Applicants will be reviewed based on the following criteria:
1. Candidate
- Does the candidate have the potential to develop as an independent and productive researcher?
- Are the candidate's prior training and research experience appropriate for this program?
- Is the candidate's academic, clinical (if relevant), and research record of high quality?
- Is there evidence of the candidate’s commitment to meeting the program objectives to become an independent investigator in research?
- Do the reference letters address the above review criteria, and do they provide evidence that the candidate has a high potential for becoming an independent investigator?
2. Career Development
- What is the likelihood that the program will contribute substantially to the scientific development of the candidate and lead to scientific independence?
- Are the candidate's prior training and research experience appropriate for this award?
- Are there plans for monitoring and evaluating the candidate’s research and career development progress?
3. Research Plan
- Is the research plan relevant to the candidate’s research career objectives?
- Is the research plan appropriate to the candidate's stage of research development and as a vehicle for developing the research skills pertinent to their career development?
4. Mentorship/Support
- Are the qualifications of the mentor(s) in the area of the proposed research appropriate?
- Is there evidence of the mentor's previous experience in fostering the development of independent investigators?
- Is there evidence of the mentor's current research productivity and peer-reviewed support?
- Is active/pending support for the proposed research project appropriate and adequate?
