The Irene Perstein Award is awarded annually by the UCSF School of Medicine to an outstanding, newly recruited, junior woman scientist. This unique award honors the legacy of Ms. Irene Perstein, who donated funds to support junior women faculty at UCSF.

Eligible candidates include women faculty members who started their initial appointment as Assistant Professor (regardless of series) between January 1, 2023 and December 31, 2023, who are expected to develop a high caliber independent research program in basic, clinical, or translational science. The award is for up to $80,000 total and may be used for salary support, staff, or equipment.

Nominations should be submitted by the Department Chair/ORU Director. The nomination packet should include four components: 1) a one-page (maximum) letter from the Chair or ORU Director that describes the candidate’s qualifications; and 2) a one-page (excluding citations) letter from the candidate which describes the proposed research and the anticipated impact of the Irene Perstein award; and 3) the candidate’s current CV; and 4) the candidate's offer letter

Applications should be addressed to Paul Garcia, MD, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, and submitted in a single PDF to Oriol Zales.

Selection criteria include:

  1. Scientific merit of the proposal, including novelty/innovation (if applicable, include factors that limit current funding opportunities), feasibility and the potential impact on human health
  2. Anticipated impact of the Irene Perstein award on the candidate’s research program and academic career. The ideal candidate has not yet secured a large extramural grant or benefitted from a large start-up package

Timeline

 

Request for Applications (RFA)

TBD (March 2024)

Applications Due

TBD (2024)

Award Notification

TBD (2024)