BLOG: URM award funds ‘highest level’ of cell therapy, transplant research
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Early in my career, I received a career development award from a scientific society to further my research on cellular therapies in hematologic malignancies.
In addition to research funding, this experience afforded me with protected time that enabled me to go on to earn third-party funding including from NIH.
ASTCT has introduced an underrepresented minority (URM)-specific early-career award to fund the highest level of cellular therapy and transplant research. This peer-reviewed grant was developed to improve retention of the brightest URM scientists and ensure the field remains diverse.
Importantly, URM scientists remain eligible for the other six early-career (new investigator) awards ASTCT offers.
ASTCT is committed to enhancing the number of transplant and cellular therapy physicians and scientists from backgrounds underrepresented in medicine and science.
This category of award is of particular significance, as it enables scientists who identify as URM to continue clinical or basic/translational laboratory research in the field of blood and marrow transplantation, while strengthening the pipeline and contributing to enhancing representation within the field.
ASTCT is confident this new award will have long-term benefits not only for those scientists funded but for the whole field of transplantation and cell therapy.
The deadline for receipt of applications was Sept. 13, 2021. Applications were evaluated for scientific merit within the field of blood and marrow transplantation and/or cell therapy, significance and anticipated overall impact of the potential findings, institutional environment, the mentoring record of the sponsor/mentor, and the potential contribution of the proposed research to the field of blood and marrow transplantation and/or cell therapy.
Applicants were notified of their award status (awardee, alternate or not fundable) on Dec. 1, 2021, and the awards will be publicly announced at the 2022 Tandem Meetings of ASTCT and CIBMTR, scheduled for April 23-26 in Salt Lake City.
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