NNPDF for a post-doctoral fellowship and submits his application as a Microsoft Word document, his file should be called "faparett.doc". His associated graphics file should be named "faparett-pics.doc".

FILE FORMAT	APPLICATION FORM
Microsoft Word (file extension ".doc")	Click to open or right click to save
Portable Document Format (file extension ".pdf")	Click to open or right click to save

APPLICATION SUBMISSION
Applications should be E-mailed as an attachment to the Chair, NNPDF Research Committee. If submitting on diskette or CD, enclose in protective mailer and send to the Chair, NNPDF Research Committee. PLEASE NOTE: Email submission is preferred.

Within 24 hours of sending your application, you should receive a confirmation of receipt from the Chair, NNPDF Research Committee. If for some reason, this confirmation is not received, please contact the Chair, NNPDF Research Committee by phone.

TERMS OF THE AWARD

• Progress Reports
  Second year award funding is contingent upon satisfactory progress. Fellows must submit progress reports to the Foundation at the end of each 6 months of funding - i.e. a total of four reports over the period of the fellowship. The Sponsor must review and approve all progress reports.
  
  A lay summary of the project and it findings must be part of each progress report. The lay summary should be suitable for distribution in the NNPDF newsletter and on the NNPDF website. Other than the lay summary, progress reports are confidential.
  
  At the completion of the fellowship, Fellows must submit a detailed progress report which includes:
  • a summary of research performed during the period of the fellowship;
  • an evaluation of the results; and
  • a lay summary suitable for publication in the NNPDF newsletter and on the NNPDF website.
  
  
• Attendance at Family Conference
  The NNPDF holds an annual Family Conference. Because the NNPDF considers patient interaction a significant aspect of research education, fellowship recipients are required to attend all Family conferences occurring during the period of the fellowship. The NNPDF will reimburse travel expenses incurred in attending these conferences.
  
  
• Full-Time Research Position
  NNPDF Fellowship awards are intended for full-time research. Physician scientists must devote their principal time and effort (at least 80 percent) to NNPDF-supported research activities. Activities constituting the remaining 20 percent of time and effort should be clearly specified in the application and in all progress reports.
  
  
• Publication
  Any publication resulting from NNPDF funding should carry a credit line reading "supported in part by a fellowship from the National Niemann-Pick Disease Foundation". A reprint or other copy of any publication should be sent to the Chair, NNPDF Research Committee.
  
  
• Overlapping Funding
  Should additional funding for this research become available during the period of the fellowship, the Fellow must so inform the Chair, NNPDF Research Committee in writing.
  
  
• Collaboration
  Fellows are requested to collaborate with other investigators engaged in NPD research, provided that those seeking information comply with any government regulations pertaining to the sharing of such information. This requirement includes sharing products with whoever has a legitimate interest in or need for them, in order to expedite progress in NPD research.
  
  
• Patient Education & Demographics
  Fellows who deal with NPD patients are required to distribute NPD pamphlets, fact sheets and other educational materials to those patients with whom they come in contact. (The Foundation will supply these materials upon request.) We also ask that Fellows cooperate with the NNPDF in its efforts to update and maintain its demographics by encouraging their NPD patients and families to contact the Foundation.
  
  
• Discontinuation of Project
  Should the Fellow and/or Sponsor wish to discontinue the project, or leave the designated institution, the NNPDF must be notified. If the Fellow and/or Sponsor wishes to modify any part of the fellowship agreement, he or she must seek approval from the National Niemann-Pick Disease Foundation in advance. Failure to comply with this requirement may jeopardize any future awards to the institution by the NNPDF. Unexpended portions of grants must be returned to the NNPDF within 60 days.

CONTACTS
Questions may be addressed to:

Susan Green Chair , NNPDF Research Committee susangee@zetnet.co.uk 011-44-1592-713409 (Phone) Street Address: Kingslaw House East Brae East Wemyss Fife KY1 4RS Scotland UK

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