The Jack Sarver Prize in Clinical Science

• This award supports independent cardiovascular researchers actively working in the field of clinical cardiovascular science.
• Applicants must hold full-time faculty appointments at the instructor level or higher, or an institutional equivalent and must meet one of the following career stages to apply:
  • Early Career: Independent researchers with their own funding and research space.
  • Mid-Career: Associate Professors or late-stage Assistant Professors with multiple independent grants, leading their own research programs (e.g., senior mentors, senior authors, invited speakers).
• To be eligible to apply, applicants must be AHA professional members at the Premium Professional or Premium Professional Plus tier. Your membership tier will be validated during the application process. Membership must be completed online. Please note that membership processing may take 3–5 days; do not wait until the proposal deadline to Join or Renew.

• Applicants must submit an abstract to one of the Clinical Science categories for presentation at Scientific Sessions and provide their unpublished manuscript or manuscript in preparation at the time of application.
• 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.
• An individual may not compete for other award competitions during the same scientific meeting.
• Applicants may submit one application for either The Jack Sarver Prize in Basic Science or The Jack Sarver Prize in Clinical Science. 
• Only one manuscript per candidate will be considered.
• Previous winners, runner ups, and finalists are not eligible to re-enter the competition in subsequent years.
• Applicants must adhere to the AHA Embargo Policy.
• 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 AHA Abstract Submission Guidelines as outlined by the Scientific Sessions Program Committee.
• 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, positions or other potentially controversial issue relating to the positioning or perception of the AHA.

Applications will be evaluated by a panel of accomplished researchers, scientists, clinicians, and academicians, representing the breadth of basic cardiovascular sciences.

• AHA Policies and Guiding Values
• Code of Ethics
• AHA’s Peer Reviewer Certification Statement (PDF)

Contacting the judging panel, including but not limited to phone calls, emails, social media messages, or any other form of communication, before submitting your application or during the review process will result in disqualification.

Applications will be judged on the following:

• Scientific merit of the abstract
• Quality and originality of the manuscript
• Candidate's curriculum vitae and bibliography
• Candidate statement 
• Letter from the candidate's sponsor
• Two additional letters of support
• If selected as a finalist, a video presentation of their research.

• June 1, 2025 – Deadline to have an active AHA professional membership at the Premium Professional or Premium Professional Plus tier.
• June 5, 2025, 6 p.m. (CDT) – Deadline to submit an abstract to Scientific Sessions 2025.
• June 6, 2025, 6 p.m. (CDT) – Deadline to apply for the award in the Council Awards Application System. This deadline will not be extended.
• July 1, 2025 – Finalists will be invited to submit a video presentation. All other applicants are notified of their status.
• July 23, 2025 – Finalist’s video presentation is due in the Council Awards Application System.
• September 2025 – Applicants are notified of their award status (winner, runner-up, or finalist). Only those with an accepted abstract will be considered for selection.

Please read these instructions carefully. The review committee will not consider incomplete applications.

Electronic submission through the Council Awards Application System is mandatory. Hard copies of any part of the application will not be accepted.

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

• Abstract: A copy of your submitted abstract. This abstract must be submitted through the AHA's Scientific Sessions website before the abstract submission deadline and must be submitted to one of the Clinical Science categories.
• Unpublished Manuscript: 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.
• Curriculum vitae and bibliography
• Candidate Statement: The candidate statement should outline and provide clear examples of how the candidate meets the criteria:
  • Novelty and innovation of science
  • Track record of the individual including peer reviewed publications
  • How this funding will impact the individual’s career trajectory
• Primary Letter of Support: A letter detailing the contributions of the candidate and any co-investigators to the design and research work. This statement must be written by the candidate’s immediate supervisor, division head, department chair, or institute director. Supportive statements highlighting the candidate’s relevant qualifications and strengths as a researcher are also encouraged. For multi-authored manuscripts, the supervisor should indicate that the applicant is the most suitable candidate for the award among all co-authors, providing a rationale for this opinion.
• Letters of Support: Two letters of support or reference from individuals familiar with the applicant, their background, and research.

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. To be eligible to apply, applicants must be AHA professional members at the Premium Professional or Premium Professional Plus tier. Membership must be completed online. Please note that membership processing may take 3–5 days; do not wait until the proposal deadline to Join or Renew.

1. Click the link for the Council Awards Application System.
2. Sign in with your Professional Heart Daily username and password.
3. Follow these instructions to set up your profile in ProposalCentral. Setting up your ProposalCentral profile will only need to be done the first time you log in 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 funder.
4. To apply for award, follow these steps:
   • Create New Proposal: Start by selecting "Create New Proposal."
   • Filter by Grant Maker: Choose "American Heart Association Council Awards."
   • Select Program: From the Programs list, select "Scientific Sessions Established Investigator Awards."
   • Apply Now: Click the "Apply Now" button.
   • Choose Award: Within the application, select "The Jack Sarver Prize in Clinical Science."
   • For more detailed information on ProposalCentral, also included are additional materials on specific ProposalCentral functionality.
     1. How to Create an Application in ProposalCentral (PDF)
     2. How to Register a ProposalCentral User (PDF)
     3. How To Add Publications in ProposalCentral (PDF)

Finalists will be determined in late June and will be invited to submit a video presentation of their research.

• Winner:
  • Complimentary registration to Scientific Sessions
  • Travel expense reimbursement for Scientific Sessions up to $6,648
  • Engraved plaque
  • $3,500 honorarium
  • $25,000 awarded to the winner’s institution to support and advance the recipient’s scientific research.
• Runner Up:
  • $1,200 honorarium
  • Engraved plaque
• Finalists:
  • Printed certificate