Doris Duke Charitable Foundation

Distinguished Clinical Scientist Award

Purpose

The Doris Duke Distinguished Clinical Scientist Award (DCSA) recognizes outstanding mid-career physician-scientists who are applying the latest scientific advances to the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and cure of disease, and enables them to support and mentor the next generation of physician-scientists conducting clinical research.

Rationale & Program History

The Medical Research Program created the Distinguished Clinical Scientist Award to enable mid-career physician-scientists to continue to bridge the gap between bench science and clinical research as well as help cultivate a new generation of physician-scientists to fill that role.

DCSA competitions are typically held every other year. Since 1999, 34 awards totaling more than $55 million have been granted to mid-career physician-scientists. In 2006 the Medical Research Program also awarded three continuation grants of $200,000 each to support exceptional mentoring projects of past DCSA recipients.

2008 Competition Details

In 2008, up to five grants of $1.5 million each will be awarded to mid-career physician-scientists conducting translational clinical research in any disease area. Awards must be used over at least a five-year period.

Nominations

Please note that the deadline for nominations has passed. The following information is provided for reference only.

Each U.S. accredited, degree granting institution—which would encompass for that institution all affiliated graduate schools, related hospitals and research institutes—may nominate up to two candidates. Different divisions, departments, hospitals, centers, or schools of the same degree-granting institution should confer to submit one slate of nominees.

We strongly encourage institutions to nominate women and under-represented minorities in medicine.

Eligibility

This program is intended to support physician-scientists who are recognized leaders in their fields and who have well-established translational research programs. It is the responsibility of each institution to ensure that its nominees meet all of the eligibility requirements. The replacement of nominees will not be permitted.

All nominees must:

• Be a physician-scientist with an established translational clinical research program in any disease area;
  
• Have received an M.D. or a foreign equivalent from an accredited institution;
  
• Be working in a U.S. degree-granting institution but do not have to be a U.S. citizen;
  
• Have a full-time university faculty appointment at least at the level of Associate Professor or its equivalent as of January 1, 2008;
• Have been appointed to their first full-time faculty-level position no earlier than January 1, 1993. (All full-time post-fellowship Instructor-level positions will be considered full-time faculty-level appointments.)

Experiments that utilize animals or primary tissues
derived from animals are not eligible for support through
this award program.

Selection Process

An advisory panel of scientific leaders in major disease areas will review the proposals based on the criteria listed in the Request for Nominations and will recommend the strongest proposals for funding to the DDCF.