RISE: The Robert W. Finberg, MD Memorial Research Training Awards for UMass Chan Department of Medicine Postdocs and PhD or MD/PhD Students 

 

 

 

 

Now accepting applications! Deadline for submission: February 14, 2025

Goal/Purpose

Established in 2022, RISE: The Robert W. Finberg, MD Memorial Research Training Awards are dedicated to helping future researchers and physician-researchers RISE above and learn without limitations, grow in their rich academic experiences, and achieve their goals.

Funds will be awarded in two categories: One to a PhD or MD/PhD student award and a second award to a postdoctoral fellow. 

Prize

$1000 cash prize to a postdoctoral fellow and $750 to a UMass Chan PhD or MD/PhD student.  Each awardee will be invited to give a 15-minute presentation on their research at the department level seminar series at the end of the year. 

Deadline for submission: February 14, 2025

Eligibility and application process

All current PhD, MD/PhD students and postdocs in good standing at UMass Chan are eligible to apply. Eligible participants must complete the application and submit by the application deadline. 

Criteria for selection  

Candidates will be considered based on their scholarly accomplishments as well as their contributions to the training environment in the Department of Medicine. Candidates will be evaluated by a committee of UMass Chan reviewers and the final selection will be made based on the following criteria: 

• The candidate’s body of work both published and ongoing in the field of Innate Immunity. 
• The candidate’s contributions to DOM activities and the training environment. 
• Only a single nominee. 
• Awardees will present their work at a department-level seminar series at the end of the year.  
  

Award conditions

Awardees will receive a $1000 prize to a postdoctoral fellow and a $750 prize to a UMass Chan graduate student. Applicants agree in advance that if chosen, they will give a 15-minute presentation on their research at the department level seminar series at the end of the year.    

Application requirements 

• Applicant Information (name, degree program, mentor lab) 
• One page description of the applicant’s scholarly work (including figures, references not included) 
• One paragraph description of candidate’s career goals 
• Support letter from primary mentor 
• OPTIONAL: any published article DIRECTLY RELATED to the proposal may be appended to the application  

Review process

A Review Committee will assess applications based on the applicant’s eligibility and adherence to the criteria for selection, as described above. 

Graduate student application (download)

Postdoctoral application (download)

Applications should be submitted to:

Michelle Morrison 

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2023 RISE Awardees

Applications were scored by an independent review panel and the following individuals have been named as the inaugural awardees:

Liraz Galia, PhD
Postdoctoral awardee
Project title: The LncRNA HOXA11os Regulates Mitochondrial Function in Myeloid Cells to Maintain Intestinal Homeostasis

Kevin Gao, MD/PhD student
Student awardee
Project title: STING-Mediated Autoinflammation in Endothelial Cells Initiates Interstitial Lung Disease

Samantha Tse, MD/PhD student
Student awardee
Project title: Non-Canonical Pattern Recognition by a Nuclear Hormone Receptor Identifies Virulent Bacteria in C. elegans

Congratulations Liraz, Kevin, and Samantha!

Learn more about the 2023 awardees. 
Read their feature in UMass Chan news.

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