{"meta":{"status":200,"messages":[],"pagination":{"max":1,"offset":0,"count":1,"total":1,"pageNum":1,"totalPages":1,"sort":null,"currentUrl":"https://api.digitalmedia.hhs.gov/api/v2/resources/media.json?offset=0&max=1&ignoreHiddenMedia=1&format=json&id=3768&newUrlBase=https://www.cancer.gov/node/1023342/","nextUrl":null,"previousUrl":null}},"results":[{"content":"<body>\n <div class=\"syndicate\"> \n  <!-- ********************************* BEGIN Page Content ********************************** --> \n  <h1 autofocus=\"true\">NCI Research Specialist Award (R50)</h1> \n  <div> \n   <div> \n    <figure> \n     <img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://www.cancer.gov/sites/www/files/styles/cgov_article/public/cgov_image/media_image/100/200/6/files/2018-search-specialist-award50-article.jpg?h=968c7e23&amp;itok=M-LAELQB\" width=\"600\" height=\"399\" alt=\"Research Specialist Award (R50)\"> \n    </figure> \n   </div> \n   <div> \n    <div> \n     <p>The NCI Research Specialist Award encourages the development of stable research career opportunities in any area of NCI-funded cancer research for exceptional scientists who do not serve as independent investigators.&nbsp; These scientists, including researchers within a research program, core facility managers, data scientists, and clinician scientists, are vital to sustaining the biomedical research enterprise.&nbsp; The Research Specialist Award is intended to provide salary support and sufficient autonomy so that individuals are not solely dependent on NCI grants held by others for career continuity.</p> \n    </div> \n   </div> \n   <nav role=\"navigation\"> \n    <h2>On This Page</h2> \n    <ul> \n     <li> <a href=\"#current-funding-announcement\"> <p>Current Funding Announcement</p></a> </li> \n     <li> <a href=\"#clinician-scientist-award-r50-testimonials\"> <p>Clinician Scientist Award - R50 Testimonials</p></a> </li> \n     <li> <a href=\"#labcore-r50-recipient-testimonials\"> <p>Lab/Core - R50 Recipient Testimonials</p></a> </li> \n    </ul> \n   </nav> \n   <div> \n    <section aria-labelledby=\"current-funding-announcement\"> \n     <h2> <p>Current Funding Announcement</p> </h2> \n     <div> \n      <p>The R50 program currently has two forecasts of future funding opportunities.&nbsp;</p> \n      <ul> \n       <li data-list-item-id=\"edca88df74ba2a13a066248afbfd8cf98\"><a href=\"https://simpler.grants.gov/opportunity/328db24c-35c9-42ea-91b0-acfcb3aeb6de\">PAR-27-088</a>: NCI Research Specialist Award for Core and Laboratory-based Scientists (R50 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)</li> \n       <li data-list-item-id=\"e8929fa4b740619f956cf9aee4fc35e44\"><a href=\"https://simpler.grants.gov/opportunity/2b529176-2d03-42a4-8057-4736a55db1be\">PAR-27-089</a>: NCI Research Specialist (Clinician Scientist) Award (R50 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)</li> \n      </ul> \n     </div> \n    </section> \n    <section aria-labelledby=\"clinician-scientist-award-r50-testimonials\"> \n     <h2> <p>Clinician Scientist Award - R50 Testimonials</p> </h2> \n     <div> \n      <div> \n       <div> \n        <p><strong>Joaquina C. Baranda, M.D., F.A.C.P.&nbsp;</strong><br>Professor of Medical Oncology&nbsp;<br>University of Kansas Medical Center&nbsp;</p> \n        <p><br><em>\u201cI have been able to reduce my clinical practice to focus more on clinical trials implementation and treating patients primarily on trials.\u201d</em><br><br><em>\u201cThe [R50] has strengthened my efforts to accelerate drug development through national trials\u2026 at my institution as well as the region.\u201d</em></p> \n       </div> \n       <div> \n        <div> \n         <div data-entity-type=\"media\" data-entity-uuid=\"55ab6ec0-b637-4cf8-a2ca-89e6ce22ccf2\" data-embed-button=\"cgov_image_button\" data-entity-embed-display=\"view_mode:media.image_display_article_full\" data-entity-embed-display-settings=\"[]\" data-langcode=\"en\"> \n          <div> \n           <figure> \n            <img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://www.cancer.gov/sites/www/files/styles/cgov_article/public/cgov_image/media_image/2026-06/Baranda%2C%20Joaquina.png?itok=rO-Pib0r\" width=\"355\" height=\"494\" alt=\"R50 Clinician Scientist Awardee - Dr. Joaquina Baranda\"> \n           </figure> \n          </div> \n         </div> \n        </div> \n       </div> \n      </div> \n      <div> \n       <div> \n        <p><strong>Jennifer H. Foster, M.D., M.P.H.</strong><br>Associate Professor<br>Department of Pediatrics<br>Baylor College of Medicine</p> \n        <p><br><em>\u201c[The] R50 has enhanced my capacity to mentor junior faculty, helping to ensure the next generation of clinician scientists. The value of the R50 program extends not only to individual awardees but also to colleagues and collaborators, as it helps build a more stable clinical research infrastructure at both the national and institutional levels.\u201d</em></p> \n       </div> \n       <div> \n        <div> \n         <div data-entity-type=\"media\" data-entity-uuid=\"7474453e-110b-4e58-b514-45d9fd26e83b\" data-embed-button=\"cgov_image_button\" data-entity-embed-display=\"view_mode:media.image_display_article_full\" data-entity-embed-display-settings=\"[]\" data-langcode=\"en\"> \n          <div> \n           <figure> \n            <img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://www.cancer.gov/sites/www/files/styles/cgov_article/public/cgov_image/media_image/2026-06/Foster%2C%20Jennifer.jpg?itok=P3Ijpnm-\" width=\"970\" height=\"1457\" alt=\"R50 Clinician Scientist Awardee - Dr. Jennifer Foster\"> \n           </figure> \n          </div> \n         </div> \n        </div> \n       </div> \n      </div> \n      <div> \n       <div> \n        <p><strong>Michelle M. Kim, M.D.</strong><br>Clinical Professor<br>Department of Radiation Oncology<br>University of Michigan</p> \n        <p><br><em>\u201c[The R50 has] been a defining opportunity for my own career development to date\u2026 it will continue to shape my career trajectory as I look to grow in leadership and contribution in support of NCI-funded clinical trials.\u201d</em></p> \n       </div> \n       <div> \n        <div> \n         <div data-entity-type=\"media\" data-entity-uuid=\"8751a083-ff0a-4881-87b5-12a66fe61d05\" data-embed-button=\"cgov_image_button\" data-entity-embed-display=\"view_mode:media.image_display_article_full\" data-entity-embed-display-settings=\"[]\" data-langcode=\"en\"> \n          <div> \n           <figure> \n            <img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://www.cancer.gov/sites/www/files/styles/cgov_article/public/cgov_image/media_image/2026-06/Kim%2C%20Michelle.jpg?itok=JOlAbGCl\" width=\"624\" height=\"864\" alt=\"R50 Clinician Scientist Awardee - Dr. Michelle Kim\"> \n           </figure> \n          </div> \n         </div> \n        </div> \n       </div> \n      </div> \n      <div> \n       <div> \n        <p><strong>Brian Shuch, M.D.</strong><br>Director, UCLA Kidney Cancer Program<br>Director, SUO Fellowship Program<br>University of California, Los Angeles<br><br><em>\u201cWith reduced pressure on clinical productivity, I\u2019ve been able to deepen my involvement in biomarker development and explore innovative trial strategies.\u201d</em></p> \n        <p><em>\u201cI\u2019ve had the opportunity to develop a strategic plan to revitalize our participation [in NCI-funded networks].\u201d</em><br>&nbsp;</p> \n       </div> \n       <div> \n        <div> \n         <div data-entity-type=\"media\" data-entity-uuid=\"643b1a39-16fb-48d9-af1c-36bc4f6a8bd7\" data-embed-button=\"cgov_image_button\" data-entity-embed-display=\"view_mode:media.image_display_article_full\" data-entity-embed-display-settings=\"[]\" data-langcode=\"en\"> \n          <div> \n           <figure> \n            <img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://www.cancer.gov/sites/www/files/styles/cgov_article/public/cgov_image/media_image/2026-07/Shuch%2C%20Brian.jpeg?h=a31ec56a&amp;itok=zLXMkf5V\" width=\"970\" height=\"1087\" alt=\"R50 Clinician Scientist Awardee - Dr. Brian Shuch\"> \n           </figure> \n          </div> \n         </div> \n        </div> \n       </div> \n      </div> \n     </div> \n    </section> \n    <section aria-labelledby=\"labcore-r50-recipient-testimonials\"> \n     <h2> <p>Lab/Core - R50 Recipient Testimonials</p> </h2> \n     <div> \n      <div> \n       <div> \n        <p><strong>Yiling Lu, M.D.</strong><br>Director of the Functional Proteomics RPPA Core Facility<br>MD Anderson Cancer Center</p> \n        <p><em>\u201cWith the NCI R50 award, I can focus on standardizing and improving a proteomics technology to make it a reproducible assay and to provide accurate data sets. It also allows me to examine ways to shorten the turnaround time when my core facility provides RPPA services to the cancer research community.\u201d</em></p> \n       </div> \n       <div> \n        <div> \n         <div data-entity-type=\"media\" data-entity-uuid=\"d3403745-5df7-41bf-97fa-6e8a6199f693\" data-embed-button=\"cgov_image_button\" data-entity-embed-display=\"view_mode:media.image_display_article_full\" data-entity-embed-display-settings=\"[]\" data-langcode=\"en\"> \n          <div> \n           <figure> \n            <img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://www.cancer.gov/sites/www/files/styles/cgov_article/public/cgov_contextual_image/2019-08/IMG_0484.jpg?itok=A7T9Ow_j\" width=\"970\" height=\"636\" alt=\"Yiling Lu, M.D.\"> \n           </figure> \n          </div> \n         </div> \n        </div> \n       </div> \n      </div> \n      <div> \n       <div> \n        <p><strong>Lance Thomas, Ph.D.</strong><br>Research Assistant Professor<br>Department of Cell and Developmental Biology<br>Vanderbilt University</p> \n        <p><em>\u201cOftentimes, staff scientists in the lab don\u2019t get the opportunity to go to scientific meetings. However, the NCI R50 award provides travel funds that allow me to attend conferences where I can present my research to the community before it gets published, network with other scientists, and learn about emerging areas in the field.\u201d</em></p> \n       </div> \n       <div> \n        <div> \n         <div data-entity-type=\"media\" data-entity-uuid=\"c5849810-fef4-4865-b8df-9792e0bc7483\" data-embed-button=\"cgov_image_button\" data-entity-embed-display=\"view_mode:media.image_display_article_full\" data-entity-embed-display-settings=\"[]\" data-langcode=\"en\"> \n          <div> \n           <figure> \n            <img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://www.cancer.gov/sites/www/files/styles/cgov_article/public/cgov_contextual_image/2019-08/Lance%20Thomas.jpg?h=16a640db&amp;itok=WlJuWLC7\" width=\"970\" height=\"922\" alt=\"Lance Thomas, Ph.D.\"> \n           </figure> \n          </div> \n         </div> \n        </div> \n       </div> \n      </div> \n      <div> \n       <div> \n        <p><strong>Elizabeth Bartom, Ph.D.</strong><br>Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics<br>Feinberg School of Medicine<br>Northwestern University</p> \n        <p><em>\"Frequently, researchers want to quickly get the answer to a specific question, and are less interested in investing in more general solutions. Having the R50 Research Specialist Award gave me more independence to say, 'Let\u2019s devote some time to setting up a computational infrastructure that we can use to answer any question, not just the question that you started out with.' That empowered me to create a computational system that many scientists across my university are now using for their studies.\"</em></p> \n       </div> \n       <div> \n        <div> \n         <div data-entity-type=\"media\" data-entity-uuid=\"1fb36e2b-f593-4637-9845-e99872da00d1\" data-embed-button=\"cgov_image_button\" data-entity-embed-display=\"view_mode:media.image_display_article_full\" data-entity-embed-display-settings=\"[]\" data-langcode=\"en\"> \n          <div> \n           <figure> \n            <img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://www.cancer.gov/sites/www/files/styles/cgov_article/public/cgov_contextual_image/2019-08/Bartom_300.jpg?h=2d8173dc&amp;itok=gvB7NV5b\" width=\"215\" height=\"263\" alt=\"Elizabeth Bartom, Ph.D.\"> \n           </figure> \n          </div> \n         </div> \n        </div> \n       </div> \n      </div> \n      <div> \n       <div> \n        <p><strong>Wenyun Lu, Ph.D.</strong><br>Technical Director<br>Regional Metabolomics Core<br>Princeton University</p> \n        <p><em>\u201cWith the R50 award, I can focus on the technical aspects of cancer research in a metabolomics core. It allows me to spend more time developing new methods and analyzing samples. Specifically, our core primarily measures small molecule metabolites using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry to see how they change in tumors and how cancer cells use different nutrients.\u201d</em></p> \n       </div> \n       <div> \n        <div> \n         <div data-entity-type=\"media\" data-entity-uuid=\"744c57fb-5610-4342-bf71-2852fd370508\" data-embed-button=\"cgov_image_button\" data-entity-embed-display=\"view_mode:media.image_display_article_full\" data-entity-embed-display-settings=\"[]\" data-langcode=\"en\"> \n          <div> \n           <figure> \n            <img loading=\"lazy\" longdesc=\"/media/1124122/long-description\" src=\"https://www.cancer.gov/sites/www/files/styles/cgov_article/public/cgov_contextual_image/100/400/2/files/Lu%20photo2.jpg?h=b6161825&amp;itok=CaL9NIm-\" width=\"900\" height=\"798\" alt=\"Headshot of Wenyun Lu\"> \n           </figure> \n          </div> \n         </div> \n        </div> \n       </div> \n      </div> \n      <div> \n       <div> \n        <p><strong>Laura E. Pascal, Ph.D.</strong><br>Research Assistant Professor<br>Department of Urology<br>University of Pittsburgh O\u2019Brien Urology Research Center</p> \n        <p><em>(After receiving the R50), \u201cIt\u2019s really changed my life. I\u2019m not focused so much on grant writing and worrying about my job stability. I can spend more time doing research and publishing it.</em></p> \n        <p><em>I\u2019ve also taken on more responsibility since I got the award. I\u2019m able to focus on training people in my lab and collaborating with other scientists in my field. With staff scientists in labs [like me], we\u2019re all going to find out that the R50 is helpful in ways we didn\u2019t even imagine.\u201d</em></p> \n       </div> \n       <div> \n        <div> \n         <div data-entity-type=\"media\" data-entity-uuid=\"05613ba4-3543-4604-88f2-fbbebf703a63\" data-embed-button=\"cgov_image_button\" data-entity-embed-display=\"view_mode:media.image_display_article_full\" data-entity-embed-display-settings=\"[]\" data-langcode=\"en\"> \n          <div> \n           <figure> \n            <img loading=\"lazy\" longdesc=\"/media/1124301/long-description\" src=\"https://www.cancer.gov/sites/www/files/styles/cgov_article/public/cgov_contextual_image/100/400/1/files/LEP%20photo2.jpg?h=d65a6497&amp;itok=UnTbju2-\" width=\"675\" height=\"714\" alt=\"Headshot of Laura E. Pascal\"> \n           </figure> \n          </div> \n         </div> \n        </div> \n       </div> \n      </div> \n      <div> \n       <div> \n        <p><strong>Brian Haas, M.S.</strong><br>Senior Computational Biologist<br>Klarman Cell Observatory<br>Broad Institute</p> \n        <p><em>\u201cSo much of cancer research is being done by computational scientists who are analyzing vast quantities of data. The R50 Award is one mechanism to support these efforts.</em></p> \n        <p><em>Five years of guaranteed salary support is a stable block of time to accomplish research goals in my lab. It also allows me to focus on developing tools for cancer research and providing technical support to scientists outside the Broad Institute.\u201d</em></p> \n       </div> \n       <div> \n        <div> \n         <div data-entity-type=\"media\" data-entity-uuid=\"0e101399-1694-42b3-b79d-a6ed51b54c43\" data-embed-button=\"cgov_image_button\" data-entity-embed-display=\"view_mode:media.image_display_article_full\" data-entity-embed-display-settings=\"[]\" data-langcode=\"en\"> \n          <div> \n           <figure> \n            <img loading=\"lazy\" longdesc=\"/media/1124121/long-description\" src=\"https://www.cancer.gov/sites/www/files/styles/cgov_article/public/cgov_contextual_image/100/400/1/files/bhaas_profile2_pic.jpg?itok=Pcp8BCUZ\" width=\"892\" height=\"900\" alt=\"Headshot of Brian Haas\"> \n           </figure> \n          </div> \n         </div> \n        </div> \n       </div> \n      </div> \n     </div> \n    </section> \n   </div> \n  </div> \n  <div> \n   <aside> \n    <h2>Related Resources</h2> \n    <ul> \n     <li> \n      <div> \n       <a href=\"https://www.cancer.gov/about-nci/organization/ccct/funding/clinician-scientist-awards/awardees\">R50 Clinician Scientist Award Recipients</a> \n      </div> </li> \n    </ul> \n   </aside> \n   <div> \n    <p>Posted: <time datetime=\"2026-05-04T12:00:00Z\">Mon, 05/04/2026 - 12:00</time> </p> \n    <p>Updated: <time datetime=\"2026-05-04T12:00:00Z\">Mon, 05/04/2026 - 12:00</time> </p> \n    <p>Reviewed: <time datetime=\"2026-05-04T12:00:00Z\">Mon, 05/04/2026 - 12:00</time> </p> \n   </div> \n   <span>This content is provided by the National Cancer Institute (<a href=\"http://www.cancer.gov\">www.cancer.gov</a>)</span> \n  </div> \n </div>\n <script type=\"application/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"http://schema.org\",\"@type\":\"Article\",\"headline\":\"NCI Research Specialist Award (R50)\",\"datePublished\":\"2015-00-03T01:00:04Z\",\"description\":\"Award enables scientists to pursue stable research careers within an existing cancer research program, but not serve as independent investigators.\",\"about\":\"prevention, research, cessation, secondhand smoke, Quitting Resources, Guidance, Regulations and Compliance, Prevent Smoking and Tobacco Use\",\"audience\":\"\",\"dateCreated\":\"2015-00-03T01:00:04Z\",\"dateModified\":\"2019-39-05T19:39:49Z\",\"sourceOrganization\":\"National Cancer Institute\"}</script>\n</body><div class='syndicate'><span><Strong>Syndicated Content Details:</strong></span><br/><span>Source URL: <a href='https://www.cancer.gov/node/1023342/syndication'>https://www.cancer.gov/node/1023342/syndication</a></span><br/><span>Source Agency: <a href='http://www.cancer.gov'>National Cancer Institute (NCI)</a></span><br/><span>Captured Date: 2015-12-03 01:00:04.0</span><br/></div><iframe src=\"//www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-KT9TM9&mediaId=3768&mediaType=html&sourceUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cancer.gov%2Fnode%2F1023342%2Fsyndication&userId=-1&sourceId=5&sourceAcronym=NCI&campaignId=-1&campaignName=null&languageId=1&isoCode=eng\" height=\"0\" width=\"0\" style=\"display:none;visibility:hidden\"></iframe><noscript><iframe src=\"//www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-KT9TM9&mediaId=3768&mediaType=html&sourceUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cancer.gov%2Fnode%2F1023342%2Fsyndication&userId=-1&sourceId=5&sourceAcronym=NCI&campaignId=-1&campaignName=null&languageId=1&isoCode=eng\" height=\"0\" width=\"0\" style=\"display:none;visibility:hidden\"></iframe></noscript>","description":"Award enables scientists to pursue stable research careers within an existing cancer research program, but not serve as independent investigators.","id":3768,"mediaType":"Html","name":"NCI Research Specialist Award (R50)","sourceUrl":"https://www.cancer.gov/node/1023342/syndication"}]}