The Hartwell Foundation has once again named UC Davis to the foundation’s list of top-10 centers of biomedical research and is offering $300,000 awards to faculty members who work in that field and whose work should benefit children.

The university is eligible to submit up to three nominations for Hartwell Individual Biomedical Research Awards in support of early-stage, innovative and cutting-edge biomedical research that has not yet qualified for significant funding from outside sources.  

Most awards go to junior faculty (assistant professors), although senior investigators may also be eligible if the research they are proposing for Hartwell funding is a significant departure from their prior work.

“In addition to the funding provided by the Hartwell Foundation award, the career development and networking aspects of the award provide an invaluable springboard for the career development of young research faculty,” said Cameron Carter, interim vice chancellor for research.

The nomination process, which includes interviews and formal presentations along with detailed research proposals, will be the subject of information sessions next week on the Davis and Sacramento campuses. See box for details.

See the complete announcement and submission instructions here.

Ten UC Davis researchers have been named Hartwell Individual Biomedical Research investigators since 2008.

“The Hartwell Foundation provided generous support for a high-risk project (treatments for juvenile diabetes) early in my independent career,” said Mark Huising, associate professor, departments of Physiology and Membrane Biology, and Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior. “This allowed me to carry out experiments that would have been hard to find support for using more traditional funding mechanisms.”

Professor Frederic Chedin, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, used a Hartwell award for research targeting childhood autoimmune diseases. “Becoming a Hartwell Foundation fellow also means joining the ranks of a strong interdisciplinary cohort of Hartwell fellows and receiving strong mentoring from experienced foundation officers.”

Associate Professor Noriko Satake, Department of Pediatrics, used her Hartwell award to explore new therapies for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. “UC Davis’ strengths in fundamental research at both the Davis and Sacramento campuses make significant contributions to help improve the health of children,” she said. “Our long-term collaboration with the Hartwell Foundation supports and advances these efforts.”.

For more information, contact Traci Galbaugh, director of Foundation Giving, by email or phone, 530-754-2016.

Follow Dateline UC Davis on Twitter.