Stipends pay for post-doctoral and research scholarship.

The American Cancer Society says it has made alleviating the disproportionate burden of cancer on underserved populations a high priority.

Despite a decline in cancer incidence and mortality rates in the general population, the incidence of many cancers in poor and underserved populations is higher, and morbidity and mortality are often greater.

To fix that, the Extramural Grants Department of the ACS Research Department has set aside up to 10 percent of the ACS research budget to support science that addresses the disparity in cancer morbidity and mortality in poor and underserved populations. Here’s how it breaks down:

            • Postdoctoral fellowships support training for researchers who have received a doctorate and provide initial funding leading to a career in cancer research. Awards are made for up to three years with progressive stipends of $44,000, $46,000, and $48,000 per year, plus a $4,000 per year institutional allowance. Eligibility criteria, budget, and number of years of the award in this special initiative are the same as for those of ACS’s regular postdoctoral fellowship.

            • Mentored research scholar grants support research and training by full-time faculty to junior faculty, typically within the first four years of their first independent appointment. Awards are made for up to five years, with a budget of $135,000 per year plus indirect costs. Up to $10,000 per year for the mentor is included.

            • Research scholar grants support research in three areas: basic, preclinical, clinical, and epidemiologic projects; health services and health policy; and psychosocial and behavioral health policy. Unlike the fellowships and mentored research scholar grants, eligibility criteria, budget, and renewal status for these grants differ from those of ACS’s regular research grants.

For information, email Ronit Elk, PhD, at ronit.elk@cancer.org  and for instructions on applying for any of the grants, check out www.cancer.org/docroot/RES/content/RES_5_2x_Targeted_

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