One of the goals of the National Decade against Cancer is to promote up-and-coming young researchers. To mark its fifth anniversary in 2024, the Decade is announcing a Young Talent Award for particularly innovative and pioneering scientific work in cancer research.
The Young Talent Award of the National Decade against Cancer is open to researchers who are in the early stages of their career, including PhD students and postdocs. Those with permanent professorships (W2, W3) are therefore not eligible. The winners are chosen on the basis of personal applications.
The award is intended to support the winners in their networking activities and incentivise them to continue their scientific career.
Based on what criteria will the award be granted?
The award will be granted to up to six researchers who are currently working at a research facility in Germany and are making waves in cancer research with outstanding and pioneering work. We are looking for young researchers who have begun to make a name for themselves in their specialist community with a particularly creative and innovative research approach. They will also be expected to achieve scientific excellence moving forward, presenting realistic plans for their future research activity.
Which documents are required for application?
Applicants must submit a pdf document in English or German containing the following:
- A CV (one A4 page) with evidence of their academic career since graduating and, if appropriate, their doctoral and other certificates.
- A brief descriptionof their research project (up to two A4 pages) with research question, including clinical relevance and potential impact, methodology and result as well as the most important publications.
- An outline of their concrete plans for further research activity and use of the prize money (one A4 page).
The winning PhD students are pursuing an ambitious cancer research project in their doctorate and have already successfully published or are about to publish their first research findings in a peer-reviewed journal.
The young talent award for postdocs will not be conferred solely in recognition of their PhD thesis; instead, it is aimed at researchers who, following their doctorate, have already developed an independent academic profile in the field of cancer research. This can be seen through documented research findings, especially in the form of publications alongside their thesis.
What will the winners receive?
The winners will each be awarded EUR 5,000 in prize money. They will also receive travel expenses to the tune of EUR 1,000 for work-shadowing at one of the NCT sites. The prize money can be used up to two years after winning the award for further cancer-research-based networking activities.
The official award ceremony will take place as part of the “Future X Change” symposium held to mark the fifth anniversary of the National Decade against Cancer on 2 February 2024 in Berlin.
