UNDERSTANDING AND IMPROVING THE TREATMENT OF HUMAN DISEASE THROUGH POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH AWARDS
Established in 1936, the Charles A. King Trust was created to “support and promote the investigation of human disease and the alleviation of human suffering through improved treatment.” The Charles A. King Trust Postdoctoral Fellowship Program provides funding to postdoctoral fellows and mentored clinician scientists in the mid to late stages of their research training in basic and preclinical science, and clinical, health services, population health, and implementation research to help them achieve their goals of becoming independent investigators in biomedical research.
Award amount: Two-year grants ranging from $194,100 to $215,000 total, inclusive of stipend, fringe, and a $25,000 annual flexible expense allowance will be awarded October 1, 2024.
Eligibility: Senior postdoctoral researchers and mentored clinician scientists working in the state of Massachusetts. By October 1, 2024,
- Applicants without clinical training must have completed 3-6 years of full-time postdoctoral research and have 90% protected time for research.
- Applicants with clinical training must have completed no more than 6 years cumulative full-time postdoctoral research experience since completion of residency or similar clinical training and have at least 70% protected time for research.
See the Guidelines for additional eligibility requirements.
Research Focus: The program supports research across biomedical fields that focuses on the causes of human disease with the mission of improving treatment. Applicants may apply under one of the two separate, but linked programs:
- Basic and Preclinical Science Award Program:
- Proposals in the basic sciences seek to increase our understanding of the underlying biological processes relevant to human health and disease. Preclinical sciences seek to move findings from basic research towards clinical application. See https://hria.org/tmf/KingBasic or guidelines for more details.
- Clinical and Implementation Research Award Program:
- Clinical or implementation research funded by this program support human studies including physiological research, behavioral science and health education research, translational research (the application of bench research to patient care), epidemiological research, health services and policy research, outcomes research, and research about healthcare delivery and population health, regardless of specialty or discipline. See https://hria.org/tmf/KingClinical or guidelines for more details.
For questions regarding basic versus clinical research, please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions document.
Applicants must review the Guidelines for additional detail regarding the Program, including Eligibility Requirements, Review Criteria, and Submission Instructions. All relevant materials are accessible via the right panel.
Funders:
Bank of America, N.A., Melissa MacGillivray Dane, and Susan Monahan serve as Co-Trustees of the Charles A. King Trust. Private foundations, individuals and other contributors have joined the Charles A. King Trust in supporting the Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Program. Proposals focused on cancer or blindness (not visual impairment) are highly encouraged due to the availability of dedicated fellowships supported by the generous funding contributed respectively from the Sara Elizabeth O’Brien Trust, Bank of America, N.A., Trustee, and the Simeon J. Fortin Charitable Foundation, Bank of America, N.A., Trustee.
Promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion:
According to the National Academy of Science and Medicine, the cultural diversity of a nation’s workforce, including science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is a key factor in its ability to innovate and compete in a global economy. To promote and enable diversity in biomedical research, the King Trust is committed to awarding researchers of all backgrounds, including racial/ethnic groups that are underrepresented in science. The National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health have shown that individuals from the following racial and ethnic groups are underrepresented in science: Blacks or African Americans, Hispanics or Latinos, American Indians or Alaskan Natives, Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders. Applicants from these groups are encouraged to apply.
The King Trust seeks to support the next generation of scientific leaders who are dedicated to creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive research environment, and who contribute to the wider research community and promote positive research culture. Such efforts will not only help to advance scientific discovery through diversity of thought but also maximize the impact of biomedical research funding.
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