CCS Research Training Awards

There will be a two-stage review process. An initial administrative review will be completed on all applications, followed by a full committee review. Applications that are incomplete, do not meet eligibility criteria (i.e., applicants must be from eligible graduate programs and institutions) or are outside of the area of study (i.e., applications that do not relate to cancer research), will be removed at this initial stage and will not continue to full committee review. Applicants will be notified if their application does not pass administrative review. The expert review committee will be composed of a diverse group of scientific reviewers, patient/survivor/caregiver reviewers, and community/end-user reviewers who will collectively evaluate applications to this research training award competition (see review criteria below for more information). The review committee will be comprised of individuals with the expertise necessary to evaluate the full applications submitted. A maximum of one application per trainee is permitted in this competition.

Applicants are asked to submit an abstract by April 6, 2023 at 5pm ET. Please use this link here for Master’s and PhD and here for Postdoctoral fellows to access the submission form via the QP platform. Note that the Full Application will be submitted in EGrAMS.

The abstract submission will require the following:

1. Applicant details
2. Public summary of the research project, to be written in lay language (i.e., Grade 8 reading level) (2150 characters spaces included)
3. Keywords (maximum 10).

Please review the application guide (to be released after Abstract deadline) and eligibility and requirements section, and rating scales prior to submitting your application. When preparing the full application, the following additional information is required: 

1. Applicant details

2. An experience statement to evaluate potential (personal) impact on cancer, answering the following 2 questions:

• Why am I the right candidate for this award?
• What do I envision as my (long-term) contribution to cancer research?

The experience statement should highlight lived experience, connection to or role in community, community engagement, volunteering with patients / healthcare, work experience and other meaningful experience and skills (such as life / knowledge journeys for Indigenous trainees). If applicable, please describe any special circumstances including career obstacles and interruptions(2 pages or 6000 characters)

3. Transcripts (for Master’s and PhD) or CV (Postdoctoral fellows)

4. Public summary of the research project, to be written in lay language (i.e., Grade 8 reading level) (2150 characters spaces included)

5. A detailed proposal (9000 characters for PhD and postdoctoral fellows, 6000 characters for Master’s spaces included) including overall goal and aims of their research project, supporting evidence / rationale, guiding theoretical framework (if applicable), study design, methods, evaluation / analysis (including assessment and mitigation of any potential barriers or risks), and knowledge sharing. Meaningful, integrated involvement of relevant stakeholders (i.e., patients, public, at-risk, underserved populations) is strongly encouraged. Briefly describe how patient/survivor/caregiver or other relevant stakeholders will be engaged in the research as partners and if applicable, as participants. Demonstration of accessibility, equity, diversity and inclusion principles in the proposal must be evident. Include a description of how sex and/or gender and/or dimensions of diversity/determinants of health and their intersectionalities have been factored into the study design. While scholarly publications and presentations are considered important, knowledge sharing of the research findings in culturally and contextually relevant ways (outside of traditional academic conferences and publications) is preferred. Examples of non-traditional avenues for knowledge sharing include learning and sharing circles, workshops, arts-based productions, community or patient newsletters / magazines / publications, and community presentations / gatherings / gifting / feasting. CCS will endeavour to offer one networking / knowledge-sharing opportunity to trainees per year, with other relevant opportunities for trainees being offered when possible. Note that traditional academic conferences or publications alone will not be considered sufficient for knowledge sharing. One additional page for figures, tables, visuals and key milestones is permitted.

 6. A professional development plan including both cross-disciplinary training to be undertaken and a proposed mentorship plan (3000 characters spaces included for each).

• A description of the cross-disciplinary training to be undertaken, expected knowledge/expertise gained or outcomes, and potential barriers to learning (3000 characters spaces included). Note that cross-disciplinary training refers to learning in at least one field outside of their specific cancer research area (i.e., health sciences, social sciences, data science, natural sciences, engineering, etc.). We encourage a broad definition of training that will benefit the trainee and the cancer research ecosystem including but not limited to: trainee exchanges, co-supervision of trainees, internships, reciprocal laboratory visits, workshops, courses, webinars, community-based or collaborative learning, and other innovative ways to train and learn. The duration and complexity of training is to be commensurate with the training level and the award term (i.e., more complex and involved training plans and opportunities for postdoctoral fellows than for PhDs and for Master’s trainees, and for longer award terms). A training budget is provided, and use of the budget should be detailed.

• Mentorship plan (3000 characters spaces included). Mentorship refers to mentoring that the trainee would participate in as mentee. Detail on the frequency and duration of mentoring, any potential barriers or risks, responsibilities of both the mentor and mentee, areas of focus and expected benefits (i.e., specific skills or opportunities gained) of each mentoring relationship should be provided. We support the development of a mentoring network (more than one mentor for the trainee, in different skill areas, both within and outside academic settings). Innovative mentoring approaches are suggested, such as peer / reciprocal mentoring, mentoring outside of academia such as organizational (i.e., business leaders or other skill mentoring), community, cultural, patient / caregiver, or virtual mentoring. The duration and complexity of mentorship is to be commensurate with the training level and the award term (i.e., more complex and involved mentorship plans and opportunities for postdoctoral fellows than for PhDs and for Master’s trainees, and for longer award terms). 

Additionally, a short (1500 characters each, spaces included) statement of commitment / support from any potential mentors is encouraged for PhD and postdoctoral applicants (but committed mentors are not required for application). If submitting mentorship statement(s) (2 maximum; the mentor statement cannot come from the direct supervisor) with the application, the statement(s) should detail the mentor’s responsibilities and expectations from their perspective, and commitment to the mentoring relationship.

7. Letter of commitment / support from the trainee’s direct supervisor(s) and a statement or video from a community member / patient / caregiver are required. The applicant will need to provide email addresses for the supervisor and community member / patient / caregiver, who will then be emailed a secure link to submit their document.

• The letter of support from the supervisor should detail responsibilities (i.e., how the supervisor will foster growth), how the training environment is supportive of learning and success including equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) principles and practices applied by the supervisor and in the training environment, and any perceived barriers and mitigating strategies, as well as their overall assessment of the applicant’s suitability for the award.
• The statement or video from the community member / patient / caregiver should be from an individual with insight into the trainee’s connection to community or community role, or research (i.e., from the community they self-identify with; a patient partner on their research team or who is directly impacted, etc.). This is not a formal reference letter but an opportunity for someone outside of academia to describe the applicant. The community member / patient / caregiver will be sent a secure link to answer the following questions (3000 characters each, spaces included):

• What is your role in community or connection to the applicant’s research? What is the applicant’s role in or connection to community? (If applicable)
• From your experience with the applicant, what potential impact do you think their research may have on patients, caregivers, or community?
• Is there anything else you would like to add?

8. Postdoctoral fellows: an additional document detailing proposed career plans and leadership skills and activities (leadership experiences and opportunities that would position the applicant to become a future leader in cancer research in Canada) (3000 characters total, spaces included)

We welcome inquiries about research projects, training, mentorship and other aspects of the training award application. CCS and partners may be able to support contact with mentors, cross-disciplinary training, and knowledge sharing. Please contact research@cancer.ca.

There are three areas being evaluated in this competition by scientific, patient/survivor/caregiver and community/end-user reviewers. Relevant criteria are weighted within each reviewer type rating scale. Please refer to the application guide (Master's/PhD, Postdoctoral) and rating scales (Master's/PhD, Postdoctoral) when preparing an application. 

All award recipients must submit annual progress reports and statements of account throughout the grant (and a final report 2 years post-grant). Awardees will be emailed instructions about completing the report in our online system (EGrAMS). Submission of these reports is mandatory. Failure to submit the required reports will result in the future installments of the award being withheld. 

Successful applicants will participate in annual meetings to share knowledge and network with each other and relevant stakeholders, including CCS staff and partners. The meetings may be designed as in-person or virtual events, to be determined. Additional information will be shared closer to the meeting date. Awardees are also expected to participate in CCS-led workshops and opportunities, when possible, which will facilitate networking and learning opportunities such as in knowledge translation or patient / stakeholder engagement.

Individuals may not concurrently hold an award similar to the Research Training Award (RTA). This includes all awards where the stipend amount is worth at least 40% of the RTA amount. Similar applications may be submitted to other agencies, but awardees cannot hold both where the stipend amount of the other award is at least 40% of the RTA.

Other partial stipends may be held (equal to less than 40% of the RTA stipend), subject to agreement from each funder, and the RTA stipend would be reduced by the partial amount.

Please contact research@cancer.ca for more information.

Applicants are reminded to review the eligibility and requirements section for details on scientific and financial reporting, funder acknowledgement, CCS policies on open access and tobacco related funding.

The Alberta Cancer Foundation (ACF) is interested in supporting applications where both the trainee and supervisor are based in Alberta. Awards at the Postdoctoral level are of primary interest.

BioCanR_x is interested in supporting Black or Indigenous MSc student scholars in the area ofcancer immunotherapy research but will also support a scholar undertaking cancer policy research related to the cancer-related needs of Black or Indigenous communities. In addition to providing this support, the individual will become BioCanRx Highly Qualified Personnel and be entitled to participate in all Network training activities. We will also include the following EDI training and resources to the MSc student and in particular, the laboratory where the scholar will be working:

1) All investigators and direct supervisors take respect in the workplace, unconscious bias, and an Indigenous cultural safety course from the Canadian Diversity Initiative, if applicable;
2) We will share with both the scholar and supervisors the BioCanRx code of conduct as well as will be sharing our safe environment initiative information, both of which can be found on our website here: https://biocanrx.com/about/equity-diversity-inclusion/biocanrx-code-conduct-2;
3) We encourage mentorship and have built a relationship with Indspire so that all Indigenous students going through our program can access their Rivers to Success mentorship program;
4) On a case-by-case basis we provide travel support for the student to either travel to a community they are working with and/or travel to the lab they are working with.

CPAC is specifically interested in supporting Master’s level trainees who self-identify as First Nations, Inuit or Métis. The Partnership is open to any cancer research project that enables capacity building, regardless of research pillar or location within Canada.

CCMB is interested in supporting applications where both the trainee and supervisor are based in Manitoba and where the research activities will be undertaken in Manitoba. Awards at the PhD and Postdoctoral Fellow level are of primary interest.

CRS is a national not-for-profit organization whose sole mission is to fund research on all types of cancer, thereby contributing to the advancement of science aimed at preventing, detecting, and treating the disease. We have a specific interest in supporting trainees, at the Master’s, PhD, and postdoctoral level, in underrepresented groups to help reduce discrimination and inequity and support the full participation of talented individuals in building the next generation of cancer researchers.

Our organization has a specific interest in pediatric oncology, with trainees at any of our pediatric oncology institutions across Canada.

SHRF is interested in supporting applications where both the trainee and supervisor are based in Saskatchewan. Awards at the PhD and Postdoctoral Fellow level are of primary interest.

TFRI is interested in supporting applications at any award level and on any aspect of the cancer continuum and type of research.