ExCEL (Excellence in Career Enrichment Leadership)
The early-career scientists in Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center’s Transdisciplinary Research Programs are dedicated to cultivating the next generation of multidisciplinary cancer investigators. Several of these faculty members have joined the Excellence in Career Enrichment Leadership (ExCEL) Committee, which among other initiatives, organizes an annual award competition and symposium for advanced postdoctoral investigators.
ExCEL Committee
Committee members are bringing their energy, expertise, and experience in the cancer field to focus on:
- representing the interests of Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center early career members
- training and developing the next generation of Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center leaders
- highlighting emerging new research opportunities and innovative technologies for the Cancer Center
ExCEL Committee Members:
Stem Cell and Cancer Biology Program
- Lindsay LaFave, PhD (ExCEL Committee Chair)
- Kamini Singh, PhD
- Kristy Stengel, PhD
- Chaoyuan Kuang, MD, PhD (ExCEL Committee Co-Chair)
- JP Maianti, PhD
ExCEL Scholar Award Competition & Symposium
Each year, the ExCEL Committee invites exceptional postdoctoral investigators to present their work at a half-day Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center research symposium at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
The 2026 ExCEL Scholar Award Symposium will be held Monday, March 16th.
Scholars who have made outstanding research achievements and have an interest in MECCC Transdisciplinary Research Program areas are invited to apply.
Awardees not only present their research but have the opportunity to network with MECCC faculty and trainees to learn more about MECCC research.
The ExCEL Scholar Award Competition & Symposium is a MECCC Cancer Research Training & Education Coordination (CRTEC) event.
Qualifications
Postdoctoral investigators conducting research in laboratories within the United States are eligible to apply.
Application Components:
PLEASE NOTE: Your application is automatically saved as you work on it. If you do not finish in one sitting, you can always return to pick up where you left off.
- Applicant Information: Name, contact information, and demographic details.
- Program Information: Indicate which Cancer Center program(s) your research aligns with: Tumor Microenvironment & Metastasis, Stem Cell & Cancer Biology, Cancer Therapeutics, or Cancer Epidemiology, Prevention & Control.
- Curriculum Vitae: Submit a complete CV, including a bibliography. Please highlight any leadership activities.
- Research Summaries: Provide a summary of your personal research accomplishments, their significance within your field (500-word limit), and a summary of your future research goals, including both short-term and long-term objectives. Describe how you envision developing your research program over time beyond current or past funding proposals.
- Letter of Recommendation: Provide the contact information of your postdoctoral mentor or another faculty member familiar with your research. Once we receive their information, we will email them directly with instructions for submitting the recommendation.
How to Apply
Applications for the ExCEL Scholars Award Competition for 2026 are open from Wednesday, October 1, 2025 and close on Friday, November 14, 2025.
Accepted applicants will be invited to visit the Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine to participate in the annual ExCEL symposium and networking events, with all travel and lodging expenses covered.
Please click the link below for full application instructions and to apply:
Contact Information
Please email excelsymposium@einsteinmed.edu for information about the application requirements and submission deadline for the 2026 ExCEL Scholar Award Competition.