The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) and the Ocular Melanoma Foundation (OMF) are pleased to announce a new partnership to provide a grant opportunity for researchers focused on ocular melanoma, which is diagnosed in approximately 2,000 adults in the United States each year.
Ocular/Uveal Melanoma Research
The AACR-Ocular Melanoma Foundation Fellowship represents a joint effort to encourage and support a postdoctoral or clinical research fellow to conduct ocular/uveal melanoma research and to establish a successful career path in ophthalmology, ocular oncology, uveal melanoma cancer biology, or a similar field.
“Rare diseases can often get overlooked because of low incidence or a lack of awareness, so the AACR is very pleased to be collaborating with the OMF to provide a fellowship opportunity that will enable a talented young investigator to conduct research related to ocular melanoma,” said
Margaret Foti, PhD, MD (hc), Chief Executive Officer of the AACR. “While advances have been made in recent years against metastatic melanoma of the skin, no effective treatments have been forthcoming for metastatic ocular melanoma, and more research is urgently needed to accelerate progress against this disease.”
“We are delighted to be partnering with the AACR in rolling out this grant program and see it as a fantastic vehicle for identifying and catalyzing the next generation of uveal melanoma innovators,” said OMF Chairman Grant Allen. “It’s these promising young researchers who will be identifying effective systemic treatment for ocular melanoma and true cancer cures in the future and, as the only organization funding ocular melanoma research, we are honored to support these individuals today.”
Applications Due December 17, 2014
The fellowship will provide $50,000 over the 1-year term, which will begin July 1, 2014. The recipient will formally accept the grant at the AACR Annual Meeting 2014, held April 5-9, in San Diego, California. The proposed research may be basic, translational, or clinical in nature and must have direct, primary applicability and relevance to ocular/uveal melanoma, or, if applicable to cutaneous melanoma as well, be focused primarily on uveal melanoma and its specific cancer biology.
Interested investigators may visit http://bit.ly/18b6W2H for further details. Applications must be submitted by noon ET, Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2013, using the proposal central website. (https://proposalcentral.altum.com/). A hard copy with original signatures must be mailed to the AACR at 615 Chestnut Street, 17th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19106, Attn: Hanna Hopfinger. Additional inquiries may be directed to grants@aacr.org. ■
