Brain Tumour Research Studentship Outline and Guidelines

Outline

These guidelines are designed to facilitate the awarding and completion of the Brain Tumour Research Studentships (2020-2021). You can download these guidelines as a pdf. 

Funding Opportunity

Successful applicants will receive $10,000 over two years ($5,000 per summer). Funding will be granted for students working on projects in June, July and August 2020 and June, July and August 2021 (unless otherwise requested).

Applications will be considered for students in the following two categories:

• Medical students working on a brain tumour research project, without PHD and currently in their first year at a medical school in Canada.
• Undergraduate science students currently working on a brain tumour research project, in their first, second or third year of study working towards a four-year Bachelor of Science degree from a Canadian post-secondary institution. 

Qualifications

The following considerations and criteria will be used to evaluate all applications.

• Qualifications of the applicant based on the following documentation that must accompany the application:

1. Documentation confirming enrolment in medical school (i.e. letter of acceptance, letter from registrar’s office)
   or
   Documentation confirming enrolment in a four-year Honours Bachelor of Science program (i.e. letter of acceptance, letter from registrar’s office)
2. Letter of acceptance from Supervisor (one award per lab, per year)
3. Three (3) additional Academic Letters of Reference (outside of Supervisor)
4. Current copy of Applicant’s résumé
5. Current copy of Supervisor’s curriculum vitae for past 5 years’ work.

• Quality of the brain tumour research project (see below for types of projects funded)
• Ability of proposed laboratory or institution to conduct the brain tumour research project.

Sharing Your Success

Students who receive a Studentship from Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada are required to share their success at the end of the first summer (September 2020) and once the project is complete (September 2021).

Notification of any publications resulting from the project should also be forwarded to Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada’s Research Committee. This information may be shared on BrainTumour.ca and with our sponsors, supporters, and other individuals through our marketing efforts, publications and Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada events. 

Guidelines

Deadline for Applications

Applications must be submitted by January 6, 2020. The selection process and approval will take place shortly after and the results will be communicated to all applicants by end of March 2020.

Institutional Requirement

Funds are granted only for students attending a university in Canada, working on projects to be performed in Canada.

Types of Research Funded

Applications are considered for brain tumour research that is Basic, Clinical or Translational in nature. All research focuses will be given serious consideration, including projects that focus on pediatric brain tumours. Research types are defined, for the purposes of this context, below:

Basic Research: Is defined as involving the development of new concepts, e.g. signaling pathways using an in vitro model. Basic science research is meant to increase our scientific knowledge base, with the intent of bettering our understanding of the cause and progression of brain tumours.

Clinical Research: This includes treatment trials, epidemiological studies, quality of life studies, health services research or other patient-oriented research. The process of clinical research must protect personal data.

Translational Research: Is defined as pre-clinical research evaluating the therapeutic potential of recent discoveries in the basic mechanisms of either brain tumour pathogenesis or experimental therapeutics.  

Evaluation Process

• January 6, 2020: Applications are due to Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada
• January 6 – March 20, 2020: Review of applications will occur – note that students will be compared with comparable applicants, i.e. medical students will be compared with medical students and science students with science students
• End March 2020: All applicants will be contacted regarding Application Status
• May 2020: Payment and confirmation letter sent for Summer 2020 (first year of project)
• September 28, 2020: Report on first summer of project is due to Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada
• May 2021: Second (and final) payment sent for Summer 2021 (second year of project)
• September 27, 2021: Report on second summer of project and full report on project outcomes is due to Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada

Application Submission

The application must be submitted by 4:30 pm EST, January 6, 2020:

Please email your completed Studentship Application as one PDF (not separate attachments) directly to Susan Ruypers, Research Program Specialist: sruypers@braintumour.ca.

Letters of References must also be received electronically no later than January 6, 2020 at 4:30 pm EST to Susan Ruypers, Research Program Specialist: sruypers@braintumour.ca. 

Still have questions? Please see answers to some of the Frequently Asked Questions.

To speak with someone directly about Studentships, please contact:

Susan Ruypers
Research Program Specialist
sruypers@braintumour.ca
1-800-265-5106 ext. 240

You must advise Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada promptly should you decide to withdraw your application for any reason, or if you withdraw from your school program after being awarded funding.