Research
Seed Grant Application Announcement
I. PURPOSE
The aim of this program is to provide a modest level of "seed" funding for faculty to initiate research programs and obtain preliminary data. By participating in the program, faculty will gain experience in grant writing, project design and project execution. It is anticipated that data obtained and experience gained from participation in the program will help faculty compete for larger extramural grants. It is also expected that data obtained from these "seed" grants will be published in scientific journals and presented at scientific and professional meetings to aid in the scientific development of the faculty.
II. ELIGIBILITY (Faculty who meet all of the following criteria are eligible to apply):
Full-time faculty member in the TTUHSC SOP
- Priority will be given to Assistant Professors (residents and fellows are not eligible)
- Less than $25,000 in current funding (includes any funds received internally or externally)
- Priority will be given to persons without existing funding
- Priority will be given to persons who have not been awarded previous seed grants
- Priority will be given to faculty with three years or less employment at the SOP
Faculty can submit only one application as primary investigator (PI). However, a faculty member can serve as co-investigator on more than one application.
III. FUNDING
Funds will be made available upon notification of award through the Office of the Associate Dean for Research. (Appropriate committee approvals must also be obtained for funds to be released. See Section V.)
- Grant budgets will be limited to $10,000 or less, except under exceptional circumstances that will need to be justified (usual funding in the range of $5,000)
- Only direct costs will be funded.
- Reimbursements are not allowed. Charges must be billed to the SOP.
- Purchase Orders must be generated before the actual expenditures (such as for lab work, clinic charges, participant incentives, etc.).
- Pre-approval of purchases must be obtained from the Office of Research, prior to any purchase.
- Approval of all drug purchases must be given by Lee Easterday or Roland Patry.
- Awarded funds must be expended before August 31 st of the following year. No exceptions or funding extensions will be allowed.
The following items are not eligible for funding:
- Faculty salaries or fringe benefits
- Clerical support (unless appropriate justification is given)
- Paging or cell phone services
- Travel for purposes other than presentation of seed grant results
- Office equipment or furniture
- Any equipment that would be eligible for an Equipment Grant
- Hospital per diem charges
- Food or entertainment
- Professional memberships
- Purchase of books, periodicals or library services
Please note that reimbursements are not allowed. All purchases must receive prior approval from the Office of the Associate Dean for Research.
IV. DEADLINE
Completed applications (3 copies and 1 original) are due at the 2 nd Floor Office of Research (Room 217) at the SOP at Amarillo on the first Friday of September at 5:00 p.m. No application will be accepted after the deadline. Successful applicants will be notified by the first Friday of October.
V. TTUHSC COMMITTEE APPROVAL
Institutional Review Board, Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, Radiation Safety Committee and Institutional Biosafety Committee protocols must be submitted, where applicable. Funds will not be released without committee approval(s). Approved protocols that do not have final or conditional committee approval(s) by the first week of November will be rescinded, and funds will be awarded to the protocol with the next highest score.
VI. REVIEW PROCESS
Each application will be reviewed for scientific merit by two senior researchers at the TTUHSC, nominated by the Research Advisory Committee, which will then screen the results. The review committee, under special circumstances, may request outside reviewers. Regardless of award status, each applicant will receive the review committee critiques.
VII. AWARD CONDITIONS
An applicant who has held a previous seed grant from the TTUHSC SOP must provide a 1-2 page progress report to accompany the grant application. The progress report should provide a brief summary of the objectives of the grant and the results obtained. In addition, information should be given on: 1) submitted extramural research grants, 2) scientific manuscripts (submitted or published), and 3) scientific presentations based on the obtained results from the seed grant. Failure to include a progress report will eliminate an applicant from further consideration.
VIII. FORMAT
The order of the proposal should be as follows: Internal seed grant application forms-provided by the Research Office
- Title of project and Chair evaluation form*
- Project Description*
- Research Plan (5 page maximum, excluding references)
-
- Rationale
- Background and Significance
- Methodology
- Feasibility
- References
- Budget*
- Budget Justification*
- PI Biographical Sketch (not to exceed 2 pages)*
NOTE: Biographical sketches for other key personnel should be included as appendices. - Resources and Environment*
- Other Support*
- Progress report (applicable for those who have been previously awarded seed grants - see section VII. AWARD CONDITIONS above)
- Appropriate Appendices
*Part of the Seed Grant Application, provided by the Office of Research. The Seed Grant Application was adapted from NIH forms (PHS398).
IX. REVIEW CRITERIA
RATIONALE (10 points)
Are the objectives for the research project clearly stated in terms of end points or outcomes? Does the proposal explain why this project should be undertaken?
BACKGROUND AND SIGNIFICANCE (20 points)
Is the project relevant to pharmacy? Is the proposed project original or unique? Does the applicant provide sufficient background information to support this idea?
METHODOLOGY (20 points)
Does the proposal describe in sufficient clarity and detail the study method to be used? Are the described methods logical and appropriate for the stated research hypothesis? Is the quality and appropriateness of data analyses addressed?
FEASIBILITY AND SCIENTIFIC MERIT (25 points)
Is the proposed project feasible within the given time frame? If not, does the investigator address this problem? Does the research have the potential to attract extramural funding upon completion of the Seed Grant project? Does the investigator(s) have the qualifications and experience to successfully complete the project?
SPECIAL PRIORITY AND AN EXTRA 5 POINTS EACH WILL BE GIVEN FOR THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS:
- Cross collaboration (5 points)
- No outside funding (5 points)
- Not previously awarded a seed grant (5 points)
- Ranking of Assistant Professor (5 points)
- Three years or less employment at SOP (5 points)
TOTAL POINTS AWARDED is 100