Initially created in FY09, the OCRP Ovarian Cancer Academy Award mechanism is a unique, interactive virtual academy providing intensive mentoring, national networking, collaborations, and a peer group for junior faculty. The overarching goal of the Ovarian Cancer Academy (OCA) is to develop successful, highly productive ovarian cancer researchers in a collaborative research and career development environment.
The OCA is a virtual career development and research training platform that consists of EarlyCareer Investigators (ECIs), their Designated Mentors from different institutions, and an Academy Dean and Assistant Dean. The OCRP Ovarian Cancer Academy – Early-Career Investigator Award is not a traditional career development award; the ECI is expected to participate in monthly webinars and annual workshops and to communicate and collaborate with other members of the Academy (other ECIs, Mentors, Dean, Assistant Dean) as well as with the advocacy community. Since its inception, the Academy’s ECIs have presented at and chaired sessions for ovarian cancer-specific symposia and served on symposia review committees. They have also served as peer reviewers for the Department of Defense (DOD) OCRP and other funding agencies.
The Academy Leadership (the Dean and the Assistant Dean) serves as a resource for the ECIs and Mentors, assessing the progress of the ECIs and facilitating communication and collaboration among all of the ECIs and Mentors, as well as with national research and advocacy communities. In addition to fostering the scientific development, the Academy, through its Leadership, provides for professional and leadership development of the ECIs to include skills and competencies needed to fund and manage a productive laboratory. Information about the Academy is available through the Academy website, https://www.ovariancanceracademy.org/.
This FY23 program announcement/funding opportunity is soliciting additional ECIs to join the existing Academy. This award mechanism enables the ECI (the investigator named as the Principal Investigator [PI] on the application) to pursue an ovarian cancer project that may be basic, translational, and/or clinical research, or a clinical trial under the guidance of a Designated Mentor. The Designated Mentor is not required to be at the same institution as the ECI.
Deadlines:
• Required Pre-Application Deadline: April 10, 2023
• Invitation to Submit an Application: May 2023
• Application Submission Deadline: July 21, 2023
Early-Career Investigator ○ Must be within 5 years of last postdoctoral research position (Ph.D.), clinical fellowship (M.D.), or equivalent as of the full application submission deadline. – A Statement of Eligibility is required with the submission of the full application. ○ May be a research- or physician-scientist. ○ May be in a non-tenure track or tenure track position. ○ Must not have a concurrent career development-like award at the time of this award. ○ Must have an institutional commitment of approximately 50% protected time for ovarian cancer research and OCA activities, including participation in monthly webinars. – Must commit no less than 25% effort to this award for the first 2 years. – Individuals in a postdoctoral research position (Ph.D.), clinical fellowship (M.D.), or equivalent at the time of full application submission are not eligible.
Designated Mentor ○ Must be an independent, established ovarian cancer researcher. ○ Must have ovarian cancer research funding (past and present). ○ Must have a record of ovarian cancer publications in peer-reviewed journals. ○ May be at the same institution as the ECI. ○ If not at the same institution, another Mentor (“Other Mentor,” see below) at the ECI’s institution must also be included in the application submission. ○ Must demonstrate a commitment (at least 5% effort for mentoring and participating in OCA activities such as offsite meetings and webinars) to develop and sustain the ECI’s independent career in ovarian cancer research. ○ Mentoring responsibilities include mentoring the ECI (i.e., the PI of this award) and an additional ECI within the OCA. ○ A current OCA Designated Mentor can only be a Designated Mentor to one OCA-ECI; thus, current OCA Designated Mentors cannot be named as a Designated Mentor in an FY23 application unless the period of performance of the current Ovarian Cancer Academy Award – Early-Career Investigator mechanism ends no later than July 2024. ○ The current OCA Dean and/or Assistant Dean cannot be listed as a Designated Mentor.
The anticipated direct costs budgeted for the entire period of performance for an FY23 OCRP Ovarian Cancer Academy – Early-Career Investigator Award should not exceed $725,000. Refer to Section II.D.5, Funding Restrictions, for detailed funding information.
