IALS Midigrants

Translation is the process of turning observations in the laboratory, clinic and community into interventions that improve the health of individuals and the public — from diagnostics and therapeutics to medical procedures and behavioral changes. (from NCATS website)

Terms

Request for funding can be made for single or multi-PIs for early-stage translational projects. The request can include: materials, supplies, reagents, graduate student salaries, and IALS Core Facilities fees; minimum amount to be awarded by this mechanism: $5,000. Typical requests are expected to be $15,000 in total funds. Capital equipment, PI salary, and food/alcohol are not allowed. 

Each Research Center is able to fund up to the following;

Center for Bioactive Delivery: up to $25,000.00.
Center for Personalized Health Monitoring: up to $25,000.00.
Models to Medicine: up to $25,000.00.

Eligibility

All active faculty members of IALS and affiliated postdoctoral researchers may apply for funds. Active membership constitutes the following:

• Active participation in a Research Theme associated with the Center for Bioactive Delivery, Models to Medicine Center, and/or the Center for Personalized Health Monitoring.
• Current IALS-tagged awards/proposals submitted in the last twelve months.

Endorsement is required by a Theme Leader of the center of which you currently hold membership. List of Theme Leaders Research Centers Theme Leaders - Google Sheets)

Purpose

The IALS midigrant is designed to be a flexible seed fund mechanism to enable translational research and collaborations within IALS. Applications eligible for funding include, but are not limited to, the following categories:

• New or previously unfunded multi-PI collaborations towards a specific extramural grant opportunity (with deadline identified in the application)
• Single or multi-PI translational projects enabling new start-up ventures, SBIR/STTR submissions, submission to an extramural translational-focused funding call, and/or a collaboration with an industry partner. Translational potential for projects may be short- or long-term.

Criteria for Awarding Funds

The overarching evaluated criteria for awarding funds are:

• For multi-PI midigrants, how well the project nucleates new collaborations, and how this seed money will enhance the PIs’ chances to gain new extramural funding.
• A clear delineation of how the proposed funds will be used to generate specific preliminary data, and how that data will improve the chances of extramural funding will be reviewed favorably. In cases of grant resubmission, review comments and how the work supported by this midigrant will address those concerns will be helpful to the midigrant reviewers.
• A clear explanation of translational milestones and outcomes, short-term or long-term.
• How well the project strengthens a connection with industry, fosters a new start-up venture, or enables a translational grant submission.
• How well the project fits into the long-term goals of the research theme, the center, and/or IALS. How does your proposal enable the center’s goals and missions?
• A detailed budget breakdown that includes planned experiments, student salaries (including fringe), and core facility fees.
• Other funds (such as departmental or RTF accounts) that will be used to additionally support the overall costs for the project proposed for the midigrant.

Deadlines, Award Disbursal and Stipulations

Midigrants are reviewed three times per year and are due on the 15th of April, August and December. If funds cannot wait to be awarded until the next deadline, please reach out to [email protected] and we will do our best to accommodate.

Submitted applications are reviewed by the Center membership and leadership. Applications may be approved, conditionally approved, or returned for further questions or declined with explanation. Number of awards per cycle will depend on funding available and strength of applications.

Upon application approval, the full approved amount will be set up in a new non-sponsored project chartstring for the lead PI. Summit access will be given to the PIs and business managers.

The funding period for Midigrants is 12 months.

Title, abstracts, amounts, and PI information for awarded midigrants will be posted on the IALS website with successful midigrant proposals available internally to Center-affilitated faculty.

Report on Use of Funds

Upon completion of the funding period, we will ask for a basic report of progress and outcomes from your project (https://forms.gle/vTs4gFdRf6HrCrT28), including extramural funding decision, when known.  PIs may also be asked to give a short presentation to the Center Steering Committees.  This session may be recorded and made available to other IALS faculty.