“Limited Submissions” occur when a sponsor limits the number of proposals the OU Health Campus may submit for a given funding opportunity. Because of these restrictions, and because some opportunities attract broad interest within the university, OU Health Campus follows a standardized internal selection process to identify proposals to submit on behalf of the University. The Limited Submission Opportunities currently available are listed below.
Opportunities
Blavatnik Family Foundation – Blavatnik National Awards for Young Scientists
The Blavatnik Family Foundation and the New York Academy of Sciences are accepting nominations for the 2026 Blavatnik National Awards for Young Scientists in three specific categories: 1. Chemical Sciences, 2. Physical Sciences & Engineering, and 3. Life Sciences. The Foundation’s Awards Program (http://blavatnikawards.org/awards/national-awards/) seeks to honor America’s most innovative young faculty-rank scientists and engineers. Every year, one nominee in each disciplinary category will be named a Blavatnik National Awards Laureate and will receive $250,000 in unrestricted funds. Additional nominees will be recognized as Finalists and awarded $15,000 in unrestricted funds. Candidates for the Blavatnik National Awards must be nominated by their institutions – self-nominations are not allowed.
Internal Submission Information
The University of Oklahoma Health Campus can submit one nomination in each of the three categories identified above. Faculty are required to submit applications by 5 pm on October 30, 2026 via the OUHC Limited Submission Opportunities portal. Application and eligibility details may be found in the Blavatnik National Awards for Young Scientists Limited Submission Announcement.
Timeline
Internal submission deadline: 5 pm on October 30, 2026
Notification of selection of OUHC nominee: 5 pm on November 10, 2026
Eligibility requests to the Foundation for age limit exceptions: November 11, 2026
Blavatnik Foundation application deadline: December 2, 2026
Letters of support due to Blavatnik Foundation: December 16, 2026
Searle Funds at The Chicago Community Trust – Searle Scholars Program
- Website: Searle Scholars Program
- Notes: Applicants should have begun their appointment as an independent investigator at the Assistant Professor level on or after May 1, 2025, and must be in their first tenure-track position; institutional nomination required.
The Searle Scholars Program makes grants to selected universities and research institutes to support the independent research of exceptional young faculty in the biomedical sciences and chemistry. The 2027 award will be in the amount of $450,000 ($150,000 per year for three years, with funding for years 2 and 3 contingent upon the receipt of acceptable progress reports after years 1 and 2, respectively). Details can be found in the attached announcement.
Applicants for the 2027 competition are expected to be pursuing independent research careers in biochemistry, cell biology, genetics, immunology, neuroscience, pharmacology, and related areas in chemistry, medicine, and the biological sciences. The Searle Scholars Program does not ordinarily support purely clinical research but has supported research programs that include both clinical and basic science components.
The internal pre-proposals deadline has passed.
Pew Charitable Trusts – Pew Scholars Program in the Biomedical Sciences
- Website: Pew Scholars Program
- Notes: Early-career biomedical investigators; typically 1 nominee per institution
W. M. Keck Foundation – Keck Foundation Research Program
- Website: W. M. Keck Foundation
- Notes: High-risk, high-reward science; concept paper → full proposal pipeline
G. Harold and Leila Y. Mathers Charitable Foundation / Edward Mallinckrodt Jr. Foundation