Effective July 1, The ASCO Cancer Foundation (TACF) is accepting applications for Career Development Awards

(CDAs) for the 3-year period July 1, 2011, to June 30, 2014. The $200,000 award will be paid in three annual increments to the awardee's institution. Since its inception in 1992, the CDA program has awarded research grants to over 180 recipients, totaling more than $32 million.

The foundation encourages qualifying individuals at institutions across the country to apply for these grants.

Submissions in all oncology subspecialties are welcome.

Noting that obtaining federal funding is becoming more difficult for investigators, Kathleen Cooney, MD, Chair of the foundation's Grants Selection Committee said, "These grants are critical in helping to groom future medical oncologists. More investigators are turning to private foundations for research support, and an increasing number of organizations such as ASCO are emphasizing early-stage career awards."

Asked what advice she would give applicants, Dr. Cooney suggested that individuals start preparing the application early. "Seek advice from prior awardees and experienced faculty members." She noted that the clarity of presentation in the application materials is also critical. "Reviewers are reading a large number of abstracts and applications, and it's important for the applicant's ideas to be clear," Dr. Cooney said.

Application Review Process

After initial review by TACF staff for completeness and eligibility, applications are distributed to members of the Grants Selections Committee for peer review. Dr. Cooney explained that the committee comprises more than 40 individuals, who represent all disciplines related to the proposed clinical research projects, such as surgeons, radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, and geneticists. Biostatisticians and laboratory scientists "who are well integrated into cancer centers" are also included on the committee.

The peer review process has two rounds. In the first round, the committee chair and the foundation's scientific reviewer assign each application to two committee members chosen on the basis of the type of science being proposed. This determination is made using the "focus areas" designated on the application as well as the application abstract. In addition to the primary and secondary reviewers, a biostatistician also reviews applications.

Reviewers use a modified version of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) scoring system to score the applications. TACF also has its own "strengths and weaknesses" checklist that is used in conjunction with the score. The committee looks closely at the career development aspects of the application, according to Dr. Cooney.  She added, "Much of the emphasis in reviewing applications is on asking questions such as 'Is the applicant qualified and well prepared for a career in academic oncology? Is the science appropriate, considering the individual's training and experience? Will completion of the proposed research move the applicant along in an academic career toward his or her stated goal?" While the science of the proposed research is certainly critical, other elements are also important, such as selection of a mentor and the training environment."

After the first round of review, the reviewers present their view of the application to the full Grants Selections Committee at a face-to-face meeting, and open discussion follows. Every member of the committee (except those with a conflict of interest) scores the application in this second round. The final score from the entire committee determines which applications are funded.

Trends in CDA Applications

Dr. Cooney commented that in her 5-year tenure on the Grants Selection Committee, as well as in her service on NIH study sections, she has seen a remarkable growth in the number of translational research projects. "Many cancer treatment programs are moving toward use of agents that target specific biologic pathways. This requires the assessment of biomarkers and tissue endpoints, so the grants are by necessity becoming more translational. There is also the need for more statistical input because of the sophistication of clinical trial designs."

A strong mentor is a requirement for CDA grants, reflecting the emphasis on this in the current academic community. "Another trend [in grant applications] is having a mentoring team in which a variety of individuals with different intellectual or training expertise contribute to mentoring a junior faculty member." Dr. Cooney said.

The foundation will announce the CDA grant recipients in April 2011. For more information and to download application templates, go to www.ascocancerfoundation.org/cda. ■

© 2010. American Society of Clinical Oncology. All Rights Reserved.