LF Early-Career Clinician Scientist 2023

About the grant - TO BE REVISED

The Lundbeck Foundation has an aspiration to make a significant contribution to advances in research-based knowledge and experience in the fields of biomedical, clinical and health sciences in Denmark. At the same time, our grants must help to ensure Denmark always has the best graduates and scientists at all career levels in these fields. The Lundbeck Foundation encourages diversity at all levels. It is therefore important that we receive applications from as many qualified scientists as possible, from all backgrounds.

Replaces ”LF Clinical Postdocs”

Research theme
The proposed research must be within health research.

Who can apply?

Applicants must:

• Have obtained a MD (cand. med) and a Ph. D. or be able to document that they are expected to gain their PhD within six months of the application deadline
• Have completed clinical internship (KBU)
• Fulfil one of the following two criteria:
  1. Applicant is not enrolled in a specialisation programme but intends to enter a specialisation programme within two years of project start
  2. Applicant is enrolled in a specialisation programme and has a of minimum one year left of the specialisation programme at the time of project start
• The applicant must dedicate 100% of his/her time to the project during the first year of the grant period
  For the following years, the applicant must dedicate at least 20% of his/her time to the project and at least 20% of the time to clinical duties

Which proposals are eligible?

The proposed projects may be fully based in Denmark at hospitals and/or other research institutions, or be based at hospitals or research institutions outside Denmark. The entire grant must be managed by a Danish institution (Main host).
The applicant is expected to have authorisation to work as an MD in Denmark or should include in the letter of support from the Head of Department a statement of the intention of the applicant to obtain their authorisation to work as an MD in Denmark during the first two years of the project.

How much?

The Lundbeck Foundation is allocating up to DKK 30 million to this programme. The grants are worth between DKK 800 000 and 2,5 million reflecting the length and content of the proposed project. The maximum length of the grant is 5 years.
The budget may cover staff and non-staff costs related to the project. Note that you cannot apply for PhD salaries.
Salary must comply with the collective agreement applicable to the Danish host institution and only include centrally negotiated allowances and pension. Personal pay supplements for clinical duties (e.g. shift supplement) or academic duties (e.g. PhD or supervisor supplements) cannot be covered by the grant.

If at least six consecutive months are spent at a foreign research institution, 8% of the budget covering the period can be reserved for project-related, indirect costs at the foreign research institution. 2% of the budget covering the period can be reserved for project-related, indirect costs at the Danish host institution.
If at least 12 months (which may be split into a maximum of three separate visits) are spent abroad, applicants may apply for an additional DKK 100,000 as a lump sum to cover expenses associated with travel, accommodation, etc. In combination with the relocation costs, applicants with children may apply for additional support of DKK 50,000 per accompanying child per year (i.e. DKK 4166 per accompanying child per month). The DKK 100,000 relocation costs and the additional child support must be clearly stated in the budget as a separate item.

How to apply?

You must submit your application, written in English, via the Lundbeck Foundation’s application system.
Please note that the Foundation will not consider or assess any application material which is not submitted via the application system.

Your application must include the following:

• Research plan- including timeline for how the applicant will dedicate time to the proposed research. If the project is a part of an ongoing or planned larger project, the specific contributions of the proposed project and the applicant to the larger project should be stated clearly
• Description of the clinical and research environments (including months) where the research will be conducted

• Publication list and CV
• Budget- only budget items related to the specific proposal in question should be included in the budget. In the comments to the budget, clarification of other sources of funding, particularly if the project is a part of an ongoing or planned larger project (e.g. clinical trials) must be describe
• Letter of support including a CV from the leader of the research group hosting the applicant in Denmark and, if applicable, abroad. The letter must explain how the research adds to the research strategy of the department and declare that the department accepts that the applicant is exempt from clinical duties as described in the research plan. In addition, the letter must include a commitment to ensure that the applicant reach his/her full potential through professional and personal mentoring.
• Salary calculations
• Letter of support including a short CV from the leader of the research group hosting the applicant in Denmark and, if applicable, abroad.
  The letter must explain how the research adds to the research strategy of the department.
  In addition, the letter must include a commitment to ensure that the applicant reach his/her full potential through professional and personal mentoring
  If the research-group leader hosting the applicant currently holds or has a pending application for a LF-grant >5 million, it should be stated in the support letter how the applicant’s proposed project distinguishes itself from that grant (proposal)
• Letter of support from the Danish main host institution agreeing to manage the entire grant
• Letter of support from mentor

Note: If the project is granted, the grantee, must submit to the foundation a letter of approval from Council of Medical Specialties (Videreuddannelsesrådet) stating that the grantee can combine the proposed research with a specialisation programme (introduktionsstilling / hoveduddannelsesforløb).

Further requirements, which you must comply with, can be found in the application guide  and in the application form.
You are welcome to contact Senior Grant Manager Ulla Jakobsen (uj@lundbeckfonden.com), Scientific Project Manager Anette Høye (ah@lundbeckfonden.com) or Scientific Programme Director Peter Thostrup (pth@lundbeckfonden.com) if you have any questions regarding your application.

Evaluation process

The assessment process is a one-step process, handled by members of the Lundbeck Foundation Talent Panel with clinical experience.

All applications are reviewed for eligibility by the Foundation’s Grants & Prizes Department prior to involvement of the panel. Panel members are asked to declare any conflicts of interest.
Each application is assigned three panel members, who serve as primary reviewers and present their comments before the panel begins discussing the application at panel meetings.

The evaluation will be based on:

Research quality assessed on the following criteria:

• The research project (novelty, clinical impact, scientific approach, feasibility)
• The research at the clinical host(s) and other relevant research environment(s) (research skills, facilities, commitment)

Clinical research career potential assessed on the following criteria:

• The applicant (clinical and other research skills, scientific achievements, collaboration and network, commitment, level of independence as a researcher, communication skills)

• International research stays
• Support and guidance of more established scientists (mentoring)

What are the grant conditions?

If your proposal is successful, you must accept the “General Terms and Conditions for Research Grants”. This grant is a personal grant.

The purpose of the Lundbeck Foundation is to create powerful ripple effects that bring discoveries to lives through investing actively in business and science at the frontiers of their fields.