CCS Research Training Awards - Master's Level

January 7^th, 2025 - 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM (EST)

What is the purpose of the informational webinar?

• The webinar is for students, supervisors or anyone interested in learning more about the award and will provide resources for preparing and submitting the applications and offer both students and supervisors an opportunity to ask questions.
• The webinar will be hosted by CCS staff and include previous RTA awardees to answer questions about application process, eligibility, and any relevant additional information.

Have a specific question you would like answered? Register to attend the webinar and submit questions below.

February 25^th, 2025 - 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM (EST) 

What is the purpose of informational webinar #2?

• For trainees and supervisors who have submitted an abstract to learn more about the full application stage (abstract submission mandatory to access full application stage).
• The webinar will be hosted by CCS and previous RTA awardees who will answer questions.
• Invitations will be sent out after abstract submission deadline.

• Access competitive funding: Receive a competitive funding package, including a dedicated training budget, to support your career development and strengthen your research focus.
• Gain mentorship and skill-building opportunities: Participate in CCS’s IGNITE training program, which offers mentorship from experienced and established researchers, interdisciplinary collaboration, and specialized workshops to further develop your research skills, including learnings about meaningful forms of patient engagement in research. 
• Connect with Canada’s cancer research community: Build valuable connections with fellow awardees from both current and past cohorts, as well as leading cancer researchers. Benefit from the support of the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) and its extensive network, allowing you to establish long-term relationships with fellow researchers, mentors, and others. 
• Collaborate across the cancer care continuum: Work alongside a diverse group of trainees working on various aspects of cancer research, from basic science to clinical applications and population health, fostering a comprehensive understanding of cancer research and care. 
• Enhance your research impact: Benefit from knowledge translation and engagement initiatives, including patient engagement, that will help you effectively communicate your research findings to a broader audience, amplifying the impact of your work.
• Be a part of an inclusive and diverse research ecosystem: Join a program committed to advancing equity and inclusion in cancer research, with a special emphasis on supporting underrepresented groups.

• We welcome Black and Indigenous students only to apply for the RTA master’s competition.
• Applicants must be Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit or Métis). International trainees are not eligible to apply.
• Applicants must be enrolled in or have applied to a graduate program, officially starting (or will be ongoing) at the funding start date (September 1, 2025), with a significant autonomous research component** at a Canadian institution.
• Joint programs with a professional degree (including professional programs such as master’s/RN) as well as clinically oriented programs of study are eligible, if they have a significant research component.
• The years of support requested must not exceed the estimated years remaining within the program.
• A maximum of one application per trainee is permitted.
• Multiple trainees per research team or per supervisor are eligible to apply.
• If awarded, applicants must be willing to
  • Actively join the CCS IGNITE program and participate in monthly online workshops (~2h/month).
  • Submit annual progress reports and statements of account throughout the grant (and a final report 2 years post-grant). Learn more about progress reports in the Reporting and Engagement Requirements 

For any questions regarding your eligibility, contact us at research@cancer.ca.

**Note: A significant research component for an eligible program includes: a thesis, major research project, dissertation, scholarly publication, performance, major essay, recital and/or exhibit that is merit/expert- reviewed at the institutional level as a requirement for completion of the program.

• Applications from all four pillars of cancer research (biomedical; clinical; health services; and social, cultural, environmental and population health) are eligible.
• Trainees working on prevention research are encouraged to apply, ensuring their proposals clearly articulate the connection to cancer. 
• Applicants may choose to engage in any type of research, including community-based research.

Examples of projects supported in previous years (2023 & 2024):

• Understanding how the genital microbiome influences the risk of developing HPV-related cancers
• Leveraging administrative health data to personalize breast cancer risk assessment
• Using Artificial Intelligence to optimize lung cancer screening in Canada
• Robust Approaches to Image Reconstruction and Image Quality Analysis in Breast Microwave Sensing
• A new, innovative treatment strategy for acute myeloid leukemia
• Using viruses to boost cellular immunotherapy in triple-negative breast cancer
• Developing a tool to measure quality of life in adolescents with advanced cancer
• Developing recommendations to improve access to treatment for people with cancer experiencing homelessness and/or poverty
• “I am a Survivor” – Examining the Impacts of Cancer Labels on Identity in Canadian Adolescent And Young Adult Cancer Patients

For any questions regarding the eligibility of your research project please contact us at research@cancer.ca.

• If master's candidates qualify for a PhD program in the same lab with the same project before the end of the master’s award and did not request the 1 year of transition into the PhD, they can contact CCS to transfer up to 1 year of their remaining master’s stipend and training budget to their PhD. The stipend and training budget amounts will remain unchanged (master's levels).
• We offer an award for up to 2 years of support for a master's program, with potential for 1 year of PhD support if the applicant plans to transition into a PhD program. Applicants who already intend to pursue a PhD in their master’s host laboratory are encouraged to apply for an additional year of funding to cover the first year of their PhD stipend.
• Applicants must request the PhD transition year from CCS at the time of their master’s application.
• The third year of funding will be encumbered upon transition to the PhD program and will be forfeited if not confirmed before the end date of the support requested for their master’s award.
• The stipend amount remains unchanged (master's levels).
• Trainees are not eligible for a third year of training budget.
• Upon the start date of the PhD program, CCS will initiate the 1-year PhD transition countdown, regardless of any remaining master's support.
• The total support from CCS will not exceed 3 years, combining both the 1 to 2 years of master's and 1 year of PhD funding.

• Similar applications may be submitted to other agencies concurrently, but awardees cannot hold multiple awards as listed below.
• Individuals may not concurrently hold an award/scholarship where the prorated monthly stipend amount is worth at least 50% of the RTA amount. This includes CIHR, CGS, and FRQS awards.
• Other sources of income for the trainees such as teaching, external employment, or other forms of non-research related income are allowed. The objective is to not have duplicate funding for research training.

Please contact research@cancer.ca for more information.

• Approximately $600,000 may be awarded in this competition. This amount may be increased if additional funds become available from CCS or through partnerships.

• Research Training Awards comprise two amounts:
  • A salary (stipend) amount, which must be paid to the awardee (and will not exceed the maximum amount and duration listed above).
  • A separate training budget to support cross-disciplinary training (and travel, as stipulated) of the awardee. The training budget requested should be pro-rated to the duration of the award selected. If the budget does not satisfy CCS guidelines described, CCS reserves the right to change/decrease its amount.
• Awards may be pro-rated for part-time students

Evaluation criteria

Scientific and patient/survivor/caregiver reviewers will evaluate applications against the review criteria detailed below using two scores - Research Rating and Applicant Rating. Please refer to the application guide and rating scales when preparing an application.

The review criteria for the applications will include but not necessarily be restricted to the following:

Research Rating

• Research Project Merit
• Scientific approach, including methodologies, theories, and frameworks, is well-described and feasible.
• Aims (and/or research questions, when relevant) are clearly articulated.
• There is thoughtful consideration of barriers to project success, and alternatives are proposed.
• Sex, gender, and other dimensions of diversity (e.g. race, ethnicity) and their intersectionalities are appropriately addressed throughout the project, including in the study design, methods, analysis, interpretation, and dissemination/implementation of findings/outcomes.
• Key activities and milestones for the project are described and feasible within the project timeline.
• Relevance & Potential Impact in Cancer
• The potential impact (short- or long-term) of the proposed research on people at risk/affected by cancer is clearly described.
• The application describes and has a high potential to lead to improvements in the prevention, detection, treatment, and/or duration and quality of life for people affected by cancer, and/or equitable and timely access to cancer care (i.e. CCS Research Goals ).
• Impact on patients/affected communities has been appropriately considered, and the project will not exacerbate or place undue hardship on these patients/communities (and/or mitigating strategies have been clearly described).
• The proposal indicates how knowledge may be shared with and beyond academia (with the affected community) in a relevant, accessible, feasible and culturally appropriate way.

Applicant Rating

• The experience statement strongly suggests the candidate’s enthusiasm.
• There is evidence of the supervisor’s genuine commitment and inclusive support (i.e., equity, diversity, and inclusion actions described).
• Compelling statements of engagement for mentors and references.
• Relevant lived experience, community engagement, work experience, and other skills or experience with community, cancer, or healthcare is described and supports growth and innovation in cancer research.
• The mentorship plan is compelling and includes mentors for the trainee who can support growth within their field.
• The described responsibilities and expected benefits (i.e., specific skills or opportunities gained) of each mentoring relationship are detailed and adequate and support the trainee’s growth.

The review process

There will be a four-stage review process:

1. An initial administrative review will be completed by CCS staff on all applications to ensure completeness. Applications that do not meet eligibility criteria (i.e., applicants must be from eligible graduate programs and institutions) or are outside of the area of study (i.e., applications that do not relate to cancer research) will be withdrawn from the competition.
2. The expert review committee will collectively evaluate applications using the evaluation criteria listed above and identify scientifically sound proposals. The committee will be composed of a diverse group of scientific and patient/survivor/caregiver reviewers comprised of individuals with the expertise necessary to evaluate the full applications submitted, including lived experience as Black and Indigenous community members.
3. Selected applicants will be invited to a virtual interview (15 minutes) with the review committee. This interview provides an opportunity for applicants to offer any clarifications or additional context. This step was introduced for the master’s level specifically as part of our commitment to providing mentorship and a valuable learning opportunity for applicants. The interview will be conducted in a respectful and constructive manner, aimed at fostering a positive experience while supporting applicants in presenting their research and addressing any committee questions. More details regarding this stage will be shared with selected applicants.
4. Based on the application scores and interviews, the panel chair(s) will develop funding recommendations for review by our Advisory Council on Research (ACOR). Successful applications must fall within the fundable range for CCS grants (>3.5). 

We encourage everyone to attend our informational webinar on January 7th, 2025 at 2pm EST to learn more about the Research Training Awards. The webinar will provide resources for preparing and submitting the applications and offer both students and supervisors an opportunity to ask questions.

Applicants are asked to submit an abstract by, February 19th, 2025 at 5pm EST (mandatory). Please refer to the application guide for instructions and submit your abstract through the EGrAMS platform. The information provided by the applicants for the mandatory abstract registration will inform the composition and ensure timely recruitment of the review panel.

The abstract submission will require the following:

1. Applicant details
2. Supervisor(s) information
3. Choice of language for the complete application (French or English).
4. Public summary of the research project that is written in plain language (2150 characters spaces included)
5. Scientific Abstract (4200 characters spaces included)
6. Keywords (maximum 10)
7. List of reviewers recommended and any reviewers to be excluded. This section should be discussed with and agreed upon by the supervisor(s)

Please refer to the guide for more information about each section.

We recommend attending our informational webinar on February 25, 2025 at 2pm EST to learn more about the Research Training Awards full application submission and evaluation process. The webinar will offer students and supervisors the opportunity to ask more questions.

Abstract submission is required to be eligible for the full application submission stage. Please review the application guide, eligibility and requirements section, and rating scales prior to submitting your application.

When preparing the full application, the following additional information is required: 

1. An experience statement (6000 characters, spaces included).
2. CVs
   • Applicant CV (2 pages maximum, template)
   • Supervisor(s) CV (5 pages maximum, template)
3. A detailed proposal (8,500 characters, spaces included)
4. Figures, tables, charts or visuals and associated legends (1 page)
5. Key milestones and expected timelines (1 page)
6. Sex, gender and diversity considerations (4,200 characters spaces included).
7. Knowledge sharing plan relevant to the work conducted (2,150 characters spaces included).
8. A professional development plan divided into three sections:
   • A thorough description of the cross-disciplinary training (3,000 characters spaces included).
   • Mentorship plan (3,000 characters spaces included). Mentorship refers to mentoring that the trainee would participate in as mentee.
   • Short statement of commitment / support from maximum two mentors is encouraged (1 page maximum, PDF format).
9. Two references
   1. Letter of commitment / support from the trainee’s direct supervisor(s) (maximum 2 pages)
   2. Statement of engagement / support from either someone who has been affected by cancer or is meaningfully involved with the cancer, Black or Indigenous communities (maximum 2 pages).
10. Detailed budget highlighting the use of the training budget over the course of the award (1 page, PDF format). Any expenses that are the responsibility of the lab or host institution will not be accepted (e.g., overhead costs, reagents).

Please refer to the application guide for more information. If you have questions about any aspect of the application, you can ask during the webinar session or contact research@cancer.ca.

All submitted applications are considered final. No alterations or changes will be accepted after the full application deadline.

• All award recipients must submit annual progress reports and statements of account throughout the grant (and a final report 2 years post-grant). Awardees will be emailed instructions about completing the report in our online system (EGrAMS). Submission of these reports is mandatory. Failure to submit the required reports will result in the future installments of the award being withheld.

• As a condition of funding, successful applicants will join the CCS IGNITE program and participate in monthly meetings/workshops (~2h/month). Consider setting aside from your training budget the equivalent of 1 flight to Vancouver or Toronto for a CCS in-person event gathering all ongoing RTA cohorts. For applicants located in remote and rural areas, CCS will unlock extra funds at the time of the event to ensure costs associated with travel will not hinder training opportunities.

Scientific misconduct including, but not limited to, fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, or misrepresentation of data will not be tolerated and may result in the rejection of proposals in the current program and possibly from all future CCS programs. Misconduct, including but not limited to, racism, discrimination, bullying, harassment of any form (i.e., sexual) will be treated with the same severity.

CCS reserves the right to cancel the support provided through its program were any of this conduct proven to (have) happen(ed).

CCS is committed to equity, diversity, inclusivity, and First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples’ rights. We strive to build inclusive and diverse capacity in the cancer research ecosystem through both policies and practices,  and aim to equitably support applicants with diverse experience and narratives.

We recognize the structural racism and discrimination that exists in the research ecosystem, and as we move to examine and dismantle these practices, we seek to learn from the resilience, wisdom, and diversity of other perspectives. We commit to examining biases, seeking inclusive solutions, and welcoming discomfort that comes with systemic and structural change. We commit to advancing equity, diversity, and inclusive practices and principles.