Call for Proposals: Accelerating Excellence in Translational Science Pilot Grants
Call for Proposals
Accelerating Excellence in Translational Science Pilot Grants
Key Dates
RELEASE DATE: 9/15/2016
LETTER OF INTENT
DUE:
9/25/2016
FULL APPLICATION: 10/17/2016
PEER REVIEW PERIOD: 10/17/2016-11/25/2016
EARLIEST ANITICIPATED
AWARD DATE: 12/1/2016
Purpose of
RFA
The Accelerating
eXcellence In
translational Science
(AXIS) Center at the Charles R.
Drew University
of Medicine and
Science (CDU) is inviting research applications from
Faculty Members and
Postdoctoral
Fellows at CDU
that
focus on health disparities and conduct
translational research. The CDU
AXIS
Pilot Project Program is designed to facilitate innovative approaches in translational
research in basic mechanisms, prevention,
diagnosis, and treatment of diseases that disproportionally affect minority and underserved communities.
Cross-disciplinary projects that address new approaches to health disparities
will be given high priority.
Partnerships with
CDU’s Community Faculty and
local community groups and
organizations of relevance to the research are encouraged.
There must be a clear
plan to use the
pilot project
to secure subsequent independent funding
from other
non-institutional sources, e.g., NIH,
DOD, CDC and others.
Project support
will
be available for $40,000 and up to $70,000 that
could
be expended
over one to two years. The second
year continuation of
funds will be subject to
NIH approval. The full six-page
pilot proposal will be due
on 10/17/2016.
The
anticipated
start date is 12/1/2016. An applicant
may submit only one
application as principal investigator but can be a co-investigator on another proposal.
If the principal
applicant is a junior-level investigator at the Postdoctoral
Fellow or Assistant Professor
rank, s/he must designate a mid-level or senior-level mentor/collaborator, with
a brief but clearly described mentoring plan. Additionally, each application must show utilization of AXIS resources whenever applicable. The
overall purpose of AXIS is to better position CDU
investigators for conducting basic,
clinical and translational
research, especially research that is focused on
health disparities. Available
resources include:
· Professional Development/Pilot Project Core
·
Laboratory and Technology Core
·
Biomedical Informatics Core
·
Clinical
and Translational
Research Resource Core
·
Community Engagement Core
·
Epidemiology and Biostatistics Core
For detailed information and a description of
the
AXIS Cores and Resources
please
contact the
AXIS Administration (323-563-4853) or see the AXIS website
at http://axis.cdrewu.edu/
Criteria for selection of the pilot project include:
1. The project must be translational and/or cross-disciplinary in
nature (including 2 of the 4 disciplines – basic, clinical, community outreach, social/behavior).
2. Viability of the pilot study and
commitment of the team to
develop
an independent
research proposal
based upon the
pilot project within one
year after
receiving
the
award.
3. Research questions of relevance
to the reduction of health disparities in basic mechanisms,
clinical, health
services, epidemiological,
policy or behavioral
topics.
4. Feasibility of conducting the study in the time
period proposed with funds allocated.
5. The scientific strength of
the design, methods and analytic plan.
6. Successful research track record
of the research team.
7. Provide substantial
evidence that this support may lead to
a successful R21 and eventually ROI application.
Format Specifications
The full research proposal will
take the form
of
an abbreviated NIH application, using PHS398 form pages. The Specific Aims are
limited to
one (1) page and the Research
Strategy is limited
to six (6) pages (typed, single-spaced, using
11-pt Arial
on one
side of the page). All
tables,
graphs, figures,
diagrams, charts,
and other displays must be
included within the
six-page limit.
In addition, the
six-page application must include a
communication plan
and a timeline for
completing each aim and objectives. For
all applications, an additional requirement will be the
designation of a mentor
and brief mentoring
plan.
Not counted in the six-page limit are NIH
Bio- Sketches and other support information of the principal investigator(s)
and
all key personnel, an
itemized budget with
justification, and if applicable, full description of Protection of Human
Subjects and Research Risk;
Inclusion
of
Women, Minorities and Children in Research, Care and
Use of Vertebrae
Animals in Research; and
Biohazards and
Select Agents.
For applications
involving the use
of
human subjects, a Targeted/Planned
Enrollment Table Format
Page must be included. Please note, that no applications
will be
recommended for
funding without
IRB and/or IACUC approvals both at
CDU and at the NIH.
In
addition, the
application should
include a cover page (one page maximum) describing: a) Collaborative and translational
aspects of the project; b) How the
project will lead to successful
submission of R21/RO1 or similar application; c) a description
of
collaborations with other
center
grants at CDU: CDU-UCLA Cancer Center, Urban
Health Institute, RTRN,
CTSI, EXPORT, CRECD, and
DIDARP; and d) how AXIS resources will be
used. The cover page is not
counted in
the six page limit.
Review Process
and
Criteria
Pilot Project applications will be reviewed
and prioritized by internal and
external
experts in the field.
An NIH-Type review process
with 9-point scoring
system will
be used. Briefly, the
initial
merit review of applications for support through the AXIS will be based
on the
six
following criteria:
collaborations and partnerships, significance, approach, innovation, investigators, and
environment.
Collaborations and Partnerships: Has the
applicant included collaborations with additional investigators, other
center grants at
CDU, Community Faculty and
local community groups and organizations. Is there a commitment and action plan that clearly demonstrates the development, adoption,
and implementation
of best practices through the collaborating centers
and other national consortia and networks, where
appropriate?
Significance: Does the study address an important health question?
If the aims of the
application
are achieved, how will
scientific knowledge or clinical
practice be advanced? What will
be the effect of the study on
the
concepts, methods, technologies, treatments,
services, or preventive
interventionist that drive the field? Will this study lead
to new funding?
An objective of
the program is to stimulate new science. Hence, applications
that
are likely to lead to
new R21/RO1
applications (or similar national grants funding sources) are
of higher priority.
Approach: Are the conceptual
or clinical framework, design, methods and analysis adequately
developed, well integrated, well-reasoned and
appropriate to the aims of the project? Does the applicant acknowledge
potential problems and consider alternative
strategies?
Innovation: Is the
project
original
and innovative?
For
example: Does the project challenge
existing paradigms or clinical practice or address an innovative hypothesis or critical barrier to
progress in the field? Does the project develop or
employ novel concepts, approaches, methodologies,
tools or technologies?
How
will this application provide
results that
are novel and likely to
open new avenues of investigation at CDU
and
beyond?
Investigators: Are the
investigators appropriately trained
and well suited to conduct the
proposed study? Is the proposed research
appropriate to the experience
level
of the principal
investigator and
other researchers?
Does the investigative
team
bring complementary expertise to the
project?
Environment: Does the
scientific environment in which
the study will
be performed contribute to
the probability of success?
Does the proposed study benefit from unique features of the scientific environment,
or subject populations, or employ useful
collaborative
arrangements? Is
there evidence of institutional
support?
Priorities
Priority
will be given to proposal
submissions in
translational
research in basic mechanisms,
prevention, diagnosis,
and treatment of disease that disproportionally affect
minority and
underserved
communities.
As per program
requirement, special
emphasis will
be given to
proposals in the
areas of Cancer, HIV/AIDS, and cardio-metabolic diseases.
Priority will
also be given
to
new postdoctoral fellows and early stage investigators (ESI) who
did not receive
previous pilot
funding.
Projects that utilize inter-institutional
collaborations through the CDU-UCLA
U54 Cancer Center; CTSI; and RTRN
are also given
priority.
Please
email your proposal
to Drs. Jay Vadgama and Amiya
Sinha-Hikim
at jayvadgama@cdrewu.edu, and amiyasinhahikim@cdrewu.edu and copy to Ms. Sarah Cote at sarahcote@cdrewu.edu
We encourage inquiries concerning this RFA
and
welcome the opportunity to answer questions from prospective applicants.
Jay Vadgama, PhD Principal
Investigator, AXIS
Vice President for Research
and Health
Affairs
Professor of Medicine jayvadgama@cdrewu.edu Phone: 323-563-4853
Amiya Sinha-Hikim, PhD
Professor
Core Director,
AXIS
– Professional Development and
Pilot Core
Charles R. Drew University of Medicine
and Science
1731 East 120th Street Los
Angeles, CA 90059
Email: amiyasinhahikim@cdrewu.edu
Phone: 323-563-5974
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