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ADA Postdoctoral Initiator Pathway Program

General Information

Program Description

The ADA Initiator Pathway opportunity is a two-phased award designed to support the transition of postdoctoral scientists from mentored training to independent research faculty. These awards are highly competitive and intended to support particularly innovative and transformational ideas that have the potential to have an exceptional impact in diabetes with an emphasis on the investigator’s potential to significantly transform diabetes through translational research (“moving the needle”) to improve the lives of people with diabetes. These awards provide salary and research support for applicants during late stages of mentored training through establishment as independent research faculty.

Limitation

Schools may submit one (1) application for Penn’s internal competition.

Eligibility

  • Position: Must currently be in a full-time research training position (postdoctoral fellow, research fellowship)
  • Research Training: Must have no more than seven years of research training following the terminal doctoral degree
  • Grant Restrictions: Cannot concurrently hold an NIH K99/R00 grant. ( (All other career development awards are allowable unless concurrent awards are prohibited by the other granting agency.)
  • Effort Commitment: Must devote at least 75% of their total time and effort to research during the funding period (with 50-100 percent effort to the ADA project as defined below)
  • Faculty Appointment: By the end of Phase 1 (two years into the award), the investigator needs to have obtained a faculty appointment at an accredited research institution
  • For any sponsored research projects, the applicant must be eligible to serve as Principal Investigator for the project, unless otherwise noted in the LSO. Please see Penn’s PI Eligibility requirements to ensure you are eligible. 

Award Information

  • A total research award of 1,625,000 for both phases over five (5) years.
  • Phase 1: Up to $100,000 per year for two years (including 10% indirect costs).
  • Phase 2: Up to $325,000 per year for five years (including 30% indirect costs).
  • Project Support and PI Salary: Provided for both phases.
  • Project Percent Effort Required:
    • Phase 1: 75-100% effort to the ADA project.
    • Phase 2: 50-75% effort to the ADA project.

Limited Submission Opportunities Protocol 

What is a Limited Submission Opportunity? When a funding agency or foundation limits the number of applications Penn can submit, the OVPR manages a two-part internal review process to select the proposal that advances to the funder. 

What is the Review Process for Limited Submissions? The selection process begins at the school level, where candidates are vetted to choose a finalist for the OVPR round. Applicants must follow their home school’s deadlines and submission instructions. A committee of reviewers then recommends candidates to the Senior Vice Provost, who selects the final nominee. 

Where do I find out about limited submission opportunities on the OVPR website? The newly designed website lists LSOs. Use the filters on the left to refine your search. Opportunities are listed in summary form. Click on the title of an opportunity to see the full details. 

How do I apply? When the full detail page for the opportunity is open, click the “APPLY HERE” button at the bottom right of the screen. This starts your application process using InfoReady. Log in with your PennKey credentials. After you submit your application, InfoReady processes it for the first round of review at your school. If selected as the Penn nominee, you will be notified directly and will begin the submission process to the funder with the Office of Research Services and PennERA.