Eligibility
Candidates from any Mayo Clinic site and any department or division are eligible to apply for these awards unless the award specifies otherwise. Awards restricted to practicing clinicians are available only to applicants who actively take patient appointments.
Basic and translational scientists with expertise in cell, molecular or physiological science and interest in understanding the basic mechanisms of the stated disease are encouraged to apply.
Eligible candidates must hold one of the following appointments as of Jan. 1, 2025:
- Associate consultant.
- Senior associate consultant.
- Consultant.
- Mayo Clinic Scholar.
- Research associate.
- Nurse scientist.
- Ph.D.- or Pharm.D.-prepared nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, pharmacists and acupuncturists.
Applicants must meet the National Institutes of Health (NIH) criteria for Early Stage Investigator.*
*Extenuating circumstances may be considered for established investigators who do not meet the NIH Early Stage Investigator criteria. Applicants should emphasize how the award would assist them in pursuing a substantial change in research career direction. The required career development plan must include a description of how the proposed research is a change in direction and how the funding will assist in the success of the change in direction. A mentor's letter is required, and these circumstances will be considered in the peer-review process.
Individuals are not eligible if, as of Jan. 1, 2025, they:
- Hold the position of research scientist, research fellow, resident or clinical fellow.
- Are a career scientist or clinician investigator with a salary line position.
- Have the academic rank of professor.
- Hold career development awards of $100,000 a year or more in total funding through the Benefactor-Funded Research Early-Career Development Awards program.
- Have already received five years of funding through the Benefactor-Funded Research Early-Career Development Awards program.