The Basil O'Connor Starter Scholar Research Awards support outstanding researchers who are embarking, or continuing, on their independent research careers. It prioritizes investigators proposing to conduct impactful research studies that will advance our translational understanding of, or lead to improved clinical treatment of, any serious medical conditions that affect the health of a woman's pregnancy or the health of mothers and newborns in the first year postpartum. Reflective of our mission, applications should focus on preterm birth and health equity. They should clearly outline a path from discovery to functional studies to clinical translation, with the eventual goal to cure or greatly mitigate conditions that adversely impact the health of pregnant women and newborns. Application is open to (a) MD or MD/PhD applicants who should be four to nine years past the last year of clinical training required for medical specialty board certification and must hold a full-time tenure-track faculty position (or equivalent) at their current U. S. based institution; (b) for PhD scientists, the same timeline applies, but the four to nine year window begins upon completion of their terminal degree. They must have either primary or secondary appointments in clinical departments related to maternal or child health. Applicants who have transition faculty-mentored awards are welcome if they still have one year of the mentored portion. If not, application should be deferred. K12 and K08 grantees are encouraged to apply. Those who have previously submitted an application to the Basil O'Connor program are not eligible for resubmission. Chairs of Departments may submit nominations for this award. As part of the nomination, the letter should vouch for a candidate having an unrestricted faculty position and dedicated lab/clinical research space. Two letters of recommendation are also required, one letter must be from the postdoctoral mentor and the second letter of reference is of the applicant's choosing. Please visit the award's website for more information.