The Pew Scholars Program in the Biomedical Sciences provides funding to young investigators of outstanding promise in science relevant to the advancement of human health. The program makes grants to selected academic institutions to support the independent research of outstanding individuals who are in their first few years of their appointment at the assistant professor level.

Limited Submissions Internal Call for Proposals: Pew Biomedical Scholars 2022
UNC Internal Deadline: Monday, March 29, 2021 by 11:59PM
Institutional Nomination Deadline: Monday, May 17, 2021
Pew Biomedical Scholars Application Deadline: Wednesday, September 1, 2021
Award Details: One nomination will be invited from each of the participating institutions. An award of $75,000 per year for four years will be provided to the sponsoring institution for use by the scholar, subject to annual review of the scholar’s progress. Grant agreements will be issued in August of the award year. The awarded funds may be used at the discretion of the Pew scholar, for personnel, equipment, supplies, or travel directly related to the scholar’s research and as to best advance his or her research and career.
Program Overview: The Pew Scholars Program in the Biomedical Sciences provides funding to young investigators of outstanding promise in science relevant to the advancement of human health. The program makes grants to selected academic institutions to support the independent research of outstanding individuals who are in their first few years of their appointment at the assistant professor level.
Based on their performance during their education and training, ideal candidates should demonstrate outstanding promise as contributors in science relevant to human health. This program does not fund clinical trials research. Strong proposals will incorporate particularly creative and pioneering approaches to basic, translational, and applied biomedical research. Candidates whose work is based on biomedical principles but who bring in concepts and theories from more diverse fields are encouraged to apply.
Ideas with the potential to produce an unusually high impact are encouraged. Selection of the successful candidates will be based on a detailed description of the work that the applicant proposes to undertake, evaluations of the candidate’s performance, and notable past accomplishments, including honors, awards, and publications. In evaluating the candidates, the National Advisory Committee gives considerable weight to evidence that the candidate is a successful independent investigator and has published significant work.
Funding from the NIH, other government sources, and project grants from nonprofit associations do not pose a conflict with the Pew Scholars’ program.
Eligibility: Candidates must meet all of the following eligibility requirements:
- Hold a doctorate in biomedical sciences, medicine, or a related field.
- As of Sept. 1, 2021, hold a full-time appointment at the rank of assistant professor. (Appointments such as research assistant professor, adjunct assistant professor, assistant professor research track, visiting professor, or instructor are not eligible).
- Must not have been appointed as an assistant professor at any institution prior to June 14, 2017, whether or not such an appointment was on a tenure track. Time spent in clinical internships, residencies, in work toward board certification, or on parental leave does not count as part of this four-year limit.
- May apply to the program a maximum of two times. All applicants must be nominated by their institution and must complete the 2022 online application.
- If applicants have appointments at more than one eligible nominating institution or affiliate, they may not reapply in a subsequent year from a different nominating entity.
- May not be nominated for the Pew Scholars Program and the Pew-Stewart Scholars Program for Cancer Research in the same year.
To Apply: Submit the following (in ONE .pdf) to Limited_Submission@unc.edu by 11:59PM, Monday, March 29, 2021.
- PI’s full CV, including publications and research support
- Project Summary (two-page maximum)
- Letter of nomination from department chair
- List of three individuals to provide external letters of recommendation: the candidate’s thesis advisor, postdoctoral advisor, and a scientific reference from an individual external to UNC who is not a collaborator or mentor. For each recommender, include titles, institutional affiliations, and a two-three sentence overview of their area of expertise.
- Names (along with title, department, and email) of three internal (to UNC) experts who could speak knowledgeably about the candidate’s research and who could potentially serve on an internal review panel to evaluate nominees.
- Please do not include the names of faculty named on the project, chairs, deans, directors, direct reports, or others who have a conflict of interest.
- Please notify all potential internal reviewers before submitting the pre-proposal packet to ORD.
Full Solicitation: https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/projects/pew-biomedical-scholars/program-details?utm_campaign=2021-01-12+Biomed+scholars+update&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Pew