Women's Early Research Career (WERC) Award
The DOM Women’s Early Research Career Award (WERC) provides supplemental funding for women who are junior faculty to sustain their research productivity during early career stages, when competing extra-professional responsibilities (including child-rearing) are common. Applicants must have current financial research support and be on a clear path to a successful independent research career. The supplemental funding is intended to increase research productivity, thereby increasing career advancement opportunities for women in academic medicine.
- Provides junior faculty women funding to sustain research productivity during the early stages of their careers
- $50,000/year for two years in direct costs to supplement or complement current, funded research (total $100,000)
- Letter of Intent form available here
- Eligibility details and formal announcement available here
2020 Dates and Deadlines
- Letter of Intent submission deadline: March 6, 2020
- Notification of LOI acceptance/invitation to apply: March 20, 2020
- Full application due: April 27, 2020
- Notification of awards: June 1, 2020
- Start date: July 1, 2020
2020 Awardee

Dr. Forum Kamdar is a faculty member in the Division of Cardiology. She received the award for her project, Unlocking the Role of Cardiac Calcium Pump Dysregulation in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Cardiomyopathy.
2019 Awardee

Dr. Elizabeth Rogers is a faculty member in the Division of General Internal Medicine. She received the award for her project, Treatment Burden in Limited English Proficiency Patients with Diabetes.
2018 Awardee

Dr. Allyson Hart is an affiliate faculty member at HCMC in the Division of Renal Diseases and Hypertension. She received the award for her project, Counseling kidney transplant candidates with their social support networks to improve outcomes.
2018 Awardee

Dr. Radha Rajasingham is a faculty member in the Division of Infectious Diseases and International Medicine. She received the award for her project, Evaluation of enhanced antifungal therapy for HIV-infected persons with asymptomatic cryptococcal infection.
2017 Awardee

Dr. Shernan Holtan is a faculty member in the Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Transplantation. She received the award for her project, Tissue Repair in Acute Graft-versus-Host Disease: A Functional Genomics Approach.
2016 Awardee

Dr. Alexa Pragman is a faculty member at the VA in the Division of Infectious Disease and International Medicine. She received the award for her project, An Interim Analysis of the Relationship Between the Oral and Lung Microbiota and Inflammation in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.
2016 Awardee

Dr. Zohar Sachs is a faculty member in the Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Transplantation. She received the award for her project, Molecular Mechanisms of NRAS-mediated Leukemia Stem Cell Self-Renewal.