General information (further details can be found in the attached form)

Candidates must apply via the AIRC online portal after setting up a personal account: go to www.airc.it; click on “Area Ricercatori”; click on “Register (for applicants only)” and provide the requested information, including the Italian tax code (codice fiscale), if applicable. Make sure to indicate an e-mail address and phone number where you can be easily reached during all stages of the peer review process; if possible, please include a mobile phone number. The registration will be confirmed by e-mail and a username and password will be provided within two working days. Make sure to register early. You must login to access the application form.

To launch the application form for the first time, click on “Calls”, go to “Fellowships” and click on “Apply” in the “iCARE – 2015” section. In the next window, click on “Access the application form”. To access the application in progress: click on “Submissions” and then click on “Access the application form”.

Below you will find a list of the general features of our online system:

• -  the system automatically launches the “Applicant’s personal data” form. All forms that must be filled out are listed on the left side of the page. Click on each one of them and fill in all the mandatory fields (in bold). Make sure to click on “SAVE” after completing each form; it may be necessary to update the page of the browser to see that the information has been saved;

• -  the forms can be filled out in different sessions and the work can be interrupted/resumed at any time;

• -  a number of forms must be submitted as PDF files. Each file cannot exceed 2Mb. Any file exceeding such a limit will be automatically rejected by the system. Secure PDF files cannot be uploaded. Documents submitted as PDF files must be written using an A4 format, single spaced, with margins not less than 2 cm and a font not smaller than 12 point (preferably Palatino, Times, Arial). Do not exceed the page limit indicated for each section: the system will not allow the upload of a number of pages beyond the limit;

• -  the status of each form is shown on the left: red cross for mandatory forms that are incomplete; yellow circle for not mandatory forms; green mark for completed forms. These same symbols are used in the “Check and Submit” section;

• -  the “Check and Submit” section (last title in the list of forms on the left) allows applicants

a. check and see whether each form has been correctly filled out; for mandatory forms

that are incomplete, the information that must be provided is listed;
b. view and print the application in its incomplete/complete state. By clicking on “Create draft” and then on “Open submission draft” you can download the PDF draft generated by the system;

c. submit the application. Once all mandatory forms are complete, please click on

“Submit”. Please note that after clicking on “Submit” it will not be possible to

make any further modifications;
- the complete proposal is automatically assembled as a single PDF file at the end of the

online procedure.

The application must be written entirely in English. Applications that do not conform to all the requirements in these instructions will be rejected.

International Cancer Research Fellowships – iCARE 2015

Applicant’s personal data

Most fields are automatically filled out with information provided during the registration into the AIRC website; to modify the information in any of these fields, please click on the link “My personal data” at the bottom of the page and edit the information from the pop-up window.
In the “Address” field, please indicate the postal address (home or workplace) where documents related to the fellowship can be mailed to.

In the “Education (Undergraduate)” field please enter the details of the undergraduate degree obtained (i.e. of the degree that formally allows one to embark on a doctorate in the country where the degree was attained; in Italy, this would be a “laurea magistralis”).
In the “Education (PhD)” field please indicate whether you earned a doctorate degree by checking the appropriate box at the “I obtained a PhD” question. If you do hold a PhD, please indicate: the country where you earned it; the research field; the official date it was awarded; the mark/score (write N/A if not applicable); the University.

Type of fellowship

In the upper part of the form: please enter the title of the research proposal; it must not exceed 120 characters, small cases, spaces included.
In the lower part of the form, please select the fellowship you are applying to (only one can be chosen), making sure that all eligibility requirements indicated are met. Applications from researchers who do not meet the eligibility criteria will not be sent out for review and will automatically be rejected.

Head of the hosting lab

Please fill in the requested fields with information on the head of the hosting lab (i.e. the person who will supervise and mentor the fellow) and on the Host Institution.

Legal representative

The Legal representative (Legale rappresentante) i.e. the authorized official of the Host Institution will be responsible, along with the head of the hosting lab, of all the legal and administrative duties of the fellowship award.
For Outgoing fellowships: please enter the requested information, then click on “Save”. In the “Role” field, please indicate the position held by the Legal representative in the Host Institution (e.g. President, Dean, etc.).

For Incoming and Reintegration fellowships: the information regarding the Legal representative are provided automatically by the system based on the Host Institution selected in the “Head of the hosting lab” section. Please make sure that all data are correct and up-to-date; if they aren’t, or in case the name of the Legal representative does not appear automatically in the form, please notify AIRC by e-mail (administrative.office@airc.it). You may be asked to provide an official record (e.g. copy of Appointment Decree) as supporting documentation before the request to modify existing information or to enter any new data in the form is approved and executed. To confirm the data provided by default, please click on “Save”.

Head of the laboratory of origin

Please fill in the requested fields with information on the head of the laboratory of origin and the Institution of origin. Provide a letter of presentation of the applicant by the head of the lab of origin

International Cancer Research Fellowships – iCARE 2015

as PDF file: click on “Select” and follow the prompt. The letter should be in letterhead paper, dated and signed, and must not exceed one page in length (approx. 500 words, font size 12). For Incoming and Outgoing fellowships, the head of the lab of origin should include a statement that he/she is open to reintegrate the candidate in the lab at the end of the fellowship appointment.

In case the head of the lab of origin requests the letter of recommendation not to be included in the application, please upload a statement indicating that, in order to maintain confidentiality, the letter will be sent separately to the AIRC Peer Review Office. The letter, in PDF format, should be e- mailed by May 25th 2015 to: airc.direzione-scientifica@airc.it

The AIRC Peer Review Office will forward the letter to the reviewers assigned to the application.

Education and training of the applicant

Click on “Add new record” and list all degrees obtained (undergraduate, master’s and doctoral).

Research and professional experience of the applicant

Click on “Add new record” and list all position held by the applicant after the attainment of the highest degree (e.g. PhD) indicated in the previous section; use this section to list post-doctoral trainings. Do not leave any period unaccounted for. For transition phases (e.g. in between positions), enter “None” in the Institution field and indicate “Unemployed” or “Transition phase” in the “Position” field. Do not include holidays. It is assumed that each entry refers to a full time position. To list part time positions, please contact AIRC: airc.direzione-scientifica@airc.it

Research interruptions and justifications

This section should be completed in case the applicant’s research activity has been interrupted due to parental leave, children care, illness or other personal issues. Click on “Add new record” and fill out the requested fields.
This section allows applicants to report prolonged periods of absence from work that may have had a negative impact on their track record. Reviewers are instructed to take this information into account when assessing the scientific productivity of an applicant.

Curriculum vitae of the applicant

The Curriculum vitae of the applicant must not exceed the two-page length. The CV, to be uploaded as PDF file, should integrate the biographical sketch outlined in the “Education and training” and “Research and professional experience” sections, and should contain the following information:

• Name of applicant;
• Research activity: for the most relevant entries in the application forms “Education and

training of the applicant” and “Research and professional experience of the applicant”,

International Cancer Research Fellowships – iCARE 2015

please provide: st o the exact dates in the format month-day-year. Example: “From September 1

2011 to March 1st 2014: post-doctoral fellow at [name of the Institution, city, country]. Do

not leave any period unaccounted for;
o the name of the supervisor;
o a brief description (two-three sentences) of the main focus of the research activity.

• Research interruptions, if applicable: indicate the exact dates and cause(s). Example: “From January 10th 2012 to June 1st 2012, career break for maternity leave”;

• Transition phases in between positions, if applicable, specifying where they were spent. Example: “From March 2nd 2014 to April 15th 2014: transition phase (unemployed) in Milan, Italy, preparing for new position in USA and waiting for Visa”. Do not include holidays;

• Technical skills, competences, clinical activity (if applicable);

• Awards, participation to international meetings and courses.

  Do not list the applicant’s publications in the CV, as there is a separate, specific section for this (“Publications of the applicant”, below).