Young Hearts Early Career Investigator Award

General Abstract Submission Guidelines 2023 General Abstract Submission Guidelines 2023The Council on Lifelong Congenital Heart Disease and Heart Health in the Young (Young Hearts) Early Investigator Award recognizes early career investigators who are performing high quality research in the field of pediatric cardiovascular disease. The Young Hearts Council values developing lasting relationships with clinician scientists who will influence the field and support the Council for years to come. Early career investigators who are submitting research for presentation at the AHA Scientific Sessions and have an unpublished manuscript ready are urged to apply.

Up to five Young Hearts Early Career Investigator Award finalists will be honored and a winner will be named at the annual competition.

Award Recipients

• 2022 Robin Perelli, MS
• 2021 Mansi Gaitonde, MD
• 2020 Melanie R. F. Gropler
• 2019 Jill Savla
• 2018 Andrew Landstrom
• 2017 Thomas Roston

Eligibility Criteria

• Abstract must be submitted to one of the categories for presentation at Scientific Sessions, in which the Council on Lifelong Congenital Heart Disease and Heart Health in the Young (Young Hearts) is the lead/primary sponsor. View a list of Council Awards and Travel Grants Available by Abstract Category and Community (PDF).
• Applicant must be active in research and within 10 years of completion of terminal degree or highest certificate (e.g., MSc, PhD), or within 10 years of completing medical fellowship or residency, as of the award application date. Graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, instructors, and research associates are welcome to apply.
• All applicants for the award must be members of the Council on Lifelong Congenital Heart Disease and Heart Health in the Young. If you need to become an AHA Professional Member, you should do so no later than one week prior to the application submission deadline for your member account to be processed in time for the application submission deadline. Your member account number is required on the award application. Learn more about becoming an AHA Professional Member.
• An individual may not compete for similar early career investigator awards from other American Heart Association scientific councils during the same year for the same meeting.
• Only one manuscript per candidate will be considered.
• The applicant must be the first and presenting author, although the manuscript may have co-authors. The presenting author of an accepted abstract must be registered for Scientific Sessions. Additional information about registration and fees may be found on the Scientific Sessions website.
• Previous winners and finalists are not eligible to re-enter the competition in subsequent years. However, applicants may apply for a different award program in which they haven't previously been a winner or finalist
• Abstracts associated with a published manuscript can be presented at an AHA scientific event if the manuscript was published after the time the abstract was submitted to the event, however the abstract will not be published as a part of the journal publication.
• Applicants must adhere to the AHA Embargo Policy.
• Abstract results and presentations (abstract or manuscript) are prohibited from release until the AHA embargo date and time. You will be contacted by AHA communications if you are selected to participate in an AHA news event.
• The work covered by the abstract must not have been presented at a national or international meeting or world congress before the date and time of presentation at Scientific Sessions.
• The abstract must comply with the General Abstracts Submission Guidelines (PDF) as outlined by the Committee on Scientific Sessions Program.
• Abstracts/manuscripts eligible for this award must be based upon projects that adhere to the American Heart Association’s policies governing all research awards, regardless of whether the project was funded by the American Heart Association. These policies include (but are not limited to) research using human subjects or animals and stem cell research.
• Notwithstanding the above, the AHA Officers have the discretion to determine eligibility for the award in extraordinary circumstances when there is an issue relating to AHA policy or positions or other potentially controversial issue relating to the positioning or perception of the AHA.

Evaluation Criteria

Panels of distinguished researchers, scientists, clinicians, and academicians representing the breadth of cardiovascular disease and stroke will judge applications. Applications will be judged on the:

• Scientific merit of the abstract
• Quality and originality of the manuscript
• Letter from the candidate's sponsor and any other reference letters
• Candidate's curriculum vitae
• Oral abstract presentation at Scientific Sessions (finalists only.) The finalist must be the presenter of his/her submission, and no alternates or proxy will be allowed.

How to Apply/Required Document

Electronic submission through the Council Awards Application System is required. Hard copies of any part of the nomination cannot be accepted.

Your application file should contain the following documents in PDF format:

1. AHA abstract in accordance with AHA rules and regulations for submitting abstracts to Scientific Sessions. Please note that this abstract must be submitted through the AHA's Scientific Sessions website before the abstract submission deadline. Visit Scientific Sessions to submit your abstract before submission of this award application. Your abstract control number will be required on your application form.
2. An unpublished manuscript or manuscript in preparation based on independent research to be presented in the submitted abstract. (35-page limitation, including references, tables, and figures.) The applicant must be the first and presenting author, although the manuscript may have co-authors.  The work covered by the submitted abstract must not have been presented at a national or international meeting before presentation at the AHA scientific event. If so, the abstract must be withdrawn. 
3. Curriculum vitae and bibliography.
4. A reference letter detailing how much of the design and research work was done by the candidate and by any co-investigators. The candidate's immediate supervisor, division head, department chairman, or institute director must write this statement. In case of multi-authored manuscripts, the supervisor should also indicate that among all the co-authors the applicant is the most appropriate candidate for the award, and offer rationale for this opinion. Supportive statements of the candidate and his or her relevant qualifications as a researcher are also encouraged.

Though not required, up to two additional letters of support or reference from individuals familiar with the applicant, his or her background, or his or her research may be submitted. Inclusion of additional support letters does not guarantee higher consideration of an application, but can be beneficial.

Visit the Council Awards Application System to complete an application.

A username and password previously set up through online registration at Professional Heart Daily (PHD) will be necessary to access the Application System. AHA Professional Members who are creating an online profile for the first time should make sure to register using their AHA membership identification numbers.

An active AHA Professional Membership is required of all applicants for this award. If you are joining the AHA to apply, please wait for your AHA member number to arrive from AHA Member Services via e-mail before creating an online profile and starting your application file. We suggest that new members join the AHA no later than one week prior to the application submission deadline for the member ID number to be processed and delivered in time for the application deadline. The membership number will be required on the award application form.

1. Click the link for the Council Awards Application System.
2. Sign in with your Professional Heart Daily username and password.
3. Follow the these instructions to set up your profile in ProposalCentral. Setting up your ProposalCentral profile will only need to be done the first time you login to apply for an American Heart Association Council Awards. Please note that the grant maker named American Heart Association is for AHA Research Awards and is a separate log in.

For more detailed information on ProposalCentral, also included are additional materials on specific ProposalCentral functionality.

• How to Create an Application in ProposalCentral (PDF)
• How to Register a ProposalCentral User (PDF)
• How To Add Publications in ProposalCentral (PDF)

Prize

Finalists for the Early Career Investigator Awards competitions associated with Scientific Sessions will be announced in August. Up to five candidates for the Young Hearts Early Career Investigator Award will present their research results at Scientific Sessions.

Each finalist will also receive the following:

• Each finalist will each receive a plaque and a $500 honorarium
• The winner will also receive an additional $1000 to cover travel expenses to attend Scientific Sessions
• Each finalist will also receive a complimentary council dinner ticket, along with recognition at the council dinner

Each finalist will be designated in the Scientific Sessions online supplement to Circulation. Acceptance for the competition does not guarantee publication in any other American Heart Association sponsored journal. Abstracts associated with a published manuscript can be presented at an AHA scientific event if the manuscript was published after the time the abstract was submitted to the event, however the abstract will not be published as a part of the journal publication.

Questions