2010 Early Stage Investigator Grant Program
Program Description
The Boonshoft sSchool of Medicine at Wright State University sponsors internal seed grant programs to further the goal set forth in the 2008-2010 Strategic Plan to "accelerate research growth and achievement by targeted investment in clinical and basic science funded research".
The Early Stage Investigator (ESI) Grant Program is specifically designed to support research career development of a new investigator who proposes a highly creative and innovative biomedical or clinical project that will lead to the submission of a competitive proposal (i.e. BSOM Emerging Science Seed Grant or external proposal through WSU). ESI's are new investigators who are within 10 years of completing their terminal research degree or within 10 years of completing their medical residency at the time they apply for this grant.
Funding is limited to one (1) year with a maximum award of $5,000. Equivalent departmental matching support is required. ESI grants provide funding for consulting in statistical and experimental design, training in writing grant proposals and institutional review protocols, or training in specific experimental skills and technologies. The research development requests must be justified and be consistent with the development stage of the new investigator and proportion of time to be spent in research career development activities.
Before developing an Early Stage Investigator proposal, faculty must schedule a meeting with the BSOM Associate Dean for Research Affairs to discuss eligibility and departmental support. Contact the BSOM Office of Research Affairs at 775-3018 to schedule an appointment
Eligibility
BSOM fully affiliated faculty who are directly employed by Wright State University are eligible to apply for Early Stage Investigator Grants. Faculty who have received previous competitive BSOM or WSU internal grant funding are not eligible for this program.
The investigator's department chair must support the research development plan through equivalent funds or in-kind support. The department chair must provide a detailed letter confirming the faculty's efforts on the project if funded and the required matching support. This letter must be attached to the grant proposal.
Evaluation Criteria
Early Stage Investigator Grant proposals will be evaluated using criteria based on the NIH Enhanced Review Criteria implemented in 2009. Modifications have been made to fit the scale of the BSOM's internal seed grant programs. Reviewers will evaluate proposals using a 9-point scoring system similar to that used by NIH. A proposal’s overall impact score will take into consideration, but not be a numerical average of, individual scores for the specific criteria listed below.
Overall Impact |
Will the project accelerate the investigator's independent research development at the BSOM? |
Core Scientific Criteria |
Significance |
Does the project address an important area or critical barrier to the investigator's research career development? How will the successful completion of the project impact the PI's research development? |
Innovation |
What is the likelihood that the plan will contribute substantially to the scientific development of the PI leading to scientific independence? Is the content, scope, phasing, and duration of the research career development plan appropriate when considered in the context of prior training/research experience and the stated training and research objectives for achieving research independence? Are there adequate plans for monitoring and evaluating the research career development progress? |
Approach |
How does the research, coupled with other development activities, provide experience, knowledge, and skills necessary to achieve the objectives of the career development plan? Does the PI address possible problems and how they will be managed or describe alternative approaches? |
Investigator |
Does the investigator have the potential to develop as an independent and productive researcher? Is the PI's research background of high quality? Is there evidence of the PI's commitment to meeting the objectives to become an independent investigator in research? |
Environment |
Is the departmental support appropriate for the successful completion of the project? Has the investigator identified effective mentors? Are the research facilities, resources and training opportunities adequate, appropriate and of high quality? |
Additional Project Criteria |
Time Feasibility |
Can the project be completed in one (1) year? |
Potential for External Funding |
Is the project likely to lead to independent submission of a competitive biomedical or clinical proposal (i.e. BSOM Emerging Science Seed Grant or external proposal through WSU)? |
Project Budget
Early Stage Investigator funding is limited to one (1) year with a maximum award of $5,000. Equivalent departmental matching support is required.
University policy and procedures, based on federal and state regulations, define allowable project costs. Allowable costs for the ESI Grant Program cover items such as consulting in statistical and experimental design, training in writing grant proposals and institutional review protocols, and training in specific experimental skills and technologies. Funding may not be used to pay faculty salaries or to purchase computers, major pieces of equipment, or equipment maintenance contracts.
Application
Deadline
Applications must be received by 4:30 p.m. on Monday, February 1, 2010, in the Boonshoft School of Medicine, Office of Research Affairs located in Room 002 of the Mathematics and Microbiology Building. Download and explicitly follow the guidelines to fully complete all sections of the Early Stage Investigator Grant application (MS Word). Submit the original and twelve (12) single-sided, unbound copies of the complete proposal package by the above deadline. Download a map to Research Affairs (PDF).
Assurances
Investigators should begin the institutional review process by the time the seed grant proposal is submitted.
Investigators using human subjects, animals, biohazards, radioactive materials or recombinant DNA must submit appropriate forms to Research and Sponsored Programs (RSP) 201J University Hall or to affiliated hospitals for institutional review. Call RSP (775-2425) for appropriate university forms, or download forms from the RSP website.
Investigators must provide the Boonshoft School of Medicine, Office of Research Affairs (Room 002, Mathematics and Microbiology Building) documentation of all institutional assurance approvals, or notices of pending protocol revisions, by 4:00 p.m. on Monday, April 1, 2010, to be eligible for funding consideration. Final assurance approval documentation must be received in the BSOM Office of Research Affairs no later than 4:30 p.m. on Monday, June 1, 2010.
FUNDS WILL NOT BE AWARDED IF FINAL ASSURANCE APPROVAL DOCUMENTATION IS NOT RECEIVED IN THE BSOM OFFICE OF RESEARCH AFFAIRS BY THE ABOVE DATE.
Review Process
The BSOM Research Committee will review and score the proposals. Recommendations will be made for the top ranked proposals and submitted to the BSOM Associate Dean for Research Affairs for final decision.
Awards
Announcements of awards will be made by Monday, June 7, 2010. Note: Funds will not be awarded if assurances are required for the project and final assurance approval documentation is not received in the BSOM Office of Research Affairs by 4:30 p.m. on Monday, June 1, 2010.
Any significant changes in the research plan or budget must receive prior approval by the BSOM Associate Dean for Research Affairs.
Project awards will have a start date of July 1, 2010, and should be completed within one year. A maximum six (6) month extension may be submitted for approval by the BSOM Associate Dean for Research Affairs prior to the award end date. Submit written requests for extension to the Boonshoft School of Medicine, Office of Research Affairs, Room 002 Mathematics and Microbiology Building.
Investigators are required to submit a proposal for external funding based on the work funded within twelve (12) months of the award end date. Confirmation of such submission(s) must be included in the final report or in a separate note to the BSOM Office of Research Affairs.
Final
Report
To ensure future funding eligibility for BSOM internal grant programs, awardees are required to submit a final report within three (3) months of the award end date. Download and fully complete the Early Stage Investigator Grant Final Report (MS Word). Submit the final report to the Boonshoft School of Medicine, Office of Research Affairs, Room 002, Mathematics and Microbiology Building.
Engaging the Research Community
Early Stage Investigator Grant recipients will be invited to participate in the BSOM Central Research Forum through poster presentations and other means of sharing their work with students, colleagues, and potential collaborators.
Contact
If you have questions about the Early Stage Investigator Grant Program, contact Mark Willis, research coordinator (mark.willis@wright.edu; 775-3814). If you have questions about using the application form, contact Amber McCurdy, administrative specialist (amber.mccurdy@wright.edu; 775-4533).
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