2024 USASP-MAYDAY Clinical/Translational Research Award

Thank you for your interest in the 2023 USASP-MAYDAY Clinical/Translational Research Award.  Two meritorious candidates will be selected by a committee that includes senior-level investigators and leading clinical/translational pain researchers based on the potential impact of the proposal and its potential to be developed into a larger application for extramural support (i.e., from the NIH, DoD, CHS, etc.).  Awards are for $50,000 for one year with the potential for a no-cost extension for a second year. Proposals will be reviewed based on the relative merits of four primary review components: the applicant, the applicant’s contributions to the field, the research proposal, and the letters of support. 

To be eligible for the USASP-MAYDAY Clinical/Translational Research Award, the applicant:

  • Must be a USASP member
  • Early career investigator within four years of their faculty appointment are eligible to apply, except those who have received tenure at the time of the application.
  • Must conduct their research and be appointed at an institution in the United States or Canada.
  • Should demonstrate a commitment to the field of pain research.

 Click here for an overview of the program

Click Here to Apply!

Application Requirements
Scroll down the page for a step-by-step guide & information about the application attachment

The application requires the following documents written in English:

  1. A signature page signed by the Applicant/PI and the Institutional Official responsible for submitting applications for extramural support.
  2. An abstract (no more than 3,000 characters/300 words).
  3. A Personal Statement summarizing the candidate's vision for their career and their contributions as a leader in the field of pain research (no more than 3,000 characters/300 words).
  4. An NIH Biosketch (no more than 5 pages, see template).
  5. A list of current and pending research support from all sources, as well as clarification as to whether there is any overlap between projects funded/submitted elsewhere and the current proposal (overlap should be avoided).
  6. A Research Proposal that is no more than 6 pages, with no less than 11-point Arial font, and 0.5-inch margins. A timeline for completion of the project is required.  Applicants may include a 7th page for references. 
  7. An Environment section that is no more than 2 pages that describes subject populations, collaborative arrangements, institutional support, equipment and other physical resources available to the investigator for the proposed research
  8. One page describing the Inclusion of Women, Minorities, and Individuals Across the Lifespan: How the proposed research will include (or exclude) individuals on the basis of sex/gender, race, and ethnicity, as well as the inclusion (or exclusion) of individuals of all ages (including children and older adults). 
  9. Budget requests should not exceed $50,000. The budget should include a detailed request and justification for all study-related expenses. Indirect costs are not allowed for this grant.
  10. Three letters supporting the candidate’s application; names and addresses (including email) of these individuals should be included in the application.  Only one letter will be included in the application and two letters will be solicited by USASP :
    1. One letter appended to the application from the candidate’s Department Chair or Division Chief that demonstrates strong support for the candidate’s proposed research and career development (start-up funds, lab space, and a tenure-track position), and the acknowledgment that indirect costs associated with this grant will be covered by other sources of funds. 
    2. Name, mailing address, and email addresses for two individuals: the candidate’s post-doctoral advisor (or influential advisor) and/or mentor(s) who have impacted the candidate’s research. When completing the application, candidates will provide email contact information for two individuals. Once your application is submitted, these individuals will be contacted by a representative of USASP about the submission process for these letters. Both of these letters must be received by March 20, 2024.

Completing The Application Process: Step-By-Step Guide

USASP Login/Sign-Up
If you are already a USASP member, then you may log into the site using your USASP member credentials. If you are not a USASP member, please follow the prompt to become a member.

Applicant/PI Profile Information
If you were already a USASP member, the majority of this section is populated from the USASP database. If there are fields that contain incorrect or missing information, the applicant should update their information. Please note that items marked with a red asterisk are required fields.

Application Submission Details
Please make sure that the "2024 USASP-MAYDAY Clinical/Translational Research Award" option is selected. Then proceed to name your submission title following the example given: "John Doe - MAYDAY 2024". Next, you will be prompted to write down the title of your intended research project. Finally, you will be asked to answer questions regarding your eligibility for the Award. Please note that items marked with a red asterisk are required fields.

Lead Institution
The applicant should complete the requested information regarding their primary/lead institution. These details will involve the lead institution's name, address, phone number, and fax number. Please note that items marked with a red asterisk are required fields.

Organization Assurances
The applicant should complete the requested information regarding their proposed research project. These details will involve the type of research your project involves and/or approval status. Please note that items marked with a red asterisk are required fields. 

Letters of Support
Completed applications will require three letters of support. These must include one letter from the candidate’s Department Chair/Division Chief that demonstrates strong support for the candidate’s proposed research and career development. Please INCLUDE the letter from the candidate’s Department Chair/Division Chief in the application. The other two letters should come from the candidate’s Ph.D./fellowship advisor, influential advisor, or mentor who has impacted the candidate’s research. Once your application is submitted, these two individuals will be contacted by a representative of USASP about the submission process for these letters. Both of these additional 2 letters must be submitted to USASP by March 20, 2024.

Attachments

Please upload all required documents as a single PDF in the following order: 

(1) A signature page, (2) abstract (no more than 3,000 characters/300 words), (3) Leadership in Pain Research Personal Statement, (4) NIH Biosketch, (5) Research proposal narrative, (6) NIH style Facilities/Environment section, (7) One page describing the Inclusion of Women, Minorities, and Individuals Across the Lifespan, (8) letter of support from the Department Chair/Division Chief (9) Summary of Current and Pending Funding (10) Budget Justification. 

  1. Signed Signature Pages
    All applications must be signed by the Applicant/PI and the Institutional Official responsible for submitting applications for extramural support. The signature page may either be printed out, signed and scanned, or electronic signatures may be used on the PDF.
  2. Abstract
    The abstract should be limited to 300 words or up to 3,000 characters. Applicants are advised to check spelling, word, and character count before pasting their abstract within this section.
  3. Leadership in Pain Research (Personal Statement)
    The applicant will provide a personal statement detailing his/her vision for a career in pain research and provide information and/or examples of leadership in pain-related activities. The statement should be limited to 300 words or up to 3,000 characters.
  4. NIH Biosketch
    The applicant will provide an NIH Biosketch that should be no more than 5 pages long (see template)
  5. Research Proposal Narrative
    The applicant will append a research proposal narrative that is limited to six pages in 11-point Arial font and 0.5-inch margins. A 7th page may be included for references.
  6. NIH-style Facilities Environment section: Use this section to provide information on facilities and environmental resources available to support and conduct the proposed research.
  7. One page describing the Inclusion of Women, Minorities, and Individuals Across the Lifespan
  8. Letter of Support from a Department Chair/Division Chief
    Completed applications will require one letter from the candidate’s Department Chair/Division Chief demonstrating strong support for the candidate’s proposed research and career development.
  9. Summary of current and pending funding
    The applicant will provide information about all current and pending research support. The research plan should include something other than a project already funded or for consideration for funding elsewhere. Suppose the applicant has received or has pending research support. In that case, the applicant should explain how the Rita Allen Foundation award will enhance the applicant’s pain research and how the project submitted for the Rita Allen Foundation award differs from other funded or pending projects.
  10. Budget Justification

Summary
Applicants must review their completed application in this section. The summary function is a way to ensure that all of the required application fields are completed, accurate, and viewable (e.g., PDF is readable). Please review all questions and inputs before submitting.

Submit
The Applicant/PI can submit their completed application in this section.

Applications with missing sections, which do not meet eligibility requirements or do not adhere to these application instructions, including required formats (font size and page lengths) and use of signature pages, are considered ineligible.

 

 

Assistance with Applications

For technical support (including questions about trouble logging in and technical issues in completing an application) or questions regarding eligibility: Please get in touch with [email protected] (the office is open Monday-Friday from 9:00 am ET-5:00 pm ET).  Emails received after hours and on weekends will be responded to on the next business day.