2025 AACR-CIHR Scholar-in-Training Awards (SITA)

Eligibility

The eligibility criteria for the 2025 AACR-CIHR SITA are as follows:

1. Candidates must be full-time doctoral students, postdoctoral fellows (post-PhD), or post-health professional degree fellows (e.g., nursing, physiotherapy, medicine, dentistry) at an academic or research institution.
2. Candidates must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
3. Candidates must be the first author and presenter of a meritorious abstract at the AACR Annual Meeting 2025. Awardees are required to present in-person; remote presentations are not permitted.
4. Candidates must be AACR Associate Members in good standing.
   • If you do not currently hold AACR Associate Membership, please apply on the AACR portal by October 28, 2024 in order to obtain a membership in time to then submit an application for an AACR-CIHR SITA. The membership is free. Further information regarding AACR Associate Membership can be found on their website.
5. Employees or subcontractors of private industry are not eligible.
6. Candidates may not receive the AACR-CIHR SITA more than once.
7. If an awardee is unable to attend the AACR Annual Meeting 2025, the award must be forfeited. An awardee who cancels their participation in the Annual Meeting is financially responsible for any costs incurred.

If you would like to apply to the AACR-CIHR SITAs, but are uncertain about your eligibility, we encourage you to contact us at cihr.icr@uhn.ca. We are committed to ensuring that every applicant's eligibility is appropriately and fairly assessed.

Summary

As part of its longstanding partnership with the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), the CIHR Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) is delighted to announce the launch of the inaugural AACR-CIHR Scholar-in-Training Awards (SITA) competition. An expansion of the highly prestigious and successful AACR SITA competition, these awards will support young investigators from Canada, particularly from underrepresented groups^Footnote1, to present their research at the AACR Annual Meeting 2025, the world's largest cancer research conference.

Objectives:

The AACR-CIHR SITAs aim to promote capacity building in the Canadian cancer research landscape by:

• Enhancing the education and professional development of young investigators, particularly from traditionally underrepresented groups^Footnote1 in cancer research, and encourage them to pursue careers in cancer research;
• Providing scholars with an opportunity to share their research with the international cancer research community at the AACR Annual Meeting and network with leading experts in the field; and
• Recognizing outstanding young investigators presenting meritorious proffered papers at the AACR Annual Meeting.

Recipients of the award will receive complimentary registration and a stipend towards travel, subsistence expenses, and poster printing costs to participate in the AACR Annual Meeting 2025, happening from April 25-30, 2025, in Chicago, Illinois. Awardees are responsible for making their own travel arrangements.

Application deadlines

RSO detailed review deadline

RSO final internal review deadline

Program application deadline

Application deadlines

Applications for AACR Associate Membership

NOTE: Consult your Faculty Associate Dean (Research) (ADR) regarding Faculty-specific deadlines and submission processes.

Principal Investigators: Complete a Research Management System (RMS) record, including a copy of your complete application, and submit this for approvals in RMS.

Postdocs, students, and trainees: For fellowships and externally-sponsored research training awards or opportunities, you must complete the Research Funding Application Approval (RFAA) Trainee PDF form, and submit it, along with a complete copy of the application, to Research Services at rsotrainee@ucalgary.ca. Trainees should not use RMS at this time.

Approvals: The University of Calgary requires that all funding applications be approved prior to submission. Approval requires signatures via either RMS or the RFAA Trainee form, in the following order:

• Principal Investigator
• Department Head
• Faculty ADR/Dean
• Research Services (on behalf of the Vice-President Research)

Read the Meaning of Grant Signatures policy to understand what your approval means. Please see the agency guidelines for details about which signatures are required on your application, as it may differ from internal requirements.

Late submissions: Late submissions will only be accepted in cases of medical or family emergencies, or other exceptional circumstances. If you submit your RMS record to Research Services after the internal deadline has passed, you must secure additional approvals. Please read: Late Applications Process.

How to Apply
Submit an online application form using the AACR portal. Please ensure that you respond 'Yes' to being a Canadian citizen or permanent resident in the application form to be considered for this award. Applications from all areas of cancer research are encouraged.

Please consult the AACR website for all other details regarding application requirements for the SITAs. Note: Application instructions on the AACR website are available in English only.

Applicants must apply for AACR Associate Membership by October 28, 2024, to be eligible.

Applicants must submit their AACR-CIHR SITA application by November 26, 2024 at 9:59 PM MT.