ASTRO-AstraZeneca Radiation Oncology Research Training Fellowship
Verified
ASTRO-AstraZeneca Radiation Oncology Research Training Fellowship
American Society For Radiation Oncology
PURPOSE Physician-scientists often receive world-class training in patient care, including the newest technologies and approaches to diagnose and treat disease. However, these clinicians also require additional training in clinical research, in order to stay up to date with the pace of medical progress. As such, many radiation oncology residency programs offer a research year to these young physician-scientists to ensure they have sufficient expertise to contribute to research projects or clinical trials that will advance medical practice and improve patient outcomes. Many of these training experiences occur in an academic setting and are focused mainly on retrospective clinical analyses or basic, laboratory-based science; there is a paucity of training opportunities for clinical fellows to gain knowledge in the design, application, and uptake of the results from clinical research (including pharma-sponsored research). The Fellowship Program is designed to provide physician-scientist trainees with real-world experience in the development, administration and application of clinical trials and real-world studies at the facilities of AstraZeneca and its Affiliates in Gaithersburg, Maryland. AWARD TERM 1 year NUMBER OF AWARDS 2 AWARD BUDGET $104,040 per award is anticipated to be awarded to the selected fellow’s Institution (“Institution”). The fellowship funds must be used for salary support for the selected fellow and a fraction of the funds can be used for travel to the ASTRO Annual Meeting. Neither ASTRO nor AstraZeneca will pay indirect costs as part of this award. No funds may be used for laboratory or other supplies. If travel is required for a Fellow to begin work at the AstraZeneca site, a limited stipend will be provided by AstraZeneca separate from the grant funding through AstraZeneca’s expense reimbursement systems. APPLICATION DUE DATE January 10, 2025; 11:59 PM Eastern Standard time (GMT -5) EARLIEST START DATE July 1, 2025
PROGRAM FORMAT The fellow is anticipated to remain an affiliate of the fellow’s home institution but receive research training at an AstraZeneca corporate site under the development by and supervision of AstraZeneca. Before starting the fellowship, the fellow, the fellow’s home institution and ASTRO must mutually agree to the Terms and Conditions of the Fellowship award. In addition, the fellow, the fellow’s home institution, and AstraZeneca will develop a separate written Research Agreement with mutually agreed terms including intellectual property arrangements. In the Research Agreement, the fellow and AstraZeneca will document the proposed research training experiences designed to broaden the fellow’s scientific background and maximize the fellow’s acquisition of new knowledge and skills that will enhance the fellow’s potential to become a productive and independent investigator. The Research Agreement will also document the availability of AstraZeneca’s staff, support, and facilities for high-quality training. All work will be conducted at an AstraZeneca research site and not at the fellow’s home Institution or any other academic sites. SCOPE OF RESEARCH The fellow can expect to work with AstraZeneca on multiple projects related to company assets, both with approved indications and those in development. These range from development of medical strategies, product launch plans, and investigating aspects throughout the entire patient journey (from diagnosis to treatment). Opportunities to gain exposure to the drug development process from discovery through late-stage clinical trials are available, but hands-on experience is somewhat limited. Research opportunities include application of AstraZeneca products and clinical studies as real-world evidence, post-marketing studies, and other evidence generation strategies. Opportunities within AstraZeneca programs focused on immuno-oncology and targeted therapies as treatment strategies for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) are included. PROGRAM CONTACT • Email questions about this PA to the Department of Scientific Affairs at science@astro.org. • Technical questions about the ProposalCentral submission system should be directed to their customer support at 1-800-875-2562 (Tollfree U.S. and Canada) or by email pcsupport@altum.com. Support is available during normal business hours: 8:30 am - 5:00 pm Eastern Time (Monday through Friday).
COMMITMENT FROM THE FELLOW • The fellow must designate a mentor at their training program’s Institution who will provide guidance and support for the research training opportunity. The fellow will also be assigned an AstraZeneca mentor who will oversee the fellowship activities. • Because of the focus on progression to independence as a researcher, the fellow should propose a career development plan that is consistent with their previous training and suited to their career development needs. • Since the goal is to provide the fellow with a research training opportunity in industry, the fellow is not allowed to maintain additional research related grant support while serving in the fellowship program. • The fellow is required to contact ASTRO immediately if any problems are encountered that would prevent them from successfully completing the fellowship. • The fellow is to attend at least one ASTRO Annual Meeting.
COMMITMENT FROM THE FELLOW’S INSTITUTION • The fellow’s home Institution must be willing to allow the fellow to train at the facilities of AstraZeneca and its Affiliates in Gaithersburg, Maryland, during the trainee’s research time. • The fellow’s home Institution must sign an agreement with ASTRO and another independent agreement with AstraZeneca to allow the fellow to train at AstraZeneca. The agreement with AstraZeneca will include terms on the handling of intellectual property developed while the fellow is conducting research training at AstraZeneca. The ASTRO Terms & Conditions for this Award are attached and should be shared with organizational officials before applications are submitted. • The fellow and the fellow’s home Institution must make a good faith effort to complete all agreements in a timely manner (prior to the July 1, 2025 start date). • The host department will act as the fiscal intermediary. The Institution will pay the salary to the fellow and be responsible for satisfying tax withholding, deposit and/or reporting requirements applicable to the payment of the award. The fellow will be responsible for individual income taxes. • ASTRO and AstraZeneca do NOT pay Institutional facility and administrative costs. Funds provided under this fellowship program will be used to pay salary and benefits for the recipient (at the level of $104,040). Up to $3000 may be used to reimburse travel and registration costs to attend the ASTRO Annual Meeting. Depending on the AstraZeneca research location, a housing relocation allowance may be added. • The fellow’s home Institution will be required to provide sufficient additional funds to supplement the fellow’s salary or other fees. • The fellow’s home Institution will maintain insurance for medical professional liability and comprehensive general liability during the fellowship period. • Any change in the fellow’s Institution, department chair, mentor, or the fellow’s position that might affect the fellow’s ability to successfully complete the fellowship should be communicated as soon as possible to ASTRO Department of Scientific Affairs so that appropriate action can be taken.
Specialties
Eligibility Requirements
ASTRO Membership The individual applicant must be a current and active ASTRO member, or have submitted an application for ASTRO membership, as of the due date of the fellowship application. If selected, the fellow will be required to maintain their ASTRO membership throughout the duration of the fellowship. Degree Requirements The individual applicant must hold a medical degree such as M.D./Ph.D., M.D., D.O., or other equivalent degree(s) as of the due date of the fellowship application. Strong clinical experience, including clinical research experience are highly desired. Residency Program, Other Trainee Status, and Institutional Affiliation An eligible applicant must be enrolled in an accredited radiation oncology residency program at an academic, medical or research institution within the United States, and have accumulated at least two years of clinical training by the start of the Fellowship term. Alternatively, the individual applicant can also be someone who previously graduated from a radiation oncology residency program, yet currently maintains a trainee status (such as a postdoctoral training appointment or an advanced degree program) under an U.S. domestic Institution during this ASTRO-AstraZeneca Radiation Oncology Research Training Fellowship. The individual applicant must be able to secure sufficient time (1 year) for the fellowship at AstraZeneca starting July 1, 2025. Faculty members or equivalent status are not eligible to apply. The Institution must be a U.S. domestic organization, defined as “a public (including a State or other governmental agency) or private non-profit or for-profit organization that is located in the U.S. or its territories, and, is subject to U.S. laws, and assumes legal and financial accountability for awarded funds and for the performance of the fellowship-supported activities.” Once designated in mutual agreement with the applicant, the Institution is legally responsible for providing financial and progress reports as required by ASTRO, and financially responsible for the use and disposition of any funds awarded based on the application.
Eligible Countries:
Sponsor Details
Sponsor Institute/Organizations: American Society For Radiation Oncology
Address: 251 18th Street South, 8th Floor Arlington, VA 22202 Telephone: 703-502-1550
Legal & Affiliation Disclaimer
Affiliation Disclaimer: Trialect operates independently and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or supported by any sponsors or organizations posting on the GrantsBoard platform. As an independent aggregator of publicly available funding opportunities, Trialect provides equal access to information for all users without endorsing any specific funding source, content, organization, or sponsor. Trialect assumes no responsibility for the content posted by sponsors or third parties.
Subscription Disclaimer: Upon logging into Trialect, you may choose to SUBSCRIBE to GrantsBoard for timely notifications of funding opportunities and to access exclusive benefits, such as priority alerts, reminders, personalized recommendations, and additional application support. However, users are advised to contact sponsors directly for any questions and are not required to subscribe to engage with funding opportunities.
Content Ownership and Copyright Disclaimer: Trialect respects the intellectual property rights of all organizations and individuals. All content posted on GrantsBoard is provided solely for informational purposes and remains the property of the original owners. Trialect does not claim ownership of, nor does it have any proprietary interest in, content provided by third-party sponsors. Users are encouraged to verify content and ownership directly with the posting sponsor.
Fair Use Disclaimer: The information and content available on GrantsBoard are compiled from publicly accessible sources in alignment with fair use principles under U.S. copyright law. Trialect serves as an aggregator of this content, offering it to users in good faith and with the understanding that it is available for public dissemination. Any organization or individual who believes their intellectual property rights have been violated is encouraged to contact us for prompt resolution.
Third-Party Posting Responsibility Disclaimer: Trialect is a neutral platform that allows third-party sponsors to post funding opportunities for informational purposes only. Sponsors are solely responsible for ensuring that their postings comply with copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws. Trialect assumes no liability for any copyright or intellectual property infringements in third-party content and will take appropriate action to address any substantiated claims.
Accuracy and Verification Disclaimer: Trialect makes no warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information provided by sponsors. Users are advised to verify the details of any funding opportunity directly with the sponsor before taking action. Trialect cannot be held liable for any discrepancies, omissions, or inaccuracies in third-party postings.
Notice and Takedown Policy: Trialect is committed to upholding copyright law and protecting the rights of intellectual property owners. If you believe that content on GrantsBoard infringes your copyright or intellectual property rights, please contact us with detailed information about the claim. Upon receipt of a valid notice, Trialect will promptly investigate and, where appropriate, remove or disable access to the infringing content.
Disclaimer:It is mandatory that all applicants carry workplace liability insurance, e.g., https://www.protrip-world-liability.com (Erasmus students use this package and typically costs around 5 € per month - please check) in addition to health insurance when you join any of the onsite Trialect partnered fellowships.
Questions and Answers
Commonly asked questions about this funding opportunity from the host and other attendees.
I am a board certified medical physicist. Am I eligible to apply for ASTRO supported grants or can only physicians apply?
Board-eligible physicians, radiobiologists, or physicists in radiation oncology may apply for ASTRO’s Career Development Awards.
Anyone committed to a research career to advance the radiation oncology field and is in a U.S. residency or fellowship at the time of application may apply for ASTRO’s Residents/Fellows in Radiation Oncology Seed Grants.
For specific eligibility criteria please review the relevant Program Announcements.
Are residents from Canadian Universities eligible to apply for the Residents/Fellows in Radiation Oncology Research Seed Grants?
The applicant must be enrolled in a U.S. residency or fellowship at the time the application is submitted.
Do references for the detailed research plan count towards the page limit?
No, references do not count towards the page limit.
Do figures for the detailed research plan count towards the page limit?
Yes, figures do count towards the page limit.
Is there a minimum PI effort required?
Junior faculty investigators should dedicate at least 25% effort to research while residents/fellows should dedicate 75% effort to research.
Does the mentor’s biosketch need to be included in the application?
The applicant and lead mentor must each submit a biosketch per the guidelines in the Program Announcements.
Who is considered an institutional representative for whom I need my third letter of recommendation?
The institutional letter should reiterate that the applicant’s plan for research has been approved. This letter can be written by a variety of different institutions, including:
IRB
Office of Research and Evaluation
Academic Office
Facility where the research will be conducted
Does the research project I want to fund have to be preapproved by the IRB in order to be considered for the grant?
No, the research project does not have to be preapproved by the IRB in order to apply for ASTRO supported grants.
I am currently being funded by another grant, but it supports less than 25 percent of my efforts, am I still eligible to apply to ASTRO’s grants?
Researchers who are already funded by another grant may still apply for ASTRO supported grants as long as there is no scientific or budgetary overlap, and there is no over commitment.
I would like to obtain past recipient’s research proposals; can ASTRO send that information to me?
Upon request, ASTRO can provide a past award winner's abstract, but cannot expressly share an applicant’s proposal or application.
For the Residents/Fellows in Radiation Oncology Research Training Seed Grant are 6-month proposals also eligible? If so, would this be for the full amount, or for a $12,500 award?
The Resident/Fellows Seed grant is only available for a one year term.
Can indirect costs be budgeted?
No, ASTRO does not pay institutional indirect cost.
Examples of indirect cost include:
telephone charges
computer use
project clerical personnel
postage and printing
miscellaneous office supplies
utilities
rent
audit and legal
administrative staff
equipment rental
Can a mentor continue the primary investigator's research if the PI leaves the institution?
No, the research must be completed by the PI. The grant is not transferable to the mentor should the PI leave the institution.
I received helpful feedback from reviewers for a prior application that was not funded. Is there a formalized resubmission process?
There is no separate process for resubmissions. Applicants are to submit a new proposal, and are encouraged to use the reviewers’ comments to guide the proposal development.
Activity Logs
There are 2 new tasks for you in “AirPlus Mobile App” project:
Invite Gmail Contacts