SRSF Career Development Award

Overview

The goal of these mentored awards is to invest in promising early career researchers and assist with their transition into independence as junior investigators. The SRSF expects to fund up to four awards and each award will be funded up to $50,000 for one year of support. Recipients are expected to apply for a mentored or independent federal research award within the funding period. A second year of funding is not available in this award cycle.

2025 RFA
2025 Application

Scope of Research Supported

The awards are intended to further our understanding of sleep, circadian rhythms and sleep/circadian rhythm disorders. Submitted proposals will need to be considered cutting edge sleep/circadian research.

Up to four awards will be chosen under the broad topic of sleep/circadian research.

The RFA for 2025 is open. Deadline is Sunday, August 25, 2024 at 11:59pm CT.

The overarching question assessed by the reviewers will be: Will this support enable the candidate to develop the skills, knowledge and/or preliminary data needed to apply for the mentored or independent federal research award outlined in the application?

  1. Potential of applicant for a career as an independent investigator in sleep/circadian research.
  2. Quality and innovation of the planned research, including how this research will facilitate applying for a CDA (Career Development Award) or independent research award. The scope of the project should reflect the length of this award (1 year).
  3. Appropriateness of the training plan given the proposed project and the applicants prior training and planned career pathway.
  4. A well-justified budget (including other sources of support for the applicant and the proposed project).
  5. The mentor’s commitment to providing the necessary support and resources to ensure the applicant’s success in this project and in their overall career development.

Please contact the SRSF awards program department at foundation@srsnet.org with any questions.

Below, please find the approximate timeline for the SRSF Career Development Award:

  • Application Opens: May 14, 2024
  • Application Deadline: Sunday, August 25, 2024 at 11:59pm CT
  • Applicants Notified: Late November

Awardee projects can begin once a signed agreement is in place.

Please note: This timeline is approximate and is subject to change as necessary.

Ariel A. Williamson
Ariel A. Williamson
“The SRSF Career Development Award has been instrumental in launching my career as an early-stage investigator in pediatric sleep. This award has allowed me to conduct crucial pilot research on behavioral sleep interventions in primary care, which has directly led to presentations, publications, and additional grant funding. The SRSF award has also provided me with the support necessary to begin building an independent research lab and engaging community partners in stakeholder-informed research. I am incredibly grateful for the research and training experiences afforded to me by this award and thank the SRSF for this tremendous opportunity.”
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2024 Award Recipients

Andrée-Ann Baril, PhD
Andrée-Ann Baril, PhDResearch Center of the CIUSSS-NIM
Interaction between sleep disturbances and genetic susceptibility to Alzheimer’s disease in at-risk elderly: A pilot study
Katie L. Cederberg, PhD, CPT
Katie L. Cederberg, PhD, CPTStanford University School of Medicine
Proteomic approach to understanding the effect of exercise on the pathobiological underpinning of restless legs syndrome: A pilot study
Larissa C. Engert, PhD
Larissa C. Engert, PhDBeth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
The Role of Sleep Disturbances in Inflammatory Resolution Physiology in Long COVID
Leilah K. Grant, PhD
Leilah K. Grant, PhDBrigham and Women’s Hospital
Developing ‘mealtime response curves’ to describe how the timing of food intake impacts 24-hour and postprandial lipid levels in humans

View Past Career Development Awardees