Selection and Review Process

CLL Society recognizes the importance of including expertise from healthcare professionals in the field of CLL/SLL to guide our Research Program award decisions. Those working at the ground level treating CLL/SLL patients, and who are already involved in research themselves, have the greatest understanding of what needs remain and can best identify the most promising application(s) for CLL Society to fund.

This is why CLL Society established a formal Research Review Committee, which is comprised of members from our dedicated Medical Advisory Board. The Research Review Committee chair will assign the proposals to reviewers based on conflict-of-interest declarations. Each application will have a primary, secondary, and collateral peer review. Reviewers will follow an established critique outline form that is focused on the following areas: Significance, Investigators, Innovation, Approach, and Environment. The critique form also contains a protection/inclusion section and an overall impact score. The highest-scoring proposal will then be presented to CLL Society’s Medical Advisory Board for final approval.

CLL Society reserves the right to not grant the award(s) should the Research Review Committee determine that none of the proposals received met the necessary criteria and standards set forth within the funded opportunity.

The Research Review Committee will carefully evaluate and score each research proposal based on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) rating scale criteria. All applicants will be evaluated on the basis of scientific and technical merit and how well their proposal fits within CLL Society’s Research Program objectives. Regardless of the outcome, all applicants will receive a response delivered to their email that is generated by ProposalCentral once decisions are final.