Apply for Intramural Continuing Umbrella of Research Experiences (US)

iCURE is an extension of the highly successful NCI CCHE Continuing Umbrella of Research Experiences (CURE) program which helps support the career progress of its scholars toward research independence, as well as fosters and sustains diversity in the biomedical research pipeline.

Types of Research Experiences

• The NCI Intramural Research Program (IRP) maintains a strong focus on rare cancers and cancers in underserved populations worldwide, as well as emerging scientific opportunities in cancer research. The NCI IRP offers an unparalleled cancer research environment to train the next generation of researchers, with opportunities across the basic to clinical spectrum of cancer research:
  • Center for Cancer Research (CCR): CCR conducts basic and clinical cancer research and develops breakthrough discoveries into novel therapeutic interventions for adults and children afflicted with cancer or HIV. CCR provides a highly interactive, multidisciplinary culture for basic and clinical researchers to conduct high-risk, high-impact research.
  • Center for Global Health (CGH): CGH supports NCI’s mission to improve cancer control worldwide. CGH funds research to reduce the global burden of cancer and offers research training opportunities for investigators to strengthen their research abilities. CGH offers research training experiences in diverse areas of global research including implementation science, clinical research and clinical trials, global cancer disparities research, and research workforce capacity building.
  • Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences (DCCPS): DCCPS aims to reduce cancer risk, incidence, and death and enhance quality of life for cancer survivors. Cancer control science is the conduct of basic and applied research in the behavioral, social, and population sciences to create or enhance interventions that, independently or in combination with biomedical approaches, reduce cancer risk, incidence, morbidity and mortality, and improve quality of life.
  • Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics (DCEG): DCEG is a global leader in cancer epidemiology and genetics research and is uniquely positioned to conduct projects that are high risk in nature.

Benefits

• Participants in the iCURE program, or iCURE scholars, will enjoy research opportunities in the Center for Cancer Research (CCR), the Center for Global Health (CGH), the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics (DCEG), and the Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences (DCCPS). iCURE provides opportunity for the following candidates:
  • Post-baccalaureate (including post-master’s) individuals
  • Graduate students
  • Postdoctoral fellows
• The iCURE program will provide the following:
  • Two-year research experience awards for post-baccalaureate (including post-master’s)
  • Two-year research experience awards for graduate students
  • Three-year research experience awards for postdoctoral fellows
  • iCURE research experience awards are paid. iCURE scholars receive a monthly stipend that is determined by their education level, GPA, and relevant experience.
• Each iCURE scholar will also enjoy professional and career support such as:
  • Opportunities to work closely with world-class biomedical research scientists at the NCI
  • Support by NCI program staff as well as information and resources on intramural and extramural funding opportunities
  • Professional and career development activities
  • Connection to an extensive and sustaining mentoring network
• This ecosystem of support will help prepare iCURE scholars for the next steps in their academic and research careers.

Eligibility Criteria

• iCURE scholars must be a citizen or non-citizen national of the United States or an individual who has been lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States.
• Post-baccalaureate (including post-master’s) individuals must meet both the Post baccalaureate IRTA Program and the iCURE program eligibility criteria.
• Graduate students enrolled in Ph.D., M.D., D.D.S., D.M.D, D.V.M, or equivalent degree programs (which involves dissertation research). Students must have completed course requirements, passed qualifiers, and be formally recognized by the university as a doctoral degree candidate. The NCI research experience is undertaken to engage in a research project for the purpose of developing and writing a doctoral dissertation.
• Postdoctoral fellows must have acquired a PhD, MD, or other equivalent degree by the proposed iCURE start time and should have completed no more than five years of relevant research experience since receipt of the most recent doctoral degree.
• If accepted, applicants would be committed to conducting cancer research at one of the NCI campuses in Maryland (Bethesda, Rockville, Frederick) for the duration of the iCURE program.
• NCI values diversity and particularly encourages applications from individuals from diverse backgrounds, including those from groups underrepresented in the cancer research workforce, for example those from the groups noted in the Notice of NIH’s Interest in Diversity.

For more information, visit National Cancer Institute.