Judith Graham Pool Postdoctoral Research Fellowships

Letter of Intent Deadline: July, 5, 2020
Application Deadline: August 16, 2020
Award Start Date: December 2020

NHF’s premier research fellowship program is named in honor of Dr. Judith Graham Pool. Established by NHF in 1972, the Judith Graham Pool (JGP) Postdoctoral Research Fellowships have provided a long legacy of support for basic science and pre-clinical research in bleeding disorders. In 1965, Dr. Pool discovered a method of extracting clotting factor from human plasma to formulate cryoprecipitate. This breakthrough opened the door to a series of research developments that would revolutionize treatment for hemophilia and ultimately lead to its management through recombinant replacement factor and current extended half-life therapies.

Since the program’s inception, NHF has funded numerous scientists whose projects have produced vital insights into hemophilia and other bleeding disorders. JGP research fellowship award projects have contributed to the development of safer concentrates, enhanced methods of testing and screening, and have laid the groundwork for current advances in gene therapy for hemophilia.

Eligibility Requirements

Candidates for the JGP Postdoctoral Research Fellowship must have completed doctoral training and be enrolled or will be enrolled in a doctoral, postdoctoral, internship or residency training program at the time of award disbursement. Individuals with more than six years of experience since completing doctoral training are not eligible to apply. Established investigators or faculty members are also not eligible.

U.S. citizenship is not required, but prospective candidates must be affiliated with a U.S.-based organization (such as a university, college, hospital, government agency and/or lab). Only investigators associated with a non-commercial institution will be eligible for NHF grant funding.

The JGP fellowship recipient will be expected to spend at least 80% of their working time on the funded research project. The remaining 20% may be devoted to teaching and/or other clinical/research work at their institution. The JGP award recipient and his/her mentor(s) are expected to remain with their institution for the duration of the project being funded. Letters of support signed by appropriate officials of the institution will be required as part of the application.

Funding

Overall funding for the JGP Fellowships is made possible through the generous contributions of NHF chapters, individuals and other foundations. NHF will award up to $52,000/year for a maximum of two years. Continuation for the second JGP year will be based upon the submission of progress reports and a continuation application.

Your support makes JGP Fellowships possible. To make your own contribution, click here.

Scope of Research

Permissible proposal topics include pre-clinical or basic science research on the biochemical, genetic or hematologic aspects of hemophilia, von Willebrand disease, or other inherited bleeding disorder. Other topics might include focus on HIV/AIDS, joint disease/orthopedics, women’s health, or other therapeutic modalities pertaining to bleeding disorders.

Deadlines

All interested candidates need to submit a ‘Letter of Intent’ (LOI) by email to Dr. Michelle Witkop, Head of Research, at mwitkop@hemophilia.org by no later than 7/5/2020 at 11:59 PM EST. Letters that do not arrive by the deadline will not be accepted.

LOIs need to be submitted on institutional letterhead and will not be considered for review unless signed by the candidate.  LOIs should be: addressed to “Members of NHF’s Research Review Committee,” be 1 to 1.5 pages in length, include a brief introduction of the candidate/researcher and ability to meet eligibility criteria (detailed above -including the ability to devote, at least, 80% of time to the project), information about his/her mentor, and a brief description of the proposed research project. Letters must be accompanied by a CV (NIH-style biosketch preferred) for both the candidate and his/her mentor, and submitted as a single PDF.

LOIs will be evaluated by members of NHF’s Research Review Committee based on the candidate’s eligibility and relevance of the proposed research to the field of bleeding disorders. The committee will then collectively decide which candidates will be invited to submit a full application. The selected candidates will have until 8/16/2020 at 11:59 pm EST to submit their full JGP application to NHF. Applications that do not arrive by the deadline will not be accepted.

JGP applications are subjected to a rigorous peer review process.  Proposals are to be reviewed on scientific merit and scored in the areas of project significance, scientific approach, innovation, investigator qualifications and research environment.

Inquiries

A copy of NHF’s Research Grant Policies may requested by writing to research@hemophilia.org.

All other inquiries regarding this or any other of NHF’s research grant programs can be addressed to Dr. Michelle Witkop, NHF Head of Research, via email mwitkop@hemophilia.org or by phone at 347.541.2963.

Source: National Hemophilia Foundation