Irish Cancer Society: Underserved Communities in Cancer Research Scholarship Programme 2024

Introduction

The Irish Cancer Society is now accepting applications for the Underserved Communities in Cancer Research Scholarship Programme 2024.

The objective of the Irish Cancer Society Underserved Communities in Cancer Research Scholarship Programme 2024 is to offer excellent graduates the opportunity to undertake postgraduate training in cancer research, with a focus on communities who have been typically underserved by cancer research. 

This call will be open to graduates of any relevant background (e.g., nursing, psychology, dietetics, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech and language therapy, genetic counselling, radiology, biomedical, life science, dentistry, pharmaceutical, medical, or translational research, etc.), with a project focusing on cancer research in underserved communities.

During the programme, the Scholar will undertake general and cancer-specific training while participating in a structured PhD programme and will have the opportunity to gain experience at an international or national research institution through a mobility building element. 

All applications will be reviewed by a panel of external, multidisciplinary, international scientific reviewers and Public and Patient Involvement (PPI) reviewers. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to an online interview in late May – early June.

Project Eligibility

Through the public's generous support, the Irish Cancer Society funds research in line with our mission to ensure fewer people get cancer and those that do have better outcomes. We always keep people affected by cancer at the heart of everything we do. 

Since 2021, the Society has been funding research specifically looking at improving cancer outcomes and supports for marginalised and underserved communities in Ireland. This research intends to inform not only the Irish Cancer Society, but also government, policy makers and the wider public so we can make healthcare more accessible and equitable for all.

The purpose of this funding call is to provide new evidence on improving the inclusion of underserved or marginalised groups and communities in cancer care. In this instance, underserved or marginalised groups include those with a higher healthcare burden that is not matched by the supports and services that are currently available. 

The Society does not wish to be over prescriptive with the type of research conducted; the focus should be on how the research will provide a tangible benefit to those who need improved access to cancer care. While life expectancy and cancer outcomes have improved, this has occurred unequally. Therefore, research proposals should address the impact of the social determinants of health. Research proposals should not focus on specific poor prognosis cancer types, but rather on the social determinants of health.

Example of social determinants of health include*:

• Demographic factors (e.g., age, sex, race, and ethnicity, LGBTQIA+, educational disadvantage).
• Social and economic factors (e.g., employment status, carers, language barriers, rural residents, stigmatised populations, atypical residential circumstances, e.g., migrants, asylum seekers, individuals in care homes, prisoners, Travellers, homeless and unhoused).
• Health status (e.g., mental health conditions, cognitive impairment, learning and physical disabilities, individuals living with addiction).

*This is not an exhaustive list and should be seen as guidance rather than definitive. 

Funding and Duration

The total value of the Irish Cancer Society Underserved Communities in Cancer Research Scholarship covering stipend, fees, materials and dissemination will be €155,000 for a maximum of four years*.

 A mandatory provision of €1,500 is included within this budget to support Public and Patient Involvement (PPI) in the proposed research project*.

 An additional €5,000 is available for mobility building. This may be used for travel to a national or international research institution for advancement of the research project aims, over the course of the programme. The purpose of this mobility building element is to allow the applicant an opportunity to spend time working in varied research environments to maximise project impact and to aid the individual in their career development prospects. A plan for this element is required in the application. 

Detailed budget guidelines are available in Appendix 1 of the Application Guidelines for this funding award, available to download below.

Submission and Key Dates

Applicants must email grants@irishcancer.ie with a complete ‘intention to submit’ form, by 3pm Wednesday 13th March 2024. The template for this form can be found below.

All applications must be submitted through the Irish Cancer Society Gateway Grant Tracker online system, by registering at the following address: https://grants.cancer.ie

Application deadline: 3pm GMT Thursday 4th April 2024

Key Dates

Please note: The above dates are provisional and subject to change at the discretion of the Irish Cancer Society.

Please note: the purpose of the intention to support form is to allow us to anticipate the number of full applications that we will receive, and to aid the Society in selecting the most appropriate peer reviewers. This form is not peer-reviewed or used in the decision-making process for this award. 

For any queries relating to this call, please contact grants@irishcancer.ie