George and Cleary Simpson Award for Emerging Researchers

The George and Cleary Simpson Award for Emerging Researchers (GCSAFER) supports early-career scientists pursuing high-impact research to help overcome key barriers in developing treatments for Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT). 

Objective and Purpose

Each cycle, CMTRF’s George and Cleary Simpson Award for Emerging Researchers is given to one early-career researcher working within a specific research focus area. The grant is for $75,000. 

Each cycle centers on a specific challenge, topic, or priority selected annually by CMTRF’s research and drug development team and aligned with CMTRF’s scientific priorities. 

Within the year’s focus area, applicants are strongly encouraged to bring bold, creative, and innovative approaches. Collaborative projects between research groups, and between academic and industry investigators, are highly encouraged.

Read the full brief for the 2026-2027 application cycle here.

Research Focus Area 

Research projects funded by the grant must address this cycle’s defined Focus Area and include basic science, translational, or clinical research applicable to CMT drug development, whether specific to an individual CMT subtype or applicable across multiple CMT forms. Proposals outside the defined Focus Area will not be considered for this cycle.

The Focus Area for our 2026-2027 cycle is transcriptional regulation of the peripheral nerve using omic-level analysis.

Grant Details 

A $75,000 award for one year, designed to support one early-career independent researcher per cycle in tackling high-impact, innovative science aligned with CMTRF’s research priorities. Awards are prioritized to applicants whose proposed projects show strong scientific merit and high potential to lead to further CMT drug development research.

Eligibility 

  • Applicants must either be a graduate student (Master’s or PhD) or have completed their terminal degree (MD, PhD, etc.) no more than 10 years before the application deadline.
  • Applicants require a letter of support from a PI sponsor or mentor. Early-career investigators must have the resources and ability to conduct independent research, or will have their own lab by the proposed start of the award.
  • Proposed research must address this cycle’s defined Focus Area.
  • Work may be conducted in academic, non-profit, or pharma/biotech institutions. Applicants from all countries are eligible.

Key Dates

Date Milestone
October 15- November 12, 2026 OPTIONAL Letter of Intent (LOI) submissions period open*
December 7, 2026 – January 29, 2027 Application submissions period open
Spring 2027 Applications reviewed
June 1, 2027 Award notification issued
July 1, 2027 Earliest project start date

Amount 

  • $75,000 for one year.
  • Up to $1,500 of the award may be requested for travel, and awardees are encouraged to use this to attend a future Global CMT Research Convention; CMTRF also provides free Convention registration for the awardee during the award period.

Value Beyond the Grant Dollar

GCSAFER Grant recipients get more than funding. The award also comes with:

  • Access to top experts through relevant CMTRF consortia and committees.
  • A presentation slot at the Global CMT Research Convention.
  • Mentorship and networking with established researchers in the CMT field. 

Questions:

Questions about types of projects or grant details can be sent to [email protected].