Sections

The LOI consists of the Face Pages (Sections 1-7) and sections 11, 12, 14 and 16 from the Full Application. Sections 1-6 are to be completed on the Rethink website application and sections 11, 14 and 16 are to be completed on additional pages by the applicant and uploaded onto the Rethink website application. Sections 7 and 12 are to be faxed to Rethink at 416-920-5798.

No signatures are required for the LOI but the names of all individuals who will be providing signatures on Section 7 for invited FULL APPLICATIONS must be entered.

The invited FULL APPLICATION consists of the Face Pages (Sections 1-6) to be completed on the Rethink website application and Sections 8-16 to be completed on additional pages created by the applicant and uploaded onto the Rethink website application. In addition to the e-mail submission, the applicant must also re-fax Section 7 with signatures to Rethink at 416-920-5798.

Section 1. Project Information

Section 2. Applicant Information

Section 3. Research Supervisor Information

Section 4. Financial Officer Information

Section 5. Certification Requirements

Applicants must indicate if the research will involve any of the following: human subjects, human stem cells, animals, biohazzards or environmental assessment.  If the grant is awarded, the necessary certification requirements must be met in accordance with nationally accepted policies on ethical conduct of research.

Section 6. Suggested External Reviewers

Rethink requires applicants to suggest the names of two or more peers competent to review in the field(s) of research in which they propose to work and who are not in conflict of interest, for example those who:

• have collaborated, published or been a co-applicant with the Trainee or Supervisor within the past five years
• have been a former student or supervisor of the Trainee or Supervisor within the last ten years
• are a close personal friend or relative of the Trainee or Supervisor
• are in a position to gain financially from the outcome of the application
  

Rethink reserves the right to make its own selection of referees to be consulted.

Section 7. Host Insitution/Rethink Agreement

Section 8. Past Experience, Training Expectations, Future Goals

This section is to be completed by the Trainee. Provide an overview of how your previous research training relates to the present proposal and elaborate on your career goals. Describe how the training you expect to acquire will contribute to your future research achievements and productivity and how this award will enable you to establish yourself as an independent investigator. MD candidates who intend to pursue careers as Physician Scientists should also outline how they plan to eventually combine research and clinical practice (attach a maximum 2 pages).

Section 9 . Additional Activities

This section should be completed by the Trainee in collaboration with the proposed Supervisor. Describe all activities to be undertaken by the trainee other than direct work on the proposed research project (e.g. teaching, courses, supervision, seminars, clinical activities). Indicate the percentage of time to be spent on each activity. (maximum 1 page).

Section 10. Lay Abstract

This section should be completed by the Trainee in collaboration with the proposed Supervisor. Provide, in 15 lines or less, a non-technical summary of the research project, written in language suitable for a lay audience. The summary should indicate how the research can translate basic biomedical knowledge to the development of innovative approaches to breast cancer treatment, diagnosis or prevention (maximum 1 page).

Section 11. Project Description

This should be written in general scientific language and is to be completed by the Trainee in collaboration with the proposed Supervisor. Both the candidate and the proposed Supervisor must sign the statement on the Face Pages to confirm the accuracy of the proposed training program. The page limits do not include references, figure legends or tables that should immediately follow the Research proposal and numbered consecutively (e.g. 9h, 9i, etc). Figures (if any) should be attached as separate files in Joint Photographic Experts Group (.jpg) or PDF (.pdf) formats.

Provide the following:

• Project title and scientific summary (maximum 1 page)
• Research proposal (maximum 6 pages)

Include the following sections:

• Background and significance
• Hypothesis
• Specific aims
• Research plan including time line and a description of the trainees' role

(attach a maximum of 7 pages in total)

Section 12. Integration and Independence

This section is to be completed by the Supervisor. The Supervisor must write a letter outlining how the proposed project will fit with his or her overall research program but also provide an opportunity for the Trainee to establish an independent research program in the future.

The Priority for Rethink is the development of independent scientists. It is critical to explain how the Rethink funds will develop a novel or complementary research focus that does not duplicate existing funded research activity within the supervisors laboratory. The Supervisor should explain how he or she will assist and promote the trainees transition into a fully independent scientist.

(maximum of 1 page to be faxed to Rethink)

Section 13. Training Environment

This section is to be completed by the Supervisor. Describe the space, facilities and personnel support available to the trainee. Explain how the trainee will be guided through the program (e.g. regular meetings, planning sessions, involvement of senior research associates, etc) and what enrichment resources will be available (lab meetings, rounds, research seminars, visiting speakers etc.) (maximum of 1 page)

Section 14. Importance and Relevance of the Project

This section should be completed by the Trainee in collaboration with the proposed Supervisor. Describe the importance and relevance of the proposed research, the probability of a near-term advance in breast cancer prevention, diagnosis or treatment and the overall plan for bringing the research findings to clinical application (maximum of 1 page).

Section 15. Budget

This section should be completed by the Trainee in collaboration with the proposed Supervisor. Indicate the total amount requested from RETHINK for Materials, Supplies and Services for Years 1 and 2 of the proposed project and provide a detailed justification for all expenditures.

Section 16. Curriculum Vitae

A CV is required for the candidate Trainee and the research Supervisor. Essential elements of the CV include work experience (i.e. current and previous positions, appointments and affiliations), academic training (i.e. university degrees obtained or in progress and research training, such as postdoctoral or fellowship training or in the case of trainees undergraduate and graduate research training experience), research funding over the past five years, complete references to all publications over the past five years (or any other representative publications pertinent to the application) and experience of the supervisor regarding trainees (i.e. number, date, type and current position of former trainees). A list of all Active and Pending grant applications must also be provided using the following formats:

Title of Project
Principal Investigator
Co-Investigator(s)
Source of Funding and Program
Dates of Project
Annual Award Amount
Percentage of Overlap with Rethink Application
Brief Description of the Conceptual and the Budgetary Relationship of the Project to the Rethink Application

The CV documents must be created by the applicants according to the guidelines above.