Focused Ultrasound Symposium Offers Young Investigator Awards

Young Investigator Awards available  for 2nd International Symposium on MR-guided Focused Ultrasound

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., Aug. 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Focused Ultrasound Surgery Foundation has announced the availability of ten awards of up to $1,000 for young investigators whose abstracts are selected for oral or poster presentation at the 2nd International Symposium on MR-guided Focused Ultrasound in Washington, D.C. from October 17 to 20, 2010.

The Young Investigator Awards are intended to encourage quality research by scientists-in-training and support them in presenting meritorious scientific papers at the symposium. Award recipients will be given special recognition during the symposium and receive funding for travel and lodging as well as free symposium registration.

Applications for Young Investigator Awards will be accepted from August 23 to September 6 and involve a two-step process:

1. Submission of an abstract online at http://www.meetingassistant2.com/FUSF2010/

2. Transmission of an email labeled "Young Investigator Award Application" to [email protected]. Emails must include: a copy of the submitted abstract (in either an MS-Word or PDF format); a curriculum vitae with a bibliography; a letter of recommendation from a mentor, section chief or department chair. 

Letters of recommendation must include the following:

• Confirmation that the candidate meets the basic eligibility requirements
• Candidate's key accomplishments to date (or other forms of demonstrated excellence and recognition in the case of very junior trainees)
• Assessment of relevant scientific attributes (intellectual curiosity, drive, critical thinking, problem-solving)
• Potential for future success as a competitive investigator

Young Investigator Awards are open to graduate students, research fellows, clinical fellows and junior faculty members and have no restrictions regarding citizenship or residency. However, employees or subcontractors of private industry are not eligible for funding.

All applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria:

1. Belong to one of the following groups:
   1. undergraduate or pre-doctoral students still in training
   2. fellows who have completed training within the last four years
   3. Ph.D./M.D. faculty members appointed within the last four years
2. Be actively engaged in research in the field of MR-guided focused ultrasound
3. Have submitted an abstract via the symposium's online process
4. Be listed as the presenter of the abstract

Young Investigator Award recipients will be notified of their selection in early October. They will receive funding after submitting travel and lodging receipts to the Focused Ultrasound Surgery Foundation.

About the 2nd International Symposium on MR-guided Focused Ultrasound

Scheduled for October 17-20 in the Washington, D.C. area, this landmark event will spotlight leading edge preclinical, translational and clinical research related to one of today's most promising and innovative noninvasive therapeutic technologies. Targeted to scientists, clinicians and others interested in current and future applications of MR-guided focused ultrasound, the conference will feature plenary sessions, panel discussions, poster presentations and technical exhibits. Complete information about the symposium on can be found at http://www.fusfoundation.org/Symposium

About the Focused Ultrasound Surgery Foundation

Founded in 2006 and based in Charlottesville, Virginia, the Focused Ultrasound Surgery Foundation is dedicated to accelerating research and development of patient treatments using one of today's most revolutionary and promising medical technologies: noninvasive Magnetic Resonance-Guided Focused Ultrasound (FUS). The Foundation's work is motivated by the belief that FUS treatments could become the ultimate in noninvasive surgery, serve as a viable alternative to radiation therapy and offer a new platform for precise drug delivery - applications with the potential to alleviate suffering, save lives and quicken recovery times for millions of patients worldwide. 

By promoting communication, collaboration and coordination, the Foundation has become a vital nexus for researchers, clinicians, manufacturers, philanthropists and other stakeholders in the FUS arena. The Foundation is funding translational and clinical research, providing fellowships for training physicians and scientists, hosting symposia and workshops, maintaining online informational resources and establishing FUS Centers of Excellence. Complete information about the Foundation and its work can be found at http://fusfoundation.org

SOURCE Focused Ultrasound Surgery Foundation