Request for Proposals for Junior Investigators Interested in Neuropalliative Care to Participate in NeuroCARE Summit
*** The application deadline for this year has now passed. ***
NeuroCARE Summit will be held in-person April 12, 2024 in Denver, CO
Travel funding will be available for selected applicants.
We are pleased to announce an opportunity for junior investigators working in neuropalliative care to be an active participant in the first-ever Neuropalliative Care Research Summit (NeuroCARES). NeuroCARES will be a unique event where neuropalliative care researchers can interact with each other, leadership of International Neuropalliative Care Society (INPCS) Research Committee, and staff from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) to identify gaps and set research priorities for the future.
As a part of this first-ever meeting, we will be providing junior investigators an opportunity to present their research ideas in an interactive forum where they can receive feedback from experienced researchers in neuropalliative care. Individuals selected to present their research will be provided a travel stipend of up to $1,000 for transportation and lodging.
How to Apply
- Review application and eligibility requirements
- Submit completed application materials as a single PDF file via email to info@inpcs.org with the subject “Application Materials for NeuroCARES Lunch Workshop” by 11:00pm (US-Eastern) on February 5, 2024
Important Dates
- February 5, 2024, 11:00pm (US-Eastern): Application deadline for all documents
- ~March 10, 2024: Notification to recipients
- April 12, 2024: In-person NeuroCARE Summit in Denver, Colorado
Eligibility
- Applicants must be junior investigators (defined as either early in their career or establishing a new avenue of research) interested in an academic career in clinical neuropalliative care research. Neuropalliative care can be defined broadly as an approach to medical care that focuses on helping patients and families live well with serious neurological illness through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification and impeccable assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, including physical, psychosocial, and spiritual. Projects with the potential to improve healthcare equity or the diversity of the research workforce are of particular interest.
- Eligibility for this award requires an MD, PhD, or equivalent degree. Individuals who come from backgrounds that are historically under-represented groups in academic medicine are especially encouraged to apply, as are non-MD applicants (e.g. nurses, social workers, psychologists, epidemiologists). ***If you are interested in applying but concerned that you may not meet these requirements, please contact us at info@inpcs.org for more information.***
- The ideal applicant will either be planning, submitting, or have recently received (within 3 years of the date of the summit) a career development award (e.g. NIH K23 or equivalent, including foundation grants).
- Applicants cannot have received an R34, R01, or similar grant as a PI or MPI. Applicants who are PI or MPI on R21s are eligible.
Evaluation and Selection
NeuroCARES leadership will select relevant reviewers to evaluate applications using criteria of significance of the problem, scientific approach, relevance to NeuroCARES priorities, and merits of the applicant.
Required Documents for Application
Our goal is to have a streamlined application process to minimize burden and encourage as many people as possible to apply.
- Cover page
- Project Title, Applicant Name, Applicant Academic Rank, Institution, List of Research Mentor(s)
- Please also include written confirmation that you will (or will not) be able to travel to NeuroCARES on April 12, 2024, in Denver, CO, and whether your ability to attend is contingent on receiving a travel stipend.
- Biosketch in NIH Format or Curriculum Vitae if an NIH Biosketch is not available.
- Project summary (One page or less)
- Provide an overview of the problem and why it is significant, the research question(s) the applicant wants to ask, how the question(s) will be addressed. The goal is to describe planned or ongoing research, rather than a completed project.
- Ideally, the Project Summary will take the format of a Specific Aims page for an NIH Career Development award. Applicants may use an existing Aims page from a planned, submitted, or funded proposal or grant. However, other summary formats will be accepted if the applicant is not yet at the stage of writing a Specific Aims page.
- References are not required for the one-page project summary, though if you have references these do not count against the page limit.
Format Guidelines
- Use margins of 0.5 inch or greater and 11-point font size.
- Application must be sent as one (1) combined PDF document.
Once Awarded
Applicants who are awarded a travel stipend will be expected to:
- Attend NeuroCARES in-person.
- Give a brief oral presentation (10-15 minutes) on their proposed research during a lunch workshop at NeuroCARES. Experienced neuropalliative care researchers will ask questions and make constructive suggestions to the applicant. Further details on the presentation expectations will be provided prior to the meeting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Isn’t the date right before the American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting?
Yes! NeuroCARES was intentionally scheduled one day before the AAN Annual Meeting to allow participants and NINDS staff to easily attend both meetings, if desired.
I already have a K23 grant (or similar career development award), should I still apply?
Absolutely! Individuals who have been awarded a K23 (or equivalent grant) within 3 years of the meeting date are eligible to apply. Since you already have a Specific Aims page, the application process should be minimal burden. We are looking for a few individuals with existing career development awards to present on their ongoing projects to share success stories and how they overcame any challenges. The opportunity to meet with other researchers and NINDS staff may also help with the K to R transition.
What if I cannot attend in person? What if I apply but am not selected?
The primary goal of this program is to provide travel funding for junior investigators who would not otherwise be able to come to the in-person event. We do ask that every applicant clearly designate their ability to attend in-person at the time of submission. While we are planning to offer a hybrid option, this will likely be in the format of a broadcast webinar with limited or no opportunity for interactive participation. Unfortunately, a real-time hybrid meeting with extensive real-time interaction is outside the budget for this meeting. More details on options for virtual attendance will be forthcoming.
Our goal is to help any junior investigator who applies for the award receive some feedback on their proposal, even if they are not selected for an award. The exact format this feedback will take will depend on the number of applications, but may include written comments on the proposal, facilitation of connection with others working in similar areas, or invitations to present at other INPCS forums.
To download a PDF version of this Request for Proposals, please click here.
Contact Information:
Brennan Summers, INPCS Executive Director
info@inpcs.org
This conference has been funded in part by a grant from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke U13 NS134263-01.
