COBRE CBHD Institutional Pilot Award Request 7/1/20 - 02/28/21

The goal of the COBRE Center for Computational Biology of Human Disease (CBHD) Institutional Pilot Award Program is to identify and support activities of talented junior investigators working on human disease-related questions that require computational analyses of complex data sets. Awardees will gain access to the Computational Biology Core of staff data scientists who will assist with data analyses. In addition, awardees may be considered for recruitment to a Project Leader position in the Phase 2 renewal of the COBRE CBHD program.

ELIGIBILITY
Applicants for this Pilot Program must hold a faculty appointment (or equivalent) at Brown University or its affiliated hospitals, and propose work that is consistent with the goals of the COBRE Center for Computational Biology of Human Disease. At the time the application is submitted, the applicant's home institution must demonstrate, in a letter(s) from the Dean, the Provost, or equivalent senior institutional official(s), a clear commitment to support a multi-year faculty appointment for the proposed Pilot Project Leader independent of the outcome of this grant application. Examples of strong institutional commitment include a start-up package provided by the institution and/or independent research space within the institution. Priority will be given to junior faculty applicants. Established investigators of any faculty rank may apply if they are making significant changes to their career goals and are proposing new lines of research that are significantly different from their current investigative program. 

AMOUNT AND DURATION OF AWARD
We expect to fund two 9-month projects for between $25,000 and $26,000 each.  Indirect costs and faculty salaries are not allowed, but applicants must indicate some level of effort, usually 1 to 2%.  Competitive proposals might include requests for funding to generate new omics-level data sets that would require computational analysis with the help of the COBRE Computational Biology Core. Alternatively, requests for partial support for a computational biology postdoctoral fellow to join a Junior Investigator’s research group would be responsive to this request for applications.  This award is expected to be given from 07/01/20 – 02/28/21 with a possibility of a no cost extension (NCE) through 6/30/21.  NCE is not guaranteed.

TIMELINE
Applications must be completed using UFunds and are due by 8:00 a.m. on Monday, April 6, 2020.

Internal Advisory Committee Review Due Date:  Late April 2020 to early May 2020

External Advisory Committee Review Due Date: Tuesday, May 26, 2020

Estimated Application Award Date: Wednesday, July 1, 2020

APPLICATION PROCESS
Applications must be completed using UFunds and should follow an abbreviated NIH format with minor modifications. Click here for PHS 398 forms and instructions. Read and follow Instructions carefully.

  1. NIH face page (PHS 398 face page)
  2. NIH Project Summary Page (PHS 398 Form Page 2)
  3. Research Strategy – Limited to 5 pages including Specific Aims and Research Strategy.
    1. Specific Aims – Describe the project goals for the 12-month pilot project in no more than ½ page.
    2. Significance:  Overall significance of the project, including relevance to goals of the COBRE Center for Computational Biology of Human Disease, and plans for use of data from pilot award for subsequent independent funding.
    3. Innovation:  Include both conceptual and technical innovation.
    4. Approach:  Preliminary data (if applicable) and research plan including expected results and alternative approaches. 
  4. References: Not included in 5 page limit

IRB and IACUC approvals (if applicable) must be in-hand at time of application.

  1. PHS 398 Human Subjects and Clinical Trials information Form (Click here for form and here for instructions)
    1. IRB approval
    2. Human subjects education certification
  2. Vertebrate Animals per PHS 398 Instructions (if applicable)
    1. IACUC approval
    2. Vertebrate Animal Section
  3. NIH Biographical Sketch of PI
  4. Updated Other Support of PI
  5. Detailed Budget with Justification using PHS 398 form page 4
    1. Indirect costs are not allowed
    2. Costs of equipment >$5,000 and renovations are not permitted.
    3. Faculty salary is not allowed.
  6. Institutional Letter of Support
    1. The Research Project Leader's home institution must demonstrate, in a letter(s) from the Dean, the Provost, or equivalent senior institutional official(s), a clear commitment to support a multi-year faculty appointment for the proposed Research Project Leader independent of the outcome of this grant application. Examples of strong institutional commitment include a start-up package provided by the institution and/or independent research space within the institution.

REVIEW PROCESS AND SELECTION CRITERIA

Criteria for Selection

Funding is dependent upon the review of the COBRE Computational Biology of Human Disease Internal and External Advisory Committees.
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The final selection will be made based on the following criteria:

  • Scientific merit of the work
  • Potential for the award to provide a basis for further research support from external sponsors
  • Potential impact of the research on human disease
  • Use of computational biology methods for data analysis
  • Likelihood that the proposed work will be completed during the award period
  • Strength of the potential investigator to become a leading independent researcher
  • Factors that increase the inclusion of underrepresented groups

EXPECTATIONS
Awardees will be expected to present a seminar describing their project and results as part of the COBRE CBHD Seminar Series.  They will also be expected to attend the COBRE CBHD and CCMB seminar series. In addition, they are required to provide quarterly reports as requested, as well as a final progress report within 60 days of the end of the approved award period. The report should outline the work that was accomplished and describe the proposal(s) submitted to external sponsor(s) as a result of this award. The report should also describe any significant deviations from or extensions to the project described in the original proposal. Investigators will be contacted thereafter for brief annual updates on grants and publications resulting from funding under this program.

If you receive this award, you will not be able to be funded by another COBRE, INBRE, CTR, or other IDeA grant funding while you have this award.  However, you may apply for the COBRE CBHD Phase 2 renewal while this is pending, as that award is expected to start after this award ends.

CONTACT
Address inquiries regarding COBRE CBHD Institutional Pilot Awards to [email protected].