Project and Feasibility Studies
Proposed studies will include $50,000 per year of funding for three years and should relate to the goal of the Core Center -- to promote and foster cutting-edge research that will further the understanding of the pathophysiologies of the rheumatic diseases and lead to novel therapeutic approaches to the treatment of these diseases.
Pilot and Feasibility studies are to enable investigators to explore the feasibility of a concept related to the research supported by the Core Center and obtain sufficient data to pursue it further through other funding mechanisms. Pilot and feasibility study support is not intended for large undertakings of established investigators for which it would be appropriate to submit separate research grant applications. Pilot and feasibility funds are also not intended to support or supplement ongoing supported research of an investigator. A given investigator can receive pilot and feasibility funds no more than once every 5 years.
Interested and eligible investigators should follow NIH format for
- budget,
- biographical sketch,
- current and pending research support,
- specific aims,
- background (including progress to date),
- methods and
- IRB approval if appropriate.
Sections 4, 5 and 6, all together should not exceed four (4) single spaced pages in length. The P30 executive committee will conduct a review of the proposals, including scoring by two outside consultants with national expertise in rheumatic diseases.
Eligibility and related guidelines.
Investigators eligible for pilot and feasibility funding generally fall into three categories:
Category 1
New investigators without current or past NIH research project support (R01, P01, or current R55) as a principal investigator to engage in innovative research. However, a new investigator may have had funding through a pilot grant. New investigators should be clearly independent and have a faculty appointment higher than that of postdoctoral fellow or research associate. Note that a new investigator is not just an investigator without previous R01, R29, P01 or R55 support as a principal investigator. A new investigator is someone who has not had extensive research experience and who has potential to be a productive investigator.
Category 2
Established investigators with no previous work in research related to the focus of the Core Center who are willing to test the applicability of their expertise on a problem related to musculoskeletal disorders; and
Category 3
Established investigators in the Core Center with a proposal for testing the feasibility of a new or innovative hypothesis that is related to the research focus of the Core Center, but represents a clear and distinct departure from the investigator's ongoing research interest.
To receive announcements for future competitions, email tomiko.estese@cchmc.org.
NIH application information is available at: http://www.niams.nih.gov/rtac/funding/grants/sdrcwww.htm.
