HSCI Development Grants 2015

HARVARD STEM CELL INSTITUTE

CALL FOR PROPOSALS – DEVELOPMENT GRANTS 2015

The Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) invites applications for the 2015 cycle of Development Grants thanks to the Bowes Acceleration Fund. Development grants are different from the HSCI Seed Grants and Disease Program Pilot Grants. In line with the intent of this fund, this program will provide resources for innovative, high-impact projects that are ready to be “accelerated” into a development or translational phase or can be prepared for such a phase as a result of the proposed funding. Projects may be in any area of stem cell related biology with a preference for projects in areas of HSCI’s existing Disease Programs: Blood, Cancer, Cardiovascular, Diabetes, Kidney, and Nervous System. Projects in these areas of inquiry will be reviewed within the relevant HSCI Disease Program and each program may submit one to the HSCI Executive Committee for review and approval.  Projects which fall outside of the HSCI program areas will be reviewed by an appropriate member(s) of the HSCI Executive Committee (for more information please see http://hsci.harvard.edu/leadership). The HSCI Executive Committee will make the final decision.

HSCI may fund up to six Development Grants. Each project will be funded at a maximum of $100,000 total direct costs for one year. Applications can be submitted by either individual investigators or collaborations between multiple PIs. Depending on the policies of the applicant’s home institution, up to 20% total indirect costs (total direct cost basis) may be budgeted in addition to the direct costs specified above.

The number of Development Grants awarded will depend on the number and quality of proposals submitted, as well as the availability of funding. HSCI reserves the right not to fund any project. Decisions regarding the appropriate level of funding for any proposed project will be made by the review committee, and will be based on the availability of other funding sources.

It is understood that any tool or reagent generated as part of an HSCI-funded grant will be shared with the wider HSCI community.  Any resultant publication should reference the HSCI and the Bowes Acceleration Fund.

Eligibility Criteria

Development Grants are open to members of the HSCI community with PI rights. Only individuals with PI status in their home institutions, independent laboratory space assigned to them in their own name, and prior independent funding awarded to them directly (such as start-up funds or sponsored awards), as verified by a home institution research/finance administrator, are eligible to apply for grants. Priority will be given to excellent projects from PIs who are not actively receiving funding from the HSCI.

An applicant may be the Principal Investigator on only one grant application per funding cycle (including collaborative applications).  Applicants must have HSCI Principal or Affiliated Faculty status prior to submission.

Application Process

 

All applications must contain the following:

 

  1. Project Title
  1. PI(s) and Home Institution(s)
  1. Abstract (max. 1/3 page)
  • Brief statement summarizing the proposed work in lay language
  1. Research Proposal (max. 3 pages, including references)
  • Background and Rationale
  • Specific Aims
  • Milestones
  • Key risks and plans to mitigate
  • References
  1. Budget
  • HSCI budget template (NIH format, available from HSCI upon request)
  • Total project costs may not exceed $100,000 total direct costs per year, for a period of up to one year. Depending on the policies of the applicant’s home institution, up to 20% indirect costs (total direct cost basis) may be budgeted in addition to direct costs
  • Travel-related expenses are not allowed
  1. Budget Justification/Narrative (max. 1 page)
  • Justify proposed costs at the line-item level of detail
  • Include effort committed by all personnel, even if salary is not requested (PI must commit effort)
  • Include supplies and other expenses
  1. NIH-formatted Biographical Sketch of Applicant (max. 2 pages)
  • Include up to 5 recent/relevant publications
  1. Other Support (NIH format, current and pending)
  • Highlight support relevant to the proposed project
  • No page limit
  1. Letter of Institutional Support
  • Authorized institutional signature (as determined by applicant’s home institution’s policies for research proposal submission—usually a central grants office official) as confirmation of applicant’s PI status and that the host institution approves the proposed scope and budget; upload PDF with signature.

NB:   - Letters of recommendation are not necessary

        - Relevant papers in press can be listed in references and submitted with application

Submission Process

Please send your application via email to robert_perez@harvard.edu no later than 5:00 PM Eastern Standard Time, Friday, March 6th, 2015.

Incomplete or late applications will not be considered.

Review Criteria

Factors for reviewers’ consideration include: scientific quality, relevance to HSCI’s mission of impacting disease, and potential for developing new therapeutic strategies.

HSCI Disease Program heads will independently evaluate the proposals, giving primary consideration to excellence regarding the factors mentioned above. They will also consider the availability of alternative funding sources, the degree of impact this funding could have within the timeframe allotted, and whether the project will ultimately contribute to the development of new therapies. As a broad community, HSCI is also interested in the potential of all supported work to enable future collaborative research.  Recommendations from the Disease Program Heads and reviewers will be sent to the HSCI Executive Committee for final decision.

Inquiries

Programmatic questions regarding the 2015 HSCI Development Grants may be addressed to Claudia Rizzini, Program Director, at (617) 495-4388 or claudia_rizzini@harvard.edu

Administrative questions regarding this call for proposals may be addressed to Robert Perez, Grant Programs Coordinator (617) 496-5295, robert_perez@harvard.edu.

Application Timeline

Application due date: 5 PM, Friday, March 6th, 2015

Review outcome notification: Wednesday, March 25th, 2015

Award start date: May 1st, 2015

Thank you for your interest in the HSCI.