FY2020 Interstellar Initiative: 2020 - 2021 Workshop 1

Objective

The event "Interstellar Initiative", jointly presented by the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development and the New York Academy of Sciences, is a groundbreaking mentoring workshop fostering international collaboration. It consists of two workshops which will be held at The New York Academy of Sciences Conference Center in New York City on September 11 – 13, 2020 and February 8 – 9, 2021.

This landmark event will convene the world’s most promising Early Career Investigators (ECIs), together with established leaders in their fields, with the aim of catalyzing discovery and fostering collaboration. This is a remarkable opportunity for investigators to:

1. receive expert guidance from leading senior scientists on the preparation of a compelling research proposal;

2. network with exceptional researchers from around the world; and

3. build international research collaborations.

The 2020-2021 Interstellar Initiative will address challenges in the area of Healthy Longevity. It will focus on exploring molecular, cellular, genetic, and physiological mechanisms of aging, and the relationship between aging and diseases such as cancers, neurodegenerative, cardiovascular, hormonal disorders, and other chronic age-related conditions with the ultimate goal of improving health span and preventing pathological aging.

Funding Details

Interstellar Initiative participants will be reimbursed for all eligible travel expenses. For more details, please see website here (internet accessible link).

Eligibility Criteria

Early Career Investigators who have backgrounds in four broad categories below are welcome to apply:

• Life Sciences (e.g., biomedical scientists)
• Clinical Research (e.g., physician scientists and others with translational interests)
• Physical Sciences (e.g., physicists, chemists, and mathematicians)
• Technology (e.g., engineers, computer scientists)

Early Career Investigator applicants must:

• Hold a doctoral degree or equivalent (PhD, DPhil, MD, DDS, DVM, etc.)
• Have obtained their last doctoral degree within the past 10 years (January 2010 or later)
• Have been engaged in active research for 10 years or less since obtaining their doctoral degree or equivalent
• Hold an independent, tenure-track or equivalent faculty position at a university, private research institution, academic medical center, or national government laboratory
• Be proficient in speaking and writing in English

Note: Exceptions to these requirements may be made on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of the organizers. If you have questions about your eligibility, please contact interstellar@nyas.org.

Submission

Interested applicants must apply here (internet accessible link) and do the following online by 7th May 2020, 11:59PM (EDT):

• To complete an online form which includes questions about applicants' research background and area of expertise and

• To submit a short proposal (either in Word or PDF) that identifies a critical research question in the applicants' chosen area

Contact Person

Dr WATANABE Hiroko

E-mail: hiroko-watanabe@amed.go.jp

OR

Email: interstellar@nyas.org

Additional Information

• Instructions for Short Proposal Application.docx
• Website link here (internet accessible link)