Investigator Awards
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The OICR Investigator Awards (IA) Program is designed to strengthen Ontario’s cancer research capacity by attracting outstanding Principal Investigators (PIs) and Clinician Scientists (CSs) to the province of Ontario.
Our IA program provides stable recruitment and retention funding for PIs and CSs involved in OICR programs, strategic initiatives and other OICR supported research activities.
OICR Associates and Affiliates are exceptional investigators located at external research institutions who share scientific focus with OICR. These status-only appointments enable research collaborations with OICR investigators to support the Institute’s research priorities and strategic initiatives. In addition, OICR Associates help provide OICR projects with vital leadership and insight.
There are five categories of investigators supported:
Early-Career Investigator
PIs in the in the first five years of their career as an independent researcher.
Mid-Career Investigator
PIs who have spent five to 10 years as an independent researcher.
Senior Investigator
PIs who have spent at least 10 years as an independent researcher and who meet the criteria for national and international excellence.
Clinician Scientist I
CSs who are actively licensed physicians in the province of Ontario with 80 per cent of their time protected for research.
Clinician Scientist II
CSs who are actively licensed physicians in the province of Ontario with 50 per cent of their time protected for research.
Award value and duration
All early-career investigators (within five years of their first appointment), whether they are PIs or CSs, receive an initial six-year term to provide extra time to develop their research programs. All other awards will be for a five-year term.
Principal Investigators
| Designation | Maximum OICR contribution (Research and salary support) | Term | Renewable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early-Career Investigator (ECI) | $250,000.00 per year | Six years | Yes, once, only as a promotion to MCI. Not renewable for a second ECI term. |
| Mid-Career Investigator (MCI) | $300,000.00 per year | Five years | Yes, once, at same level or promotion to Senior Investigator. |
| Senior Investigator (SI) | $250,000.00 per year with 100% match from the host institution | Five years | No |
Clinician Scientists (CS)
| Designation | Maximum OICR contribution (Research and salary support) | Term | Renewable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| CS I (80 per cent) | $350,000.00 per year | Five or six years | Yes, once, except those at the Senior level. Senior level awards are non-renewable. |
| CS II (50 per cent) | $250,000.00 per year | Five or six years | Yes, once, except those at the Senior level. Senior level awards are non-renewable. |
For external applicants, matching or co-funding is strongly encouraged at the early and mid-career levels for both the PI and CS streams. For senior level awards, including the CS stream where a candidate has been deemed to be at a senior career level, the host institution must provide a 100 per cent match to the OICR contribution towards the award.
While the awards have been developed to reflect competitive compensation packages, the host institution and the awardee may determine the allotment of the award to cover expenses. The OICR IA is a salary award but funds can be used for the investigator’s salary and/or other research-related expenses. Overhead is not included in the IA.
How to nominate a candidate
Please note: The OICR Investigator Awards program is currently at capacity. OICR will make an announcement through our mailing list and social media channels when the program re-opens to new nominations.
OICR will identify recruitment needs that target essential expertise which are vital to the translational mission of the Institute and are aligned with research priorities as defined in OICR’s strategic plan. Additional consideration will also be given to candidates to promote equitable distribution of awards across geographical regions, and to support the inclusion of underserved populations in research, and/or candidates from under-represented communities.
Individuals cannot apply to the OICR IA Program directly. IA applications are a two-step process consisting of the following stages:
To initiate a nomination, the host institution must request the EOI form from OICR (ScientificSecretariat@oicr.on.ca). Please include the following information with your request:
EOIs and full applications will be reviewed using several criteria, including:
For more details, please review the OICR Investigator Awards Program New Candidate Guide. For inquiries about the IA Program, please contact OICR’s Scientific Secretariat at ScientificSecretariat@oicr.on.ca.