Alicia Zhou, CEO at Cancer Research Institute, shared on LinkedIn:
“When I talk to early-career researchers, I hear the same story again and again:
‘I love science, but I don’t know if I can keep doing this.’
They’ve spent years training, publishing, mentoring – doing everything right. And yet, when it comes time to take the next step toward independence, the bridge disappears. Funding dries up. Faculty slots vanish. Institutions hesitate to take a chance on someone new.
At the Cancer Research Institute (CRI), we know that science moves forward only when people can. That’s why I’m so proud to announce the launch of the CRI IGNITE Award (Inspiring Growth and Nurturing Independence Through Excellence) – a bold, structured pathway to help emerging cancer immunologists make the leap from postdoc to faculty independence.
Modeled after the NIH’s K99/R00 mechanism, IGNITE offers up to 1 million dollars in support over 5 years –
Plus two years of mentored postdoctoral funding.
Plus three years of independent faculty support, coupled with institutional commitments in lab space, mentorship, and protected research time.
IGNITE is designed to make sure that brilliant ideas don’t stall because a talented scientist hits an invisible wall. Instead, we’re investing when it really counts.
Applications are now open.”
More posts featuring Alicia Zhou on OncoDaily.