Sir Peter and Lady Michael have been actively involved in funding and instigating cancer research through the Sir Peter and Lady Michael Foundation in the US and the Pelican Cancer Foundation in the UK. From its inception, The Sir Peter and Lady Michael Foundation has recognized that it must make an extraordinary commitment towards recruiting doctors to pursue a career investigating the early detection and treatment of prostate cancer. It is for this reason that The Sir Peter and Lady Michael Foundation exists to serve as a catalyst for the development of visionary, effective cancer research and to promote advances and breakthroughs in prostate cancer research and science.

MISSION

The mission of The Sir Peter and Lady Michael Foundation is to support innovative research, clinical trials and applied methods for improving the detection, management and non-invasive treatment of prostate cancer. The Foundation’s current particular focus is on prostate cancer imaging research. The Foundation believes that tumor imaging is the key to the proper planning of all cancer management and that it is particularly deficient in prostate cancer. Going forward, the Foundation would like to find ways to link better prostate cancer imaging with effective, minimally invasive focal therapies. Currently, men are presented, for the most part, with two extreme choices. One is radical prostatectomy, surgical removal of the entire gland, which can have potency and continence side effects. The other choice is “watchful waiting” which is the correct choice for many men but carries its own risks. We believe there is a need for both improved imaging and minimally invasive treatment alternatives in the prostate cancer arena.

FELLOWSHIPS

The Pelican Fellowship program was created to support the training of scientists in an environment most conducive to continuing study of prostate cancer research. Awards are given to established and active investigators in prostate cancer research for the annual stipend support of a postdoctoral fellow to work closely with the mentor. The term of the award is generally four years. Funding for each year is contingent upon completion of requirements of the fellowship, submission of a progress report by October 15th of each year, and attendance at the bi-annual Pelican Prostate Cancer Colloquium, scheduled next for Spring 2010.

Eligibility:

1. Applicant investigators must have an MD, PhD or similar level health or Science-related degree.
2. The Applicant investigator must hold an appointment at a US research institution and have sufficient research support to provide an appropriate training environment for the fellow.
3. The Pelican Fellow selected by the awarded investigator must hold an MD or PhD.
4. Pelican Fellows may participate in clinical activities; however the Fellow must devote at least 80% of time and effort to his or her research under this Fellowship.
5. The Fellow cannot receive support from this program for more than two years unless previously discussed with the Sir Peter and Lady Michael Foundation.
6. A maximum six-month overlap for a funded mentor that holds a standard award is allowed.
7. There are no citizen requirements for the Fellow. International fellows (not US citizens or resident aliens) must hold a J-1 visa for the duration of the fellowship.

Support:

1. The Award will be made for stipend support of a single postdoctoral Pelican Fellow in a given year.
2. The salary of the Fellow is to be determined by the applicant investigator, but the total amount of the award will not exceed $75,000 per year.
3. Travel for the Fellow and Applicant investigator to attend the Pelican Cancer Colloquium is restricted to a maximum of $4,000.

Terms:

1. Award funds are paid to the recipient’s financial institution in two equal payments on March 15th and September 15th, or three months and nine months, respectively, after the start of the Fellowship.
2. Each annual progress report is due to the Sir Peter and Lady Michael Foundation by October 15th.
3. Should the complete report not be received within 90 days after the due date, the award will be terminated.
4. Pelican Fellows and/or Applicant Investigators will attend the bi-annual Pelican Prostate Cancer Colloquium to present findings and progress reports of funded research.
5. The applicant Investigators research profile, Fellow’s CV and photograph are due on August 1st in the first year of the award. Research profile forms will be sent to all new grant recipients within the first month of notification.
6. Acknowledgement of support from the Sir Peter and Lady Michael Foundation must be made when findings are reported or publicity given to the research and in all research publications arising, in whole or in part, from funds provided by this award.
7. The Pelican Fellow must agree to inform the Sir Peter and Lady Michael Foundation of his or her professional status, research support, and all publications for a period of five years following completion of the Fellowship.
8. Awards are limited to institutions within the US and US possessions. Recipients may not transfer awards between institutions without prior written approval of the Sir Peter and Lady Michael Foundation.
9. The Principal Investigator should have the institution’s approval prior to submitting an application.
10. The recipient institution’s IRB must approve proposed research.

Review Criteria:

1. The Foundation wishes to fund research which achieves true medical breakthroughs, within the Fellowship period, that are meaningful, relevant and newsworthy.
2. Particular attention will be paid to:
   1. The quality and activity of the Applicant Investigator’s research program.
   2. The likelihood that the Fellow trained by the Applicant Investigator will actively pursue a career in prostate cancer research.
   3. The Applicant Investigator’s past training record.
   4. Evidence of sufficient research support and adequate facilities to provide an appropriate training environment for a postdoctoral fellow.
   5. Though applications from all areas of prostate cancer research are encouraged, particular attention will be given to prostate cancer imaging in conjunction with focal therapies.

Application:

1. The Applicant Investigator or designated representative of the institution should contact The Sir Peter and Lady Michael Foundation in writing or via email to convey their interest and request a Grant Application.
2. The Grant Application form will be emailed to the Applicant Investigator should funds be available and there is mutual interest. Submission deadlines will be determined at that time.
3. The Applicant Investigator must provide the institution’s Federal Tax ID and full name of the institution where the research will be conducted.
4. The Applicant Investigator must provide the full institution’s name to which checks should be made payable as it appears on the institution’s
W-9 Tax Certification Form. The name of the responsible financial officer, current complete mailing address where checks should be sent, phone number, fax number and e-mail address must be provided.
5. The applicant Investigator must submit a complete application. This is inclusive of:
   1. Title of the research proposal.
   2. A Scientific abstract, not to exceed 300 words.
   3. A Lay Abstract (non-technical description of the proposed work), not to exceed 300 words.
   4. Research plan – describing projects available to the Fellow.
   5. The research proposal (including background and significance, specific aims, experimental plan and expected findings).
   6. Training experience – listing the names of all fellows now in training and those previously trained under the Applicant Investigator within the previous five years.
   7. Biographical sketch of the applicant investigator.
   8. Current research support of the Applicant Investigator.
   9. Description of the facilities available for training and how they will be used.
   10. Description of the other features of the educational environment that are available to the Fellow (e.g. other laboratory/department faculty and fellows, lectures/seminars).
   11. Description of the proposed relationship of the mentor with the Fellow (e.g. frequency of regular meetings, extent of time doing research together, other forms of close interaction).
6. Grant Applications will be reviewed by the Board of Advisors and the Staff of the Sir Peter and Lady Michael Foundation. Grant Applicants will receive a response within 60 days of submission.

Exclusions:

The Peter Michael Foundation does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, religion, sexual orientation or national or ethnic origin in the selection of Fellows.