Junior Paper Award

Junior investigators, postdoctoral fellows, and trainees are eligible for this application. Junior investigators are defined as:

• any new investigator who has completed their terminal research degree or medical residency, whichever is most recent, within the past 10 years and has not yet competed successfully for a substantial NIH research grant e.g., R01) 

Application Details

The paper must be based on a research study involving molecular classifications and genomics of gastroesophageal cancers and stem cell research that examines and defines how these related cancers initially evolve at the cellular level. 

Study results will be judged by the following criteria:

1. Be important to the examination of the evolution of gastroesophageal cancers at a cellular level

2. Include high-visibility research demonstrated through:

   • Publication in a high-impact journal

   • Active dissemination of findings, and/or evidence of uptake in policy or adoption of practice/implementation

   • Presentation at a national meeting

3. Have made a substantial contribution to the field or demonstrate a novel research approach 

   • Innovative, novel, groundbreaking work 

   • Building scientific evidence where science is still uncertain

4. Articles must have been:

   • Peer-reviewed

   • Published in a journal within 2 years prior to opening date of the application 

Submission Instructions

Applications must be submitted via the Google Form linked above by November 22, 2025 @ 11:59 PM EST.

Please submit the following information as part of your application:

• A clean copy of the paper and accompanying citation

• A formal nomination letter, stating reasons the nominee should receive the Junior Research Paper award (250 words or less)

• A completed nomination form that includes current contact information for the nominee and nominator (found in google form)

Junior Paper Award applicants should not make any travel arrangements until after they are notified of their award status. If awarded, travel arrangements will be made on your behalf. 

For any scientific questions about the proposal, please contact Dr. Jeanine M. Genkinger (jg3081@cumc.columbia.edu) or Dr. Chin Hur (ch447@cumc.columbia.edu). For any general application questions, please contact Christian Kulp (cbk2138@cumc.columbia.edu).