Eligibility & Requirements

The Melanoma Research Foundation (MRF) provides medical students, emerging and established scientific investigators with highly sought-after research grants that allow them to explore new avenues in melanoma biology and treatments, ultimately leading to a cure. The MRF’s Research Grant Program emphasizes both basic and clinical research projects that explore innovative approaches to understanding melanoma and its treatment.

Applicants are encouraged to contact the MRF at research@melanoma.org with any questions. 

Career Development and Established Investigator Awards

Funding

The Career Development Awards provide funding of up to $50,000 per year for two years to junior investigators. Researchers who are beginning a research career emphasizing melanoma-related projects and have not yet established strong federal funding for their research are eligible.

The Established Investigator Awards provide funding of up to $100,000 per year for two years to established melanoma researchers, or senior researchers working in closely related fields who wish to move into melanoma research.
 
Eligibility - Career Development Award

• Applicants must hold a Ph.D. or M.D. degree or equivalent
• Applicants must have a title equivalent to assistant professor or at least 4 years of postdoctoral experience
• Applicants must show evidence of strong departmental or institutional support and commitment and generally be within 10 years of their advanced degree or specialty qualifications
• Applicants must have not previously received any major (e.g., R01) grant support nor should they hold a tenured position
• Applicants are limited to submitting one application to the MRF’s Career Development Awards Program per year
• Applicants are encouraged to discuss any eligibility questions with the MRF prior to application for a Career Development Award

Eligibility - Established Investigator Award

• Applicants must hold a Ph.D. or M.D. degree or equivalent
• Applicants must have a title equivalent to associate professor or higher 
• Applicants must show evidence of strong departmental or institutional support and commitment
• Applicants are limited to submitting one application to the MRF Established Investigator Award Program per year
•  Applicants are encouraged to discuss any eligibility questions with the MRF prior to submitting an application for an Established Investigator Award

Requirements

• Proposed research must be conducted in a nonprofit research organization, medical or educational institution located in the United States
• Proposed research must comply with all applicable National Institutes of Health (NIH) animal and human welfare guidelines

Duration of Grant

• Grants are awarded to cover research conducted over a two-year period.  A no-cost extension of one year may be permitted with sufficient justification
• Requests for a no-cost extension must be made no later than 30 days prior to expiration of the granting period

Reporting

• Financial and scientific progress reports are to be submitted to the MRF no later than 30 days prior to the end of the grant’s first year
• A full financial and scientific report detailing all activities during the granting period is due to the MRF 60 days prior to the end of the granting period (even if a no-cost extension is requested)
• Acknowledgment of support from the MRF must accompany any published report using data or findings from research conducted under a grant from the MRF

Budget

• The Career Development Award cannot exceed the total grant amount requested
• Indirect institutional costs are not allowed
• Funds used for travel are limited to $2,000 per year and cannot be used for international travel

Medical Student Research Grants

The Medical Student Research Grants provide funding for medical students to engage in short clinical or laboratory-based research projects focused on better understanding the biology and treatment of melanoma.

Eligibility Requirements 

Applicants must be a medical student in good academic standing at an accredited US medical school or institution; they must also be either a United States citizen or a permanent resident of the United States.  Grants will not be awarded to any applicant who has previously received an MRF Medical Student Research Grant Award. 

Grant Amount and Timeline

Grant awards are $3,000.  Length of award period is a minimum of three months and no longer than one year from the date of disbursement of the grant. 

Grant Award Criteria

The applicant's proposed research project is expected to be applicant-conceived and not merely an extension of ongoing research of their Research Mentor or another Principal Investigator.  The project should be focused, innovative, clearly outlined in the research project proposal, and based on a methodology that is scientifically sound.  Finally, all research projects must have the potential to contribute meaningfully to the field of melanoma research and treatment.  All award recipients will be required to complete and return the MRF Medical Student Research Grant Award Final Report Form included in the application materials no later than six months following the completion of the research study time period.

Funding Restrictions

Grant awards are to be used for direct laboratory costs and/or salary support, and are not to be used for indirect/administrative costs, to hire a consultant or contractor, or for travel expenses.  Projects must be applicant-conceived, rather than ongoing research of their Research Mentor or Principal Investigator.  Grant awardees are to have no further funding from other means.