Founded in 1890, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL), a top research and education institution located on Long Island in New York, has long been the site of pioneering work in fundamental biological research. CSHL has been home to eight Nobel laureates, was the first institution in the U.S. to focus on genetics, and played a pivotal role in ushering in the modern era of molecular biology. Research at CSHL now focuses around five main areas: cancer, neuroscience, genomics, plant biology, and quantitative biology.
In its 125 years, CSHL has consistently recognized the importance and power of young scientists in driving innovation and progress. This philosophy is reflected in the institution’s unique culture which avoids rigid departments and tenure, and instead embraces a highly collaborative research environment with a constant flow of new ideas and people. In addition to its core research, the Laboratory attracts 12,000 scientists each year from 50 countries to its campuses in New York and China for industry-leading meetings and courses in discovery science.
To support the Laboratory’s innovative culture, the Board of Trustees of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory established the President’s Science Endowment in 2012. The draw from this endowment nurtures fundamental discovery science by our faculty, their postdoctoral fellows, and students. CSHL is keen to increase the President’s Science Endowment since this income truly sustains our pioneering research.
CSHL has created two additional funds to support basic research:
The first is the New Initiatives Fund. Biomedical research is a rapidly evolving field. To stay at the forefront, CSHL is continually assessing its capabilities and technology for important new strategic investments. These new initiatives emerge from discussions led by the CSHL president at our faculty retreats and at the external CSHL Science Advisory Council meetings. Support for these projects can include the development of new technology cores, the provision of major new equipment and facilities, as well as the recruitment and support of new faculty who focus on major new strategic research initiatives. These initiatives are overseen by the CSHL president and can be discussed extensively with the donor.
The Discovery Science Fund supports basic, discovery science for the most promising young researchers at CSHL. Young scientists are the engines behind many scientific advances and are future scientific leaders. Donations will fund exceptional, early-career scientists whose higher risk/higher reward projects are too often overlooked by federal funding agencies. In our experience, philanthropic support for the most innovative investigator-initiated ideas is what leads to powerful breakthroughs in discovery science.
PURPOSE AND FOCUS:
CSHL will support breakthrough science by focusing on high-risk/high-reward projects, new research and technology initiatives, and support of young scientists with visionary new ideas.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE:
Breakthroughs can come from scientists at any career stage, so funding will support projects carried out by CSHL faculty at all levels, including postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and computational scientists. Their ideas will drive the establishment of new projects and initiatives.
APPLICATION AND REVIEW:
The CSHL Research Executive Committee, composed of accomplished senior faculty representing the various CSHL research programs and chaired by the Director of Research, will review proposals and make recommendations to the president for support. Proposals rated the highest in terms of potential for catalyzing innovative breakthroughs will be selected.
For more information about Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and for donations to the President’s Science Endowment, the New Initiatives Fund, or the Discovery Science Fund, please contact Charles Prizzi, prizzi@cshl.edu or 516-367-6961, or the president of CSHL, Bruce Stillman, directly at stillman@cshl.edu. For more information about CSHL, please see www.cshl.edu.