Informatics

The goal of the Informatics Programs is to promote the use of informatics in an integrative approach to the understanding of biological and disease processes.  Informatics awards are intended to support career development for scientists engaged in cutting-edge research in information technology and experimental validation, thus advancing the integration of molecular and clinical approaches into problems of pharmacological concern.

Pre Doctoral Fellowships

This program provides up to two years of stipend funding to support the research activities of the doctoral program and only after course work has been completed.  An applicant must be a full-time student and the Department Chair or graduate officer is expected to verify the applicant's doctoral candidacy.

Progress in pharmacological research requires the constant entry of well-trained investigators into the field. The PhRMA Foundation recognizes that the training of such individuals is long and expensive, requiring four to five years of post baccalaureate study and research. To provide assistance in the advanced stages of this training, the PhRMA Foundation program aims to support promising students during their thesis research. The program provides a stipend and funds to cover costs incidental to the student's academic training. Applications will be accepted to support a minimum of one year and a maximum of two years.

The program is designed for candidates who expect to complete the requirements for the Ph.D. in fields of informatics in two years or less from the time the fellowship begins.

The program expects the fellows to devote full-time (including summers) to their research. The PhRMA Foundation fellowship may not be used to supplement funds from other fellowships, traineeships or assistantships, unless necessary to make stipend levels compliant with institutional policy. The focus of the program is to assist in the predoctoral training of the candidate. It should not be viewed as a program to fund a research project. Highest priority will be given to applications which support the goal of the Informatics Programs as noted above.

Eligibility

The fellowship program of pre doctoral support is designed to assist full-time, in-residence Ph.D. candidates in the fields of informatics who are enrolled in USA schools of medicine, pharmacy, dentistry or veterinary medicine. The program supports full-time advanced students who will have completed the bulk of their pre-thesis requirements (at least two years of study) and are engaged in thesis research as Ph.D. candidates by the time the award is activated. Students just starting in graduate school should not apply.

The goal of the program is to promote the use of informatics in an integrative approach to the understanding of biological and disease processes. Informatics awards will support career development of scientists engaged in computational and experimental research to integrate cutting-edge information technology with advanced biological, chemical, and pharmacological sciences.

Applications must be submitted by an accredited U.S. school, and all applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Due to the high demand for this fellowship, the PhRMA Foundation will accept only two applications per academic institution.  Exceptions may be considered for institutions with multiple campuses. Applications are to be submitted via the Foundation website and received by September 1, 2010. Applications will not be accepted after the deadline date.

Award

The award is made to the university on behalf of the fellow. The fellowship provides a stipend of $20,000 a year payable quarterly for a minimum of one year and a maximum of two years. Of the $20,000 awarded annually, up to $500 a year may be used for incidentals directly associated with the thesis research preparation (e.g., secretarial help, artwork, books, travel, etc.). Awards may be activated beginning January 1, 2011 or on the first day of any month thereafter, up to and including August 1, 2011. The second year of funding, if applicable, will be contingent upon a satisfactory review of the award recipient's progress during the first ten months of funding. A progress report will be due to the Foundation prior to the beginning of the second year of funding. The progress will be assessed by the Informatics Advisory Committee. The decision will be based on adherence to the goals of the announcement of the overall program, and also in keeping with the originally proposed research on which the award was based. In addition to the progress report, the Foundation must receive certification from the thesis advisor that satisfactory progress is being achieved.

The program, therefore, is designed to provide students stipend support during thesis research. An individual may not simultaneously hold or interrupt any other fellowship providing stipend support during the PhRMA Foundation fellowship. During the tenure of the fellowship, the fellow must be a full-time in-residence student. These funds are not transferable.

The stipend may be continued for up to three months after completion of the requirements for the doctorate, provided that the student remains in the department during this period and has obtained no other stipend or salary support. This provision applies only if there is sufficient time remaining within the agreed upon period of the fellowship and upon specific request to the Foundation, detailing how the time would be used.

Indirect costs are not provided to the institution and PhRMA Foundation grant funds may not be used for this purpose.