Because the sponsors of the following programs limit the number of nominees, either the SOM Office for Research or the Vice President for Research will conduct an internal competition to identify the nominee(s).  Proposals for these programs may not be submitted without prior approval of one of those offices.  Questions concerning these programs should be directed to Dr. Steven Wasserman, Assistant Dean for Research.

Burroughs Wellcome Career Awards for Medical Scientists
http://www.bwfund.org/pages/188/Career-Awards-for-Medical-Scientists/Sponsor
Web site last updated: for the October 2008 deadline (no 2009 program)
Eligibility:
Clinical fellow, resident, instructor, or a postdoctoral researcher 
>2 years of research experience, <84 months past most recent doctorate. 
Committed to a career as an independent investigator at a North    
American degree-granting institution. 
Citizens/permanent residents of the US/Canada at the time of application.
Details of award:
Five nominees per institution
Two postdoc years x $95,000; three faculty years x $170,000
Areas supported:
Provides funding to bridge the transition by physician scientists from the last year(s) of a mentored position, to the beginning years of an independent position.

Burroughs Wellcome Clinical Scientist Awards in Translational Research
http://www.bwfund.org/pages/177/Clinical-Scientist-Awards-in-Translational-Research/
Sponsor Web site last updated: for the August 2008 deadline (no 2009 program)
Eligibility:
MD or MD/PhD with appointment in a subspecialty of clinical medicine. 
Asst. or early assoc. prof. (preferably <2 years after promotion)
Tenure-track or equivalent position, at the time of application. 
Evidence of having established an independent research career. 
Must hold a current license to practice medicine in the US/Canada.
Citizens/permanent residents of the US/Canada at the time of application.
Details of award:
Two nominees per institution
One additional nominee if one is a woman
One additional nominee if one is an underrepresented minority
Five years x $150,000
Areas supported:
BWF is interested particularly in supporting investigators who will bring novel ideas and new approaches to translational research, which may draw on recent advances in the basic biomedical sciences - including biochemistry, cell biology, genetics, immunology, molecular biology, and pharmacology - that provide a wealth of opportunities for studying and alleviating human disease. Translational research may involve studies in these broad areas:  etiology, pathogenesis, and mechanisms of disease (particularly studies with direct application to disease prevention and treatment); clinical knowledge, improved diagnosis (including development of new biomarkers, diagnostic methods, or devices), natural history of disease, and biomedical informatics - including the use of large clinical and genomic datasets for the purpose of generating and testing hypotheses; and disease management (including therapeutics aimed at molecular targets), molecular epidemiology, and limited small-scale clinical trials involving novel approaches or interventions that provide evidence for effectiveness of therapy.

Burroughs Wellcome Investigators in the Pathogenesis of Infectious Disease
http://www.bwfund.org/pages/105/Investigators-in-the-Pathogenesis-of-Infectious-Disease/
Sponsor Web site last updated: for the November 2008 deadline (no 2009 program)
Eligibility:
MD, PhD, DVM
Assistant professor on the tenure track
Evidence of having established an independent research career. 
Must devote at least 75% effort to research-related activities 
Citizens/permanent residents of the US/Canada at the time of application.
Details of award:
Two nominees per institution
One additional nominee if one is a DVM
Five years x $80,000 per year
Areas supported:
While work on AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, and microbes of interest for biodefense is allowed, the program emphasizes areas of research that open up unexplored areas of pathogenesis. Awards are intended to give recipients the freedom and flexibility to pursue high-risk projects and new avenues of inquiry.  Areas of particular interest include:  cell/pathogen interactions - studies of host responses at the cell surface, cell signaling in response to infection, microbial persistence in host cells, and other work; host/pathogen interactions - studies of how host genetics influences resistance and susceptibility to infection, innate and adaptive immune responses to microbes, pathogen modulation of the immune system, and other work; and novel routes to disease causation - studies of the role of infectious agents in the etiology of chronic, autoimmune and immunologic diseases, and other work.

John Merck Scholars Program
http://www.jmfund.org/jm_scholars_program.html
Sponsor Web site last updated: for the September 2009 deadline
Eligibility:
MD or PhD
Independent faculty rank held for no more than 4 years. 
Record of research in the underlying causes of developmental disabilities. 
Commitment to a career in neuroscience or cognitive science. 
May not be nominated in more than 2 rounds of competition. 
May not hold tenured positions or equivalent. 
Holding other fellowships concurrently with the Merck Award discouraged.
Details of award:
One nominee per institution
Four years x $75,000
No F&A costs awarded
Areas supported:
Developmental disabilities.

Pew Scholars Program in the Biomedical Sciences
http://www.pewtrusts.org/our_work_category.aspx?id=194
Sponsor Web site last updated: November 2009 deadline
Eligibility:
MD, PhD in medicine, health related professions, biomedical sciences.
Assistant Professor <3 years as of July 1, 2010 (approx. start date). (Time
spent in clinical training does not count toward this total.)
May not be supported by other foundation awards during the first 2 years of Pew funding.
Details of award:
One nominee per institution
Four years x $60,000
Areas supported:
The Program is designed to support young investigators of outstanding promise in basic and clinical sciences relevant to the advancement of human health. The award is intended to provide assured support, during their earlier years, for junior members of the faculty as they establish their laboratories. Strong proposals will demonstrate particularly innovative approaches.

Searle Scholars Program
http://www.searlescholars.net/go.php?id=5
Sponsor Web site last updated:  September 2009 deadline
Eligibility:
MD, PhD in their first tenure-track Assistant Professor position
Assistant Professor no earlier than July 1, 2005
Expected to be pursuing an independent research career
Details of award:
One nominee per institution
Three years x $80,000
Areas supported:
Biochemistry, cell biology, genetics, immunology, neuroscience, pharmacology, and related areas in chemistry, medicine, and the biological sciences.