The Ellison Medical Foundation has been established by a gift from Mr. Lawrence J. Ellison to support biomedical research on aging, including basic biology, epidemiology, and clinical investigation. The Ellison Medical Foundation Senior Scholar program is designed to support established investigators, working at institutions in the U.S., to conduct research in the basic biological and clinical sciences relevant to understanding aging processes and age-related diseases and disabilities. The award is intended to provide significant support to established investigators in order to allow the development of new, creative research programs by investigators who may not currently be conducting aging research or who may wish to develop new research programs in aging. The Foundation particularly wishes to stimulate new research, which has rigorous scientific foundations, but which may not be currently funded adequately, because of its perceived novelty, its high risk, or because it is from an area where traditional research interests absorb most funding.

Although the outer envelope of potential awards spans a substantial commitment of funds for up to four years, the Foundation also welcomes applications for pilot projects and feasibility tests in new areas. As far as possible, these will be given expedited consideration, and will be judged primarily by the credentials of the proposer.

Areas of interest include, but are not limited to:

• Structural biology
• Molecular genetics
• Studies with model systems ranging from lower eukaryotes to humans
• Inquiries testing the relevance of simpler models to human aging
• Genetic epidemiology of aging; candidate longevity genes
• Aging in the immune system
• Host defense molecules in aging systems
• Mechanisms of free radical induced cell aging
• Mechanisms of aging in various differentiated cell populations
• Gene/environment and gene/gene interactions
• Integrative physiology
• New approaches to age-modulated disease mechanisms: Alzheimer's disease and others.

The Ellison Medical Foundation Senior Scholar Awards will be issued in late 2000 or early 2001. Ten awards are anticipated in this round, pending sufficient meritorious applications.

Applicants for the Senior Scholar Award are expected to furnish evidence of substantial prior scientific creativity and productivity not necessarily targeted to aging heretofore. Evaluation by the Scientific Advisory Board will be based upon the applicant's submission re: scientific contributions to date, the quality of publications, and the importance to aging of the proposed new research. The Scientific Advisory Board will pay close attention to arguments as to why the work does not or would not qualify for support from established sources such as the NIA. Except for compelling circumstances, the awards are not intended to supplement ongoing, already funded programs but, instead, to inspire new directions, which may entail substantial risk.

Letters of Intent to submit an application must be received before close of business June 23, 2000 at The Ellison Medical Foundation address below. Letters of Intent received after June 23 will be deferred to a future round as and when it is announced. Seven copies of Letters of Intent should be submitted. Letters of Intent are limited to two pages. Letters of Intent and the cover page (see below) should include a brief description of the proposed research, a brief description of the applicant's current research, and a statement of the relevance of the proposed research to aging. A one page bibliography of prior works (do not include reprints), and a one page c.v. for the applicant (including current support with titles, source, duration and level of support), should be appended to the Letter of Intent. Applicants invited to submit a full application will be notified of their selection and provided with application forms about September 1, 2000. Applications will be due October 2, 2000.

Up to ten Senior Scholars will be selected in 2000. Each award will be made for $150,000 per year direct cost, with indirect cost added to that, for up to four years. Funding for years two, three and four is contingent upon submission of an acceptable progress report.

Acceptable uses for award funds include salary, other personnel, equipment, supplies, resource acquisition and travel. Up to 25% of any year's funds may be carried over from one year to another. Carry-overs in excess of $25,000 must be approved by the Ellison Medical Foundation Scholars Program Office. Full indirect costs at the NIH negotiated rate will be provided.

Award recipients are invited to attend the Ellison Medical Foundation Annual Colloquium on Aging held each summer at the Marine Biological Laboratories at Woods Hole, MA. The colloquium will provide an opportunity for scholars to interact with each other and with scientific leaders in sciences relevant to aging. The cost of attendance will be supported by the foundation.

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Richard L. Sprott, Ph. D.
Executive Director
The Ellison Medical Foundation
4710 Bethesda Avenue
Suite 204
Bethesda, MD 20814
(301) 657-1830 / 2511 (Phone)
(301) 657-1828 (Fax)

[email protected]