*UPDATE 6/23/2009*
UAB Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center
Pilot Grant Program—New RFA
Letter of Intent Deadline: Friday, June 26, 2009
Description: The UAB Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (ADRC) is issuing a request for research applications (RFA) examining a fundamental aspect of Alzheimer’s disease. These awards are made possible through the National Institutes of Health for the purpose of attracting investigators to study Alzheimer’s disease. The awards are intended to fund acquisition of pilot data relevant to the ADRC mission and with high potential for attracting extramural funding. It is expected that research supported through this mechanism will lead to the submission of a competitive application to a major research funding agency (e.g., NIH) at the end of the project period.
This intramural grants program is designed to target the broadest range of scientific disciplines. Applications which make effective use of resources from one or more of relevant ADRC Cores (Clinical, Neuropathology, Education, or Biostatistics; see contact information below) are encouraged. Projects that involve or stimulate interdisciplinary research or projects which involve investigators new to the field of Alzheimer’s disease will also receive favorable consideration.
The Center plans to award 2 grants this fall in the amount of $30,000 each. Matching funds will be considered favorably in the review process.
Research involving human subjects must employ a study design with gender and/or minority representation (by age distribution, risk factors, incidence/ prevalence, etc.) appropriate to the scientific objectives of the research.
Scientific merit of reviewed applications (see below) will be evaluated by an interdisciplinary group of ad hoc internal and external reviewers, and by the ADRC Scientific Advisory Committee.
TWO STEP APPLICATION PROCESS
STEP ONE: SUBMISSION OF LETTER OF INTENT (PRE-PROPOSAL):
Eligibility: Principal investigators must have a PhD, MD, or equivalent doctoral level degree. Principal investigators must be full-time faculty or their equivalent from participating institutions. Each principal investigator may submit one proposal only during each ADRC pilot grant funding cycle. Persons previously funded through the current Center grant (i.e., since 2004) for an Intramural Pilot Grant as a Principal Investigator are not eligible to serve as principal investigators, but may serve as co-investigators.
To Apply: Please provide a Letter of Intent (two-page maximum, including references; PHS 398 formatting applies) summarizing the project’s aims, background, planned research, and potential interactions with ADRC cores. Please also attach your four-page NIH Biographical Sketch, including Other Support, but no other documents. These letters of intent are intended to provide the reviewers with an initial understanding of your proposed research and its potential importance.
Due Date for Letter of Intent: Friday, June 26, 2009
Submission: Electronically submit Letters of Intent with NIH Biographical Sketches and Other Support to Katherine Belue kbelue@uab.edu by 5:00 p.m. CST on Friday, June 26, 2009.
Evaluation: The review committee will select the 4–6 most promising applications for full proposal submission.
The Letter of Intent Finalists will be informed by July 8, and requested to submit a full pilot proposal (see Step Two).
STEP TWO: SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS BY APPLICANTS SELECTED FROM STEP ONE
Application Materials: Letter of Intent Finalists will be provided with the full application package. Guidelines for proposal preparation will generally follow PHS 398 guidelines. The research proposal (Specific Aims, Background, Research Design, excluding references) may not exceed 5 pages.
Due Date for Applications: Friday, July 31, 2009 (anticipated start date for awarded grants, Sept 14, 2009)
Requirements of Awardees: Investigators who receive an ADRC Pilot Grant will present a seminar in an ADRC seminar series following the one-year anniversary of the award. Progress reports at six months and at the completion of the project are also required and should include references to grants submissions and manuscript submissions generated from the project. Awardees should acknowledge sponsorship by the ADRC and NIA in all publications and presentations derived from the pilot grant.
ADRC Core Leader Contacts:
Core B: Clinical Core: H. Randall Griffith, PhD rlgriffith@uabmc.edu
Core C: Statistical Core: Al Bartolucci, PhD abartolucci@ms.soph.uab.edu
Core D: Neuropathology Core: Steven Carroll, MD, PhD scarroll@uab.edu
Core E: Education Core: Miller Piggott, MSW mpiggott@alzca.org
For Further Information:
ADRC Scientific Advisory Committee Contacts:
Dr. J. Michael Wyss, Department of Cell Biology, jmwyss@uab.edu
Dr. David G. Standaert, Department of Neurology, dstandaert@uab.edu
Administrative Contact:
Katherine Belue kbelue@uab.edu, 205-975-2955