A Guide to the ABTA’s 2013 Medical Student Summer Fellowship Application
Please be aware the submission process has changed. All applications for the 2013 American Brain
Tumor Association Medical Student Summer Fellowship must be completed online through
www.abtagrants.org.
The application submission deadline, including all supporting documents and letters, is
Thursday, March 7, 2013, 3pm EST/ 2pm CST/ 12pm PST.
ABOUT THIS AWARD
ABTA Medical Student Summer Fellowships are $3,000 grants to medical students wishing to spend a
summer conducting brain tumor research. The fellowship is to be conducted in a neuro-oncology
laboratory with a mentorship setting that will provide an introductory learning experience. Studies are to
be conducted at laboratories in the United States or Canada. The fellowship start date is determined by
the mentor and should extend 10-12 weeks over the summer. A student authored outcomes report is
due upon completion of the Fellowship, and must be received by October 1, 2013.
Medical Student Summer Fellowship Eligibility:
•
Current enrollment in year 1, 2, or 3 of medical school;
•
The institution at which the fellowship training will be performed is located in the US or Canada;
and
•
The planned research experience will extend 10-12 weeks over the summer.
Conditions for Fellowship Support Further Include:
•
A final written outcomes report is required at the conclusion of the summer research experience.
This report is due to the ABTA no later than October 1, 2013.
•
Acknowledgement of American Brain Tumor Association support must be included in any media
releases, journals, publications, abstracts, podium or poster presentations generated by this
award. Please send notification of these communications to grants@abta.org.
Applications must be completed and submitted by March 7, 2013. Selected students will be
notified by May 1, 2013.
We appreciate your interest and participation in this important neuroscience program. If you have any
questions, please contact us at grants@abta.org.
MAIL
WEB
8550 W. Bryn Mawr Ave.
Suite 550
Chicago, IL 60631
PHONE
773.577.8750
FAX
773.577.8738
www.abta.org
EMAIL
info@abta.org
Gathering the following information/documents in advance will expedite the completion of your online
application. Please see the sample application below for specifics on each requirement. Note – PDFs
should not exceed 5 MB each.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
A one page PDF describing your career goals
Your CV or biosketch in PDF format. A template for and an example of the NIH- format biosketch format
can be found here.
A letter from your sponsor with his/her NIH-format biosketch in PDF format
The names and e-mail addresses for one reference from your current medical school faculty or
administration. This individual will be asked to write a reference letter for you, to be uploaded in PDF
format by the reference letter authors. The letters are blinded to the applicant. Applicants may opt to
submit one supplementary letter from a previous academic institution. The supplementary letter will be
accepted in addition to the sponsor letter and the letter from your current medical school
faculty/administration.
A description of the institutional support, equipment, resources for data set analysis and other critical
resources available for the proposed project. We encourage applicants to work with their sponsor to
describe the institutional support. A text box is provided online.
A 250 word, publishable summary of your study for a non-expert reader. A text box is provided online.
The tumor type and topic area to which your research relates.
A one page description of the research you plan to engage in this summer in PDF format. See the
application for details.
The name and e-mail address of the grant officer, within your institution, who will certify your application.
All applications must be certified by a grant officer prior to submission. Uncertified applications cannot be
submitted. Contact your sponsor if you are unsure of the Grant Officer for the award. A note about grant
officer edit and submission authority: The applicant can choose to give the grant officer the authority to
edit/change the application, and can choose to allow the grant officer to submit the application, once
complete. These authorities can be managed once a grant officer has been entered by editing
permissions in the named grant officer section.
ABTA’s new grant portal provides personalized user views. Applicants and grant officers see all questions and
responses, but they do not see the content of reference letters. Sponsors can see all questions and responses,
they do not see the content of reference letters, and cannot edit the application. Reference letter authors see only
the applicant name, the institution at which the research will be done, the project title, and the sponsor’s name.
Please direct all questions and inquiries to grants@abta.org.
Sample ABTA Medical Student Summer Fellowship Application Questions
The status of the application is displayed in the ‘Application Center’. The status on the application will change
from ‘Initiated’ to ‘Grant Officer Reviewed Not Approved’ to ‘Grant Officer Approved’ to ‘Submitted’ as the
steps are completed. Note that if any changes are made to the application after the Grant Officer Approval, the
status of the application will revert back to Initiated, and it will need to be reapproved by the Grant Officer and/or
resubmitted.
Applicant Tab
Applicant First Name
Applicant Last Name
Credentials
MAIL
8550 W. Bryn Mawr Ave.
Suite 550
Chicago, IL 60631
PHONE
FAX
EMAIL
886-659-1030
773-577-8738
info@abta.org
WEBSITE
www.abta.org
Email
Please enter your permanent home address
City
State / Province
Postal Code
Country
Phone # 1
Home Phone (format=xxx-xxx-xxxx)
Phone #2
Mobile Phone (format=xxx-xxx-xxxx)
Medical School Name
Current Year of Medical School
Background Tab
Have you ever been awarded funding from the American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA)?
Please Select
If yes, please indicate the type of ABTA funds previously received. Multiple selections are allowed.
Medical Student Summer Fellowship
Basic Research Fellowship
Discovery Grant
Translational Grant
Other ABTA Funds
If you are currently funded by ABTA, will that funding conclude prior to the start of the award for which you are
applying?
Please Select
Have you applied, or do you intend to apply, elsewhere for salary support? Competitive awards for salary support
are acceptable but cannot exceed your regular salary.
No
Yes If yes, where? (Text box follows here)
Career Goals
Upload, in PDF format, a one page description of your career goals. Include an explanation of how an ABTA
award would contribute to the development of your career. This is one of the key pieces of your application, and it
must be completely authored by the applicant.
Biosketch or CV
Upload, in PDF format, your biosketch or CV.
MAIL
8550 W. Bryn Mawr Ave.
Suite 550
Chicago, IL 60631
PHONE
FAX
EMAIL
886-659-1030
773-577-8738
info@abta.org
WEBSITE
www.abta.org
Reference Letters Tab
Additional References: In addition to the sponsor letter, one additional letter of reference, from a member of the
faculty or administration at the medical school in which you are currently enrolled, is required. The letter of
reference from a member of your current medical school faculty or administration must be dated no earlier than
October 2012 and appear on letterhead. Applicants may opt to submit one additional letter of reference from a
previous academic/undergraduate institution.
Enter the contact information for each individual who will be providing a letter, then click the ‘Add’ button. (The
'Add' button also saves the reference letter authors' contact details into the 'Summary and Certification' tab.) Click
on the 'Notify' link to send a portal-generated email to the named individual. The reference letter author will need
to use this link to access the application portal, the email also contains instructions for uploading letters. As each
letter is added to the portal, the 'File Uploaded No' indicator next to each reference letter author name will change
to 'File Uploaded Yes.'
All letters must be either uploaded by the reference letter author, or mailed to the ABTA office by the application
deadline date. (We will upload them to this file as they arrive.) Applicants will be able to verify receipt of each
letter, but will not be able to see the letters. Letters must match the named individuals; substitutions or additional
references will not be accepted.
We encourage applicants to personally contact the reference letter authors to request their letter. Be aware that
the ABTA email notifications are portal-generated; therefore, we cannot guarantee email delivery through systems
utilizing restrictive email filters. Applicants will be unable to submit their application without at least one letter of
reference uploaded to the system. To change the reference letter author names or details, delete the entry using
the orange 'minus' button, then reenter the correct information.
First Name
Last Name
Credentials
Institution
Email
Identified Reference Letter Authors
Reference Letter Authors List Appears Here with E-mail Addresses
Institution Tab
Institution where the research will be done
Department
MAIL
8550 W. Bryn Mawr Ave.
Suite 550
Chicago, IL 60631
PHONE
FAX
EMAIL
886-659-1030
773-577-8738
info@abta.org
WEBSITE
www.abta.org
Please enter the city, state/province and country of the research institution
City
State / Province
Country
United States
Describe the institutional support, equipment, resources for data set analysis and other critical resources available
for the proposed project. Indicate any unique features of your scientific environment, or collaborations from which
this research could benefit. (Text box follows here)
Research Tab
Title of the proposed research study
Summary
Provide a 250 word, publishable summary of your study for a non-expert reader. If your study is funded, this
summary may be provided to ABTA's constituents as an explanation of the research. (Text box follows here)
To which type of tumors does your research relate?
Glioblastomas
Oligodendroglioma
Non-benign Meninigomas
Medulloblastoma
Malignant gliomas
Pituitary Tumors
Ependymoma
Low grade gliomas
Metastatic Tumors
Other Brain Tumor Type
Meningiomas
Brain stem gliomas
All CNS Tumors
General Oncology
Please indicate all topic areas that relate to your proposed research.
Angiogenesis
Signalling
Apoptosis / Cell Death
Biomarkers
Cellular Differentiation or Transformation
Drug Therapies/Experimental Therapeutics
Therapy & Viral-Based Therapies
Neuropathology/Classification Systems
Please select your primary area of research
Cell Metabolism
Cell
DNA Damage/Repair Mechanisms
Epigenetics
Genetics
Cell Cycle
Imaging
Proteomics
Drug Delivery
Gene Expression/Transciption
Immunology/Immunotherapy
Radiation Therapy
Gene
Invasion/Motility
Stem Cells
Other
please select
Description
Upload, in PDF format, a one page description of the research in which you plan to participate this summer. This
description should be written in your own words and be completely authored by you.
Sponsor & Training Tab
List your proposed sponsor/s and their information below. Sponsors will receive an email notification of this
application. All applications must have at least one sponsor and no more than two sponsors.
First Name
MAIL
8550 W. Bryn Mawr Ave.
Suite 550
Chicago, IL 60631
PHONE
FAX
EMAIL
886-659-1030
773-577-8738
info@abta.org
WEBSITE
www.abta.org
Last Name
Credentials
Institution
Email
Sponsor Phone
Sponsor Title
Department
City
State / Province
Country
Identified Sponsors
Sponsor List Appears Here with E-mail Addresses
Sponsor Letter of Support
Upload, in PDF format, a current letter of support, and acceptance, from the sponsor that describes the nature of
the supervised brain tumor research experience and mentorship to be provided. The sponsor’s NIH-format
biosketch (three page limit) should be uploaded with the letter. If there are two sponsors, a letter and biosketch is
needed from each.
Grant Officer Tab
Please identify the Grant Officer who will have oversight of this application within the institution at which the
summer project is planned. (If you do not know the appropriate Grant Officer for this application, contact your
sponsor.) The named Grant Officer is required to approve institutional support for this application prior to its
submission, and upon funding, provide payee information and original signatures.
Enter the Grant Officer’s contact information below. Click the ‘Add’ button. This will add the Grant Officer to
‘Named Grant Officer’ section. Once a Grant Officer has been added, click the ‘Notify’ link to send a portalgenerated email to the Grant Officer. That e-mail provides the Grant Officer with the steps and instructions on
how to approve the application once it is complete.
We encourage applicants to personally follow up and work closely with the Grant Officer to ensure timely
application submission. Be aware that the email notifications are portal-generated; therefore, the ABTA cannot
MAIL
8550 W. Bryn Mawr Ave.
Suite 550
Chicago, IL 60631
PHONE
FAX
EMAIL
886-659-1030
773-577-8738
info@abta.org
WEBSITE
www.abta.org
guarantee email delivery through systems utilizing restrictive email filters. If you or a Grant Officer have questions
on how to edit or submit, email grants@abta.org or call the ABTA at 773-577-8750.
First Name
Last Name
Credentials
Institution
Email
Edit and Submission Authority
I authorize the named grant officer to edit, change and upload documents.
No
Yes
Application Submission Authorization (You must select one)
I will be submitting this application
on my behalf.
I grant exclusive authority to the Grant Officer to submit this application
Please be aware that applicants will not be notified of changes made by the grant officer. All applicants are
responsible for reviewing the entire application and attached documents prior to submission.
Identified Grant Officer
Named Grant Officer appears here with e-mail address
Summary & Certification Tab
A list of all questions and the responses appears on this tab, followed by an application certification box.
Application Certification
Please disclose any significant contributor(s) to the content of your application and their contribution.
Contributions by others does not disqualify - we simply request disclosure.
I certify that I understand the conditions of support for this award and that I meet all of the eligibility requirements
set forth by the ABTA. I acknowledge ownership for the content submitted and certify that I am the author or have
provided a delegated author with the content submitted in this application.
(Updated on January 31, 2013)
MAIL
8550 W. Bryn Mawr Ave.
Suite 550
Chicago, IL 60631
PHONE
FAX
EMAIL
886-659-1030
773-577-8738
info@abta.org
WEBSITE
www.abta.org