APPLY NOW FOR THE  MICHELSON PRIZES: NEXT GENERATION GRANTS

The Michelson Prizes: Next Generation Grants are $150,000 research grants given annually to support promising researchers who are applying disruptive concepts and inventive processes to advance human immunology, vaccine discovery and immunotherapy research for major global diseases.

The 2021 Michelson Prizes will be looking for research proposals in two areas:

• Human Immunology and Vaccine Research: The committee will be looking for research aimed at tackling the current roadblocks that exist in human vaccine development and expanding our limited understanding of key immune processes that are fundamental to successful vaccine and immunotherapy development.
• Climate Change and Human Immunology: Climate change has a profound effect on human health; pollution and other environmental stressors related to climate change increase susceptibility to disease, especially in vulnerable populations. Harnessing the immune system will be critical to  mitigate negative health impacts. The committee is looking for research that expands our understanding of the potential effects of climate change on immune function with a particular interest in research that will directly translate into vaccine and immunotherapy development to mitigate its impact.

For both prizes, the committee will be looking for research that is highly innovative and impactful, with the potential to be applied across many diseases. 

While the Michelson Prizes are focused on research in the fields of immunology, vaccine and immunotherapy discovery, applicants from the full spectrum of related disciplines, including clinical research, biochemistry, molecular biology, protein engineering, computer science, artificial intelligence/machine learning, biophysics, nanotechnology, environmental health, etc., are encouraged to apply.

The newly launched NOMIS & Science Young Explorer Award recognizes bold, early-career researchers with an M.D., Ph.D., or M.D./Ph.D. who ask fundamental questions at the intersection of the social and life sciences. It is awarded to scientists who conduct research with an enthusiasm that catalyzes cross-disciplinary collaboration and who take risks to creatively address relevant and exciting questions. 

Award winners will receive a cash prize of up to $15,000, and their essay submissions will be published in Science. They will also be invited to share their ideas with leading scientists in the respective fields at an award ceremony and to present their research to the NOMIS Board of Directors for potential future funding.

Apply by May 15, 2021 at www.sciencemag.org/nomis

Mexico’s National Council of Science and Technology (Conacyt) has recently
announced the opening of their study abroad doctoral scholarship programs for 2021, with additional benefits for UT Institutions under the The University of Texas System ConTex Program. This program provides students from Mexico up to four years of funding to pursue graduate degrees outside of Mexico, including University of Texas institutions. Through the ConTex Program, this funding for tuition, monthly stipend, and institutional health insurance can be extended to a fifth year. This program provides faculty at University of Texas institutions the opportunity for funded graduate students.

The primary focus of the Conacyt 2021 doctoral fellowships program is to fund students that study and conduct research in health‐related areas, with a multidisciplinary focus relevant to other areas of study. Conacyt has identified the priority topics listed in Table 1.

According to the schedule published by Conacyt, Mexican students must submit their application for a doctoral scholarship in health-related topics to Conacyt by: June 11, 2021; 23:59 hrs., Mexico City time. Results of this scholarship competition will be available from Conacyt on July 30, 2021.


Table 1 – Priority Health‐Related Areas for 2021 Conacyt Scholarships for Doctoral Studies

Next Steps

As a faculty member at a UT institution working in one of the Conacyt priority
areas, if you are already working with a student from Mexico or have admitted a student from Mexico to your graduate program, please encourage them to apply for a scholarship from Conacyt if they are in need of funding. Students apply directly to Conacyt, and should register with The University of Texas System ConTex Office to receive additional benefits and support. The ConTex staff can assist students with their applications. If doctoral students are selected by Conacyt to receive a scholarship, which is normally for four years, ConTex can provide a fifth year of funding.

For information on the Conacyt doctoral scholarship program and instruction for Mexican students to register with ConTex, please see:
https://contex.utsystem.edu/doctoral
For any additional information or questions, please contact the ConTex office at: contex@utsa.edu

Nominate a 2021 STAT Wunderkind

STAT Wunderkinds is a chance to celebrate early-career researchers who are not yet independent scientists or program leaders. We want to honor postdocs, interns, fellows — people who have terminal degrees in hand, but aren’t running their own research programs yet. Entries are due by July 30, 2021. We encourage you to inform your candidate of the nomination.

People working as assistant or associate professors, founders, C-suite level execs, or section heads as of Jan. 1, 2021 are not eligible. Research must have been published or accepted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal by the entry deadline. For full eligibility criteria, please see our FAQ before filling out this form. If you still have questions, email wunderkinds@statnews.com. Please read our terms and conditions.