YITA 2019 Navigation

In 2014, the Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation (ALCF) in collaboration with the Van Auken Private Foundation (VAPF), launched an innovative, new funding mechanism to support novel, transdisciplinary and translational team research with potential of high clinical impact in lung cancer, the Young Innovators Team Awards. Now, this exciting initiative will continue as part of the newly-launched GO2 for Lung Cancer (GO2), which brings together the Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation and the Lung Cancer Alliance.

The objective of this unique funding mechanism is to identify brilliant, young “out-of-the-box” thinkers/researchers who can collaboratively deliver a meaningful and measurable result that helps GO2 move towards our goal of making lung cancer a chronically managed disease.

About the Young Innovators Team Awards

The Young Innovators Team Award will provide up to a total of $250,000 per team over a duration of 2-3 years, depending on the proposal and final decision by the Scientific Review Committee.
The focal key words of this funding mechanism are:

  • Out-of-the-box – high-risk, high-impact research that will typically not be selected for federal funding, is creative and has potential for near-term benefit to lung cancer researchers
  • Translational – research with outcomes that can be quickly moved from the lab to the clinic, or from the bench to bedside
  • Multi-Disciplinary – projects that involve multiple academic disciplines/specializations in their approach to solve a problem in the field of lung cancer
  • Collaborative – research that fosters collaboration among young researchers who haven’t worked together in the past, preferably across institutions preferred

Each selected team will be comprised of at least 2 young innovators who propose to conduct first-in-field, innovative, transdisciplinary and transformative research with a high probability of near-term benefit to lung cancer patients.
While Young Innovators will drive the research project, they will be guided by mentors at their institutions.
The idea is to encourage out-of-the-box thinking and foster leadership skills among young innovators, instilling confidence in them to drive breakthrough, transdisciplinary science under a collaborative, cross-institutional paradigm.

YITA 2019 Request for Applications (RFA)

The Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation in collaboration with the Van Auken Private Foundation, is requesting applications for its Young Innovators Team Awards (YITA ) that address unmet medical needs in the topic areas listed below. High-risk, high-reward, multidisciplinary, collaborative research projects that are currently unfunded will be awarded $250,000 for a period of 2-3 years (depending on the proposed research).

Topic Areas

Lung cancer patient-oriented research in the following topic areas is preferred (however, all submissions will be evaluated). Patient-oriented research: Research conducted with human subjects (or on material of human origin such as tissues, specimens and cognitive phenomena) for which an investigator directly interacts with human subjects. This area of research includes:

  • Early detection and screening using novel, validated biomarkers
  • Targeting the tumor microenvironment-combination strategies
  • Biomarkers for response to immunotherapeutics
  • Small Cell Lung Cancer: identifying and targeting specific underlying genomic abnormalities
  • Causative factors in non-smokers

Key Dates

RFA Announcement: May 31, 2019
Online submission portal begins accepting applications: May 31, 2019
Application Submission Deadline: July 15, 2019
Peer Review Round 1: August 15, 2019
Peer Review Round 2: Top 3-5 applicants present to the Scientific Review Committee/in-person review: October 15, 2019
Award Announcements: October 31, 2019
Award Start Date: November 1, 2019
Award End Date: November 1, 2021 or November 1, 2022 (depending on the proposal)

Review Process

  • GO2 grant review and management is a nimble, rapid, flexible and transparent process. YITA 2019 recipients will be selected through two rounds of rigorous peer review.
  • For the first round of review, each application will be reviewed and scored by three independent peer reviewers out of a global pool of KOLs.
  • The top 3-5 submissions will progress into the second round of peer review, where the teams will present to the YITA 2019 Scientific Review Committee, which will make the final decision in consultation with the GO2 Scientific Advisory Board.
  • The Scientific Review Committee will be assembled based on the technical area of expertise of the finalist teams, and the focus of the proposed research.
  • Progress of each research project will be reviewed and decisions on continued funding will be made by ALCF leadership and the Young Innovators Team Award Scientific Review Committee.

Applicants may request pre-application counseling on a first-come, first-served basis no later than July 1, 2018. In order to take advantage of this opportunity, applicants must submit a one page concept paper (12 point font, 1 inch margins) to grants@go2.org to include: a project overview, highlighting unique aspects of the project, evidence of efficacy and describing any piloted efforts; brief project timeline; estimated costs; and a description of how ALCF funds will advance the effort and help us achieve our goal of making lung cancer a chronically-managed disease by 2023. Currently-funded projects will be excluded from consideration.