Mentoring, Grants & Awards

WES Early Career Investigator Awards 2027

Purpose: Catalyst grant targeted to early-career individuals
Target area: Endometriosis or Adenomyosis
Number of grants: A total of six grants will be awarded [Two grants for clinicians and allied health professionals, two grants for basic scientists and two grants for social scientists] Eligibility: Applicant must be a WES member and meet early-career definitions as of the application deadline:

  1. Clinicians and allied health professionals (e.g., physiotherapist, dietitian, pharmacist, psychologist, etc.):Within six years of independent practice (full time equivalent).
  2. Basic scientists (e.g., molecular biologist, geneticist, epidemiologist, laboratory scientist, translational researcher, and other biomedical or population-health researchers). Within ten years after conferring of PhD/ScD/DPhil/equivalent degree or demonstrably equivalent professional training (full time equivalent).
  3. Social Scientists: (e.g., Sociologists, demographers, economists, anthropologists, and other researchers using social, behavioural, or economic approaches relevant to endometriosis or adenomyosis).Within ten years after conferring of PhD/ScD/DPhil/equivalent degree or demonstrably equivalent professional training (full time equivalent).

These definitions include early-career faculty, as well as post-doctoral fellows, research associates, or other research positions without an independent faculty position in which case the applicant must provide the contact information of a supervisor/mentor who will hold the funds.

Note:  Applicants whose work may fit more than one category should select the category that best reflects the proposed project’s primary focus. The Grant Committee may reassign applications to a more appropriate category where necessary.

Grants to be awarded

  1. Two 20K CAD grants for clinician applicants
  2. Two 20K CAD grants for basic scientist applicants
  3. Two 20K CAD grants for social scientist applicants

To be used over 12 months from date of funding transfer.

Application

    1. Title page :  applicant name, position, institution ; which applicant category (clinician, basic scientist, social scientist) ; biographical information to confirm meets criteria for early-career ; co-applicants ; supervisor/mentor (if applicable)
    2. Lay summary: 200 words
    3. Scientific summary:  250 words
    4. Proposal: 1500 words (background, aims, hypotheses, methods (including sample size or power justification), statistical analysis plan, anticipated outcomes, knowledge translation and/or future research (particularly important if pilot or proof of principle study proposal), as well as impact on applicant’s career)
    5. Budget:  1 page (with justifications)
    6. Supervisor letter of support if applicable (e.g. scientist without an independent faculty position): 1 page including characteristics of the trainee suggesting a positive trajectory in endometriosis/adenomyosis investigation, plus resources and mentorship to be provided to ensure successful completion of proposed aims
    7. NIH Biosketch:  NIH biosketch fellowship for applicants (and NIH biosketch non-fellowship for supervisor, if applicable).  Max 5 pages.  See: https://grants.nih.gov/grants-process/write-application/forms-directory/biosketch
    8. Appendices:   References, other letters of support, budget (1 page)

Peer review process

Due date: September 30, 2026

Decision notification: December 31, 2026

Assessment criteria

  • Importance of the problem
  • Methods/Approach
  • Knowledge dissemination and/or future research plan
  • Impact of receiving the award on the applicant’s career

Reporting

  • Present at WCE2029 (oral) at early-career session
  • End-of-grant written report (e.g. to go on the WES website) which includes a lay summary and infographic of key findings
  • Consent to highlight award recipient on WES website and in WES social media and at WCE2029 and in future years of WES Early Career investigator awards marketing
  • Required acknowledgment of funding from WES Early Career investigator award in any presentations or publications arising from the funded aims

Submission

Please click here to submit your application (titled: WES grant application_Full Name) as a single PDF.