Philosophy

The major goal of the ASPET-Merck Postdoctoral Fellowships in Integrative Pharmacology (The ASPET-Merck Fellowships) is to increase the number of well-trained scientists with expertise in pharmacology and in integrative whole organ systems pharmacology.   There has been a gradual decline over the last decade in training opportunities for young scientists in aspects of in-vivo pharmacology/and integrative biology.

Eligibility Guidelines

Fellows:  The ASPET-Merck Postdoctoral Fellowships in Integrative Pharmacology support post-doctoral training of scientists (M.D., Ph.D., D.O. or related degree) with demonstrated interest and experience in in-vivo pharmacology.  Fellowships are for post-doctoral training. 

Institution:  The academic (non-profit, private or public) institution must be in the United States. 

Academic Mentor:  Scientist in good standing at host Institution and who agrees to supervise Fellow to undertake research, with an emphasis on in-vivo pharmacology, in an area that is of interest (see below) to the sponsor, Merck Research Laboratories (MRL).

Research Areas, Duration, and Terms of Awards

Research Area of Interest:  One award will be made to support training in Cancer Pharmacology.  Research proposals must have a strong in-vivo  component and clear evidence of an integrative, whole organ systems approach.  Areas of interest include:

• The development of new cancer models with defined molecular defects which more closely recapitulate the human disease.
• The characterization of drug effects in spontaneous tumor models (e.g. genetically engineered mouse models) and correlation with mechanism of action.
• The use of cancer models in the prediction of drug response and identification of patient responder populations using integrative approaches linking genetic profiling with biological efficacy.
• The application of non-invasive imaging technologies (e.g. bioluminescence imaging, PET, Micro-CT and MRI) to examine drug effects in cancer models.

Duration:  The Fellowship term is 3 years, subject to an annual performance review.  The majority of the Fellowship will be spent in the laboratory of the academic supervisor/mentor.  No less than six months of the Fellowship will be spent at the Merck Research Laboratories in Boston, MA.  If the Fellow is unable to fulfill the six-month requirement at Merck Research Laboratories, the fellowship will be terminated and unused funds at the institution, designated for the Fellow's research, will be returned to ASPET.    

Terms:  The Award provides the following per annum funding:

·         $42,000 stipend

·         $3,000 travel expenses

·         $10,000 institutional allowance (for research costs only, not applicable to benefits or institutional overhead)

Additionally, during tenure at the MRL – Boston laboratory, additional support up to $10,000 will be available to offset expenses related to the temporary relocation.  The Fellowship is not an offer of employment nor does it constitute an agency, partnership, or employment relationship. 

Review Procedure 

A Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) will review applications and make Fellowship Award selections by November 1, 2006. The SAC will be comprised of individuals from Merck Research Laboratories and ASPET.  A Chair, designated by ASPET, will be independent of the review process and serve to adjudicate any disagreements in the selection of Fellows.  Awards will be made to the host institution no later than January 2007.

     Application Guidelines 

Application deadline is August 31, 2006.  Recipients will be notified by November 1, 2006.  Fellowships must begin in 2006 or 2007. 

Applications must include the following materials and be mailed in its entirety: 

1.      One page letter from applicant signifying their intent and interest in applying for the Fellowship. (email as word document or pdf file).  If applicant is a non U.S. citizen, indicate that appropriate visa documentation is enclosed in the application package; Non-U.S. citizens must provide current visa documentation to be eligible for funding. 

2.      Curriculum Vitae (e-mail as word document or pdf file); 

3.      Abstract (e-mail as word document or pdf file); 

4.      A brief research proposal, not to exceed 5 pages (one-side).  The proposal should include the applicant’s rationale for selecting the area of research.  The 5 page limit does not include references (e-mail as word document or pdf file); 

5.      Two letters of recommendation (originals mailed via U.S. mail); 

6.      A letter of Agreement from Mentor who will supervise and host the Fellow.  The letter of agreement must confirm that the Institution is willing to administer the Award (original mailed via U.S. mail); 

Applications must be received or postmarked by August 31, 2006.  Late applications will not be accepted.  Applicants will not be considered until all application materials are received.  Applications are open to qualified members of any professional society but recipients of awards must be or become members of ASPET.   

Mail (U.S. mail) two copies of above mentioned items 1-4 to: 

2006 ASPET-Merck Postdoctoral Fellowships
The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
9650 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, MD 20814 

Application materials to be sent electronically should be emailed to: jbernstein@aspet.org

For additional information contact: 

Jim Bernstein
ASPET Director of Government and Public Affairs
Tel:             301.634.7062
Email:             jbernstein@aspet.org

To obtain a copy of these guidelines as  PDF file, click here.