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Pilot and Feasibility Project

Emory Epithelial Pathobiology Research Development Center

(a Digestive Diseases Research Development Center)

Pilot and Feasibility Project Awards

INTRODUCTION

              The Emory Epithelial Pathobiology Research Development Center is a Digestives Diseases Research Development Center (DDRDC) funded by the National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).  The GOAL of the DDRDC is to provide shared resources to members with the intention to enhance research capability, promote new research directions and foster strong collaborations in the areas of digestive diseases research.  The scientific FOCUSES of the Center are to investigate the physiologic, inflammatory and proliferative responses of the digestive system.  The Pilot and Feasibility (P/F) Program is designed to provide support for testing innovative hypotheses that may have significant impact on digestive diseases research and for obtaining preliminary data sufficient for the application of an independent research grant in the field of digestive diseases research.

ELIGIBILITY:

              Full-time faculty members of Emory University including (1) junior investigators without independent grant support (but excluding career development awards) seeking to establish independence in this field of research; (2) investigators with independent grant support (past or present) who have not been involved in digestive diseases-related research wishing to enter this field; (3) investigators with independent grant support who have previously worked in this field but wish to pursue a new research direction.  Investigators supported by the P/F project award are expected to utilize one or more of the three existing core facilities in the DDRDC.

AMOUNT OF SUPPORT:

              Up to two proposals of $20,000 per proposal for one year will be awarded.  It is required that the Chair of the department of primary appointment commit half ($10,000) of this amount.  The other half ($10,000) will be matched by the Dean’s office.

DUE DATE:     Application Due Date:        March 1, 2008

                          Award Notification Date:    May 1, 2008

                          Funding Period:                  June 1, 2008– May 31, 2009

QUESTIONS:  Please contact Vincent Yang, M.D., Ph.D., Principal Investigator and Director, DDRDC; Tel: 7-5638; Fax: 7-5767; E-mail: vyang@emory.edu.

Application Guidelines

Eligibility: Full-time faculty members at Emory University who are United States citizens or possess a permanent visa including:

• Junior investigators without independent grant support (but excluding career development awards) seeking to establish independence in this field of research.
• Investigators with independent grant support (past or present) who have not been involved in digestive diseases-related research wishing to enter this field.
• Investigators with independent grant support who have previously worked in this field but wish to pursue a new research direction.

Deadline and Review Process:  The deadline for submission of the application is March 1, 2008.  Awards will be announced on May 1, 2008 and funding will start June 1, 2008.  All applicants will be evaluated by the DDRDC Executive Committee for scientific merit and projects recommended for funding will be approved by the Scientific Advisory Board.

 Awards:  The DDRDC will award up to two projects at $20,000 per project for one year.  One half of this amount ($10,000) will be committed by the Chair of the department from which the awardee has his/her primary appointment.  Review of an annual progress report may result in an additional year of funding.  No more than two years of funding will be awarded.  All awards must have appropriate institutional regulatory approvals (IRB, IACUC, etc.) before money will be made available.  In general, the award date will not be extended due to delays in receiving regulatory approvals.

Terms of Awards: Grantees will be required to submit to the DDRDC Executive Committee an annual progress report describing the results of their work, as well as related publications and funding. Acceptance of funds implies a firm commitment to provide this progress report to the committee in a timely manner. All publications should acknowledge the Emory University DDRDC Cores (Grant #DK064399).

It is expected that the Grantee will completely utilize the full amount of funding awarded during the one-year term of the award. All unexpended funds at the end of the term will be returned to the DDRDC Administrative Core. Extensions or changes to the terms of the award (length of funding period and budget) will be made only in exceptional circumstances. A grantee may request a second year of funding only if the first year’s funding has been completely expended.

Application Process:  The completed original application, 8 copies, and an electronic file (on disk or as e-mail attachment) should be submitted to:

Joan Adamson, DDRDC Research Program Coordinator, Division of Digestive Diseases, 247 Whitehead Research Building, 615 Michael Street, Atlanta, GA 30322.

If there are any questions about this award, please contact Joan Adamson at (404) 712-2867 or by e-mail at jmadams@emory.edu.

Application Instructions:

Application Due Date:            March 1, 2008

Award Notification Date:        May 1, 2008

Funding Date:                          June 1, 2008

Please submit to:   Joan Adamson

                                DDRDC Research Program Coordinator

                                Division of Digestive Diseases

                                247 Whitehead Research Building

                                615 Michael Street, Atlanta, GA 30322

The application packet must include the following forms:

          NIH Face Page

• NIH Description, Performance Site and Key Personnel
• NIH Table of Contents
• NIH Budget pages
• NIH Biographical Sketch (format page – maximum 4 pages)
• NIH Resources
• Research Plan (4 page maximum, excluding references).

Include:      

1)   Specific Aims

2)   Background and Significance

3)   Preliminary Data/Progress Report

4)   Research Design and Methods

5)   Relevance of the Proposed Project to the Digestive Diseases field

6)   Anticipated use of the Cores

7)   Description of how the results of this project will lead to future investigations/grant applications. If necessary, additional materials, such as reprints or figures, can be submitted as an appendix.

8)   References

        Core Facilities Usage and Required Approvals Form

        Copy of IRB or IACUC approval letter if project involves human or animal subjects

        A signed letter from the Department Chair committing $10,000 for one year if the       project is approved for funding.

Applicants are requested to use the NIH PHS 398 (Rev. 4/06) forms.

Additional instructions:

• Please list the Principal Investigator’s (PI) name on the top right-hand corner of every page of the application.
• When completing the budget page, please refer to the list of expenditures allowed and not allowed included with these instructions.

• The following headings should be used for the research plan (A-G maximum 4 pages)
• Specific Aims:  State concisely the hypothesis to be tested and the specific aim(s) to be achieved during the grant period. The aims must be reasonable to achieve during the one-year period of the grant.
• Background and Significance: State the relevance of the proposed project to basic, clinical or prevention and control.
• Preliminary Studies/Progress Report: Discuss the pertinent research findings that will help establish the experience and competence of your project.
• Research Design and Methods: Concisely present your experimental design and the methods to be used to accomplish your specific aim(s) relating to that of digestive diseases and to longer term funding objectives. Also indicate how the results will be interpreted and how they will lead to future investigations. Well-known methods and standard procedures may be described very briefly or referenced, but novel experimental approaches should be outlined in more detail. The experimental design section should indicate which of the Digestive Diseases Core Facilities will be utilized.
• Relevance of the Proposed Project to the GI Field
• Anticipated use of the Cores
• Description of how the results of this study will lead to future investigations/grant applications. If necessary, additional materials, such as reprints or figures, can be submitted as an appendix.
• Appendix:
• References (maximum 1 page)
• Pertinent recent publications (maximum 3)

Allocation and expenditure of funds:

Expenditures allowed:

• Staff salary support
• Research supplies and animal maintenance
• Equipment costing less than $5,000. Special justification is necessary for items exceeding this amount, and permission must be obtained from the Emory University Digestive Diseases Research Core Executive Committee for the purchase of such equipment.
• Special fees (pathology, photography, etc.)

Expenditures NOT allowed:

• Principal Investigator salary support
• Secretarial/Administrative personnel salary support
• Office equipment and supplies
• Computers
• Tuition
• Domestic or Foreign Travel
• Publication costs, including reprints
• Dues and membership fees in scientific societies
• Purchasing and binding of periodicals and books
• Honoraria and travel expenses for visiting lecturers
• Rental of office or laboratory space
• Construction or building maintenance
• Recruiting and relocation expenses

Download Core Facilities Usage Form