Alfred P. Sloan Foundation/U.S. Department of Energy
Postdoctoral
Fellowships in Computational Molecular Biology
(Round V)
APPLICATION DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 1, 2000
Catalyzing Career Transitions to Computational Molecular Biology
The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy (Office of Health and Environmental Research) announce the fifth round of a jointly-sponsored postdoctoral research awards program for scientists interested in computational molecular biology.
The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy believe that a nexus with exceptional scientific potential is emerging between the powerful theoretical and practical tools of molecular biology and the revolutionary power of modern computational techniques. However, too few scientists possess the cross‑disciplinary skills in both molecular biology and computation that are needed to further such advances.
The purpose of these fellowships is to catalyze career transitions into computational molecular biology from physics, mathematics, computer science, chemistry, engineering and related fields. Ideal candidates will have strong educational backgrounds in such fields and wish to bring these backgrounds to bear upon computational molecular research questions. In exceptional cases, we will also consider applications from more traditional biological orientations in transition to computational molecular biology. Applicants already firmly rooted in computational molecular biology, or who are proposing to continue pursuit of research undertaken for their Ph.D.s, may be more appropriate candidates for other postdoctoral opportunities.
This postdoctoral program is designed to give computationally sophisticated young scientists an intensive postdoctoral opportunity in an appropriate molecular biology laboratory. We particularly wish to encourage applications from those holding doctorates in mathematics, physics, computer science, chemistry, engineering or other relevant fields who would like to develop the capacity to apply their computational sophistication to the complex problems that increasingly face molecular biology.
The focus is upon computational molecular biology related to data and information from studies of human and other genomes. Computational molecular biology is taken broadly to include the application of mathematics (continuous and discrete), statistics, probability, and computer science to fundamental problems of molecular biology. The goal is to foster interactions between the mathematical and biological sciences and to provide rigorous training for scientists in this new interdisciplinary area. Of special interest are important problems in structural biology and genome analysis, including analysis of protein and nucleic acid sequence, protein and nucleic acid structure, genome structure and maps, cross‑species genome analysis, multi‑genic traits, and structure‑function relationships where the structures are from genomes, genes, or gene products.
Applications will be reviewed a committee, including
· Barry Honig, Columbia University
· Leroy E. Hood, University of Washington
· Michael Levitt, Stanford University
· Michael S. Waterman, University of Southern California
Awards will support up to two years of research work in an appropriate molecular biology department or laboratory in the U.S. or Canada selected by the applicant. The principal selection criteria will be the potential of the applicant and the proposed postdoctoral research and training plan for furthering rigorous computational approaches to analysis of important molecular biological problems, both theoretical and empirical. The capabilities of the proposed laboratory and senior scientist in computational molecular research, and support for the postdoctoral research by the senior scientist (department chair or laboratory director) will be an important element considered in selection. In addition, where possible, applicants are encouraged to seek a secondary faculty sponsor from the mathematical/computer sciences sector of the same campus. Only one proposal per applicant will be considered, and a senior scientist should endorse only one applicant for this competition.
There are no formal application forms needed for this program.
Further details and application procedures are as follows:
Number, Starting Date and Grant Period:
Up to 10 fellowships will be granted during 2000, each with a total budget of $100,000 (including indirect and overhead costs, which together will be limited to 15% of direct costs). These funds are to be spread over a grant period of two years ($50,000 per year). Selections for this fifth round will be announced by May 6, 2000. Funding may begin any time after September 1, 2000.
Stipend:
C $42,000 per year to Fellow, inclusive of benefits.
C $ 1,500 per year in research expenses to be allocated at the discretion of the Fellow.
C Institutional overhead of up to 15% of direct costs.
Eligibility:
Fellow ‑ Applicants must be citizens or legal permanent residents of the United States. Ph.D. earned within the past 5 years or expected by June, 2000, in mathematics, physics, computer science, chemistry, engineering or other relevant fields. (Initiation of postdoc requires completion of Ph.D.) Applications to extend an existing postdoc cannot be considered.
Institution ‑ Non‑profit private or public institution of higher education or research, located in the United States or Canada. Applicant must make formal arrangements with a senior scientist (e.g. laboratory director) at the institution where the postdoctoral fellowship would be held before applying for the award.
Materials Needed for Application:
From Applicant (8 copies, fully collated and stapled):
· Cover Page, including:
-
Applicant’s name, current
address, address for notification in May 2000, telephone, fax
and e-mail
- Applicant's current department and institution
- Title of proposed postdoctoral research project and institution at which it would be conducted (including mail and email addresses and telephone and fax numbers)
- Planned starting date of postdoctoral fellowship
- Applicant's Ph.D. granting institution and year of receipt (or date realistically expected)
- Brief educational history indicating the years and institution(s) of graduate study and of any postdoctoral research
- Laboratory, department and institution in which postdoctoral fellowship would be held
- Name, address and telephone of senior scientist
- Names, addresses, telephone numbers, etc., of references
· Abstract of proposed research (not to exceed 300 words)
· Proposed research/training plan describing scientific importance of subject, with considerable specificity as to analytic methods and data to be employed, and reason for choice of proposed sponsoring scientist and institution (with a firm maximum of 1,500 words, including selected citations).
· If desired, copies of up to two reprints may be attached to each collated copy of proposal.
· Statement of applicant's reasons for interest in computational molecular biology, current career goals, and potential role of postdoctoral fellowship in attaining such goals (ca. 250 words).
· A summary of the major findings of the applicant's dissertation research (250 words).
· Curriculum vitae including educational background, topic of doctoral dissertation, positions held to date, scientific awards and grants received citing source, duration and amount (direct costs), full titles, and references of all publications.
· Formal institutional endorsement of proposal may be included, but is not required unless and until a formal award offer has been made.
· A stamped, self‑addressed postcard (if applicant desires) to confirm that application materials have been received (allow at least 3 weeks for processing; no telephone calls, please).
· All applications should be final and complete; no substitutions or additions.
From Sponsoring Senior Scientist (8 copies, fully collated):
· Letter of agreement to host and supervise the research of postdoctoral applicant, including any necessary institutional clearances, e.g. animal experimentation, human subjects, recombinant DNA, etc. (Please put bold heading “Senior Scientist Letter”).
· Qualitative comments concerning scientific merit of proposed research and training plan.
· Brief description (500 words) of current research, sources of funding, relevance of applicant's proposed research, and personnel with whom applicant would work.
· Curriculum vitae including educational background, current and former positions, scientific awards and grants received citing source, duration and amount (direct costs), full titles and references of publications related to computational molecular biology.
From References (8 copies):
· The applicant must request reference letters from three scientists (excluding sponsoring scientist) in relevant disciplines who are knowledgeable about applicant's capabilities and previous research, and to whom he/she has sent a copy of the research/training plan proposed for the postdoctoral fellowship. If possible, one of these three should have personal knowledge of the applicant's doctoral research, and all must comment on the applicant's summary of the major findings of his/her recent research.
· Reference letters should include comments on overall ranking of applicant, e.g. top 1% of Ph.D.s, top 10%, etc. It is the applicant's responsibility to assure that reference letters (8 COPIES) are sent.
Deadline and Announcements:
The deadline for receipt of all application materials from applicant, sponsoring scientist, and related reference letters is February 1, 2000 (firm). Announcements will be made by May 6, 2000.
Send Application To:
Dr. Michael S. Teitelbaum
Sloan/DOE Joint Postdoctoral Fellowships
in Computational Molecular Biology
Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
630 Fifth Avenue, Suite 2550
New York, NY 10111-0242