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