Drug Discovery

Award Aims

• To encourage progress in drug discovery research through the provision of well-trained investigators.
• To support students in advanced stages of training and thesis research in drug discovery research.
• The goal of the program is to assist in the candidate’s predoctoral training.

Eligibility 

• Applicants (U.S. and non-U.S. citizens) must attend an accredited U.S. Institution as full-time, in-residence students.
• The thesis adviser’s letter of support must verify the applicant’s doctoral candidacy.
• Students just starting graduate school should not apply. Eligible candidates will have completed most of their pre-thesis requirements (at least two years of coursework) and be engaged in thesis research as PhD candidates by the time the award is activated.
• Predoctoral fellowships are designed for students who expect to complete their PhD requirements in two years or less from the time the fellowship begins.
• Fellows are expected to devote full time (including summers) to their research.
• If multiple applicants submit proposed efforts on the same project, the efforts must be separate activities and not duplicative. This pertains to applications in all three categories of our Drug Discovery programs (predoctoral and postdoctoral fellowships and faculty starter grants). We will not consider multiple applications for the same or similar efforts on the same project.

 

Funding

• This award provides $25,000 in stipend support per year for 12, 18, or 24 months. To receive funding beyond the first 12 months, applicants must provide the PhRMA Foundation with a satisfactory progress report upon completion of the first 10 months of funding. In addition, applicants must provide a letter from their thesis adviser, confirming that satisfactory progress is being made.
• Funding is conditional upon the award recipient’s continued employment with the institution, which will be assessed on a quarterly basis prior to payment. Recipients are required to notify the PhRMA Foundation if they leave the institution.
• Payments will be made directly to the institution on behalf of the applicant, with the understanding the institution will administer the funds.
• This award intended solely as a stipend and may not be used otherwise. Funds may not be used for tuition, fringe benefits, or indirect costs to the institution.
• An individual may not simultaneously hold another funding mechanism providing stipend support while the PhRMA Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship is active, unless it helps supplement the award to a level that is consistent with other predoctoral fellowships the institution offers. If necessary, the institution may supplement the award to a level that is consistent with other predoctoral fellowships it currently offers. (Please upload a “Stipend Justification” explaining whether the stipend is to be supplemented and the amount.)
• Up to $1,000 per year may be used for incidentals directly associated with thesis research preparation (i.e., secretarial help, artwork, books, technology, etc.).
• Awards may be activated beginning January 1, 2023, or on the first day of any month thereafter, up to and including August 1, 2023.
• A financial report will be required upon completion of the first 12 months of funding.
• A final progress report and financial report will be required within 60 days of the fellowship’s conclusion.
• Unspent funds are to be returned to the PhRMA Foundation.
• These funds are non-transferable.
• Any changes to the proposed project must be approved by the PhRMA Foundation.

APPLICATION PROCESS

To apply for a PhRMA Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship in Drug Discovery, applicants must submit a letter of intent, due June 16, 2022, at 11:59 PM EDT. Those whose submissions are selected will be notified by July 22, 2022, and asked to complete a full application.

Logging in to ProposalCentral

Go to the ProposalCentral website at https://proposalcentral.com/. If you are a new user of ProposalCentral, follow the link “Need an Account?” and complete the registration process. If you are already a registered user, login at https://proposalcentral.com/ with your username and password. If you have forgotten your password, click the “Forgot your Password?” link.

Once you are logged in, please click the “Professional Profile” tab at the top and complete steps 1-11 or update with current information. Your name, degrees, position/title, academic rank, department, and address will be pulled from this page in ProposalCentral.

Step 1: Letter of Intent (LOI)

To submit an LOI, select the “Grant Opportunities” tab in ProposalCentral and a list of applications will be displayed. Find “PhRMA Foundation” and click the “Apply Now” link next to the Predoctoral Fellowship in Drug Discovery Program.

Candidates must submit a 600-word LOI describing their research project and its aims. In addition to the LOI, please submit a one-page cover letter answering the following questions:

• Explain how your project fits into the PhRMA Foundation’s definition of Drug Discovery. (Definition can be found in the PROGRAM DESCRIPTION TAB.)
• How will this project advance the field?
• What are the challenges or gaps in the field you are solving?
• How is your project innovative?

The LOI should be written by the applicant on a U.S. letter-sized 8.5” x 11” page with .5” margin and 12-point font. The first use of any abbreviation or acronym should be preceded by the full name or description. Citations and figures do not count toward the 600-word LOI limit.

The cover page and LOI (including citations, if any) should be uploaded as separate documents.

Those whose submissions are selected will be notified by July 22, 2022, and asked to complete a full application. Full applications are due September 15, 2022, at 11:59 PM EDT, including letters of support.

Step 2: Application Process (by invitation)

1. Applicant’s Biosketch or CV
    
2. Extended Letter
   We want to know our applicants. Include a synopsis of your career, your professional interests, and your desired career path. This is an opportunity for you to tell us how your project specifically relates to drug discovery. Applicants who do not address the clear connection between their project and drug discovery will not be considered. The letter should not exceed two single-spaced pages (U.S. letter size 8.5” x 11” / .5” margin / 12-point font)
   
3. Research Plan
   The applicant must prepare a comprehensive yet concise project description, not to exceed six pages. This should be written by the applicant and not cut/pasted from another’s project. Submission of this document will serve as verification that the applicant has written it. 

   Applicants should use a format similar to the format specified for grants submitted to the National Institutes of Health. The description should include objectives, rationale, research design and methodology, preliminary results (if any exist), and a bibliography of major references (bibliographies are not included in the page limit).The first use of any abbreviation or acronym should be preceded by the full name or description. 

   Required type specifications: U.S. letter size 8.5” x 11” / .5” margin / 12-point font (figures may be provided in a smaller font). Submissions that do not meet the specified guidelines for proposal preparation will not be considered for funding.
   

4. Research Impact Questions
   Similar to the LOI submission, be sure to answer these four questions in the template provided:
   • How does your project fit into the PhRMA Foundation’s definition of Drug Discovery?  
   • How will this project advance the field?  
   • What are the challenges or gaps in the field you are solving?  
   • How is your project innovative? 
5. Stipend Justification 
   If your institution is supplementing the award to a level that is consistent with other predoctoral fellowships that it currently offers, please upload a “Stipend Justification” explaining whether the stipend is being supplemented and at what amount. If not, upload a document stating, “no stipend support.” 
6. Other Sources of Funding/Funding Explanation
   Upload information about other support this project receives. If it does not receive other support, upload a document stating, “No other support has been received or is pending. “Other support includes all financial resources — federal, non-federal, commercial, or institutional — available in direct support of an individual’s research endeavors, including but not limited to research grants, cooperative agreements, contracts, and/or institutional awards. Training awards, prizes, or gifts do not need to be included.
7. Manuscripts/Presentations (optional) – You can upload up to three relevant publications in PDF format. 
8. References
   Please note that the system will not accept your application unless the letters of support from your references have been successfully uploaded. You are required to submit contact information for the following personnel.

• • Thesis Advisor
  • General Reference(s) (1-3) who are familiar with you and your scientific careerOnce you add their name and contact information to your application, an auto-generated email will be forwarded to them. The email will include instructions as to what they should address in their letter of support, and it will provide a personalized hyperlink where they should upload their letter. Letters of support should be uploaded before September 15 so you can submit your application before 11:59 PM ET. We suggest you inform your references in advance of what items should be addressed in their letter of support.

Thesis Advisor should include:

• Contact information and a brief biographical sketch.
• Department’s mission statement and confirmation that the department provides training in drug discovery.
• Assessment of the applicant, proposed research, and confirmation of their doctoral candidacy. If it is pending, please note the anticipated date of doctoral candidacy.
• Information on additional financial support that will be available to the applicant.
• List of research support, including current and pending grants, total amounts, and duration. Because the fellowship grants no research funds, this information is necessary in order to enable further perspective on evaluating the resources available for thesis research.
• Thesis Advisor’s history of training/mentoring and a description of the facilities.
• The number of trainees that will be supervised during the candidate’s training period.
• A detailed training plan that should be combined into one PDF with their letter of support.

General Reference(s) should include:

• Contact information and a brief biographical sketch.
• The period of time they have known the applicant and in what capacity.
• Assessment of the applicant’s qualifications and accomplishments in the field. (Are there skills the applicant could further develop?)
• Comment on the applicant’s communication and interpersonal skills, and ability to collaborate with peers on research projects.
• Explanation of how this program will be a productive experience for the applicant and why they should be selected.

 

REMEMBER to begin your application early so your references have ample time to meet the September 15 deadline. It is your responsibility that these letters are uploaded. The application portal will permit you to review your application and the status of your letters of support before your final submission. Be sure to check it frequently and do not wait until the last minute. The application portal will not permit the application to be submitted until the letters of support have been uploaded.

Application deadline is September 15, 2022, at 11:59 EDT. Late submissions will not be accepted.

Preference is for the applicant to submit a CV. References, where requested, may submit either a CV or NIH-style biosketch.

Please note the PhRMA Foundation does not provide written reviews.

Award notification is December 15, 2022.

Click here for 2023 Drug Discovery brochure.