Eligibility for the 2027 Award

Candidates must meet all of the following eligibility
requirements:

• Hold a doctorate in biomedical sciences, medicine, or a
  related field, including engineering or the physical sciences.
• 
  
  As of Sept. 3, 2026, run an independent lab and hold a
  full-time appointment at the rank of assistant professor. (Appointments such as
  research assistant professor, adjunct assistant professor, assistant professor
  research track, visiting professor, or instructor are not eligible).
• 
  
  Current appointments such as research assistant professor,
  adjunct assistant professor, assistant professor research track, visiting
  professor, or instructor are not eligible to apply.
• 
  
  Must not have been appointed as an assistant
  professor and run an independent lab at any institution prior to June 10, 2023,
  whether or not such an appointment was on a tenure track. Time spent in
  clinical internships, residencies, in work toward board certification, or on
  parental leave does not count as part of this three-year limit. Candidates who
  need an exception on the three-year limit should contact Pew’s program office
  to ensure that application reviewers are aware an exception has been given.
• 
  
  May apply to the program a maximum of two times. All
  applicants must be nominated by their institution and must complete the 2027
  online application.
• 
  
  If applicants have appointments at more than one eligible
  nominating institution or affiliate, they may not reapply in a subsequent year
  from a different nominating entity.
• 
  
  May not be nominated for the Pew Scholars Program and the
  Pew-Stewart Scholars Program for Cancer Research in the same year.

Based on their performance during their education and
training, candidates should demonstrate outstanding promise as contributors in
science relevant to human health. This program does not fund clinical trials
research. Strong proposals will incorporate particularly creative and
pioneering approaches to basic, translational, and applied biomedical research.
Candidates whose work is based on biomedical principles but who bring in
concepts and theories from more diverse fields are encouraged to apply.

Ideas with the potential to produce an unusually high impact
are encouraged. Selection of the successful candidates will be based on a
detailed description of the work that the applicant proposes to undertake,
evaluations of the candidate’s performance, and notable past accomplishments,
including honors, awards, and publications. In evaluating the candidates, the
National Advisory Committee gives considerable weight to both the project
proposal and the researcher, including evidence that the candidate is a successful
independent investigator and has the skill set needed to carry out their
high-impact proposal.

Awards: $300,000 ($75,000/year for four years). NO more than 8% may be allocated for F&A.