ITHS/Pharmacy Ignition Award

The ITHS and the University of Washington School of Pharmacy are pleased to co-sponsor a new Ignition Award, focused on preclinical and clinical pharmaceutical sciences. The purpose of this Ignition Award is to explore innovative areas of biophysical characterization, including drug formulation and delivery, transport, metabolism, pharmacokinetics, or pharmacogenetics. All applications must be sponsored by a faculty member of the School of Pharmacy (Departments of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutics or Medicinal Chemistry) and describe how the proposed studies will support new research grant applications (e.g. R01-type grant to NIH or other funding agency) and/or subsequent clinical studies. See Application Process below for information on identifying a School of Pharmacy sponsor. All faculty members (or those with equivalent titles) are eligible to apply. All applicants must join ITHS prior to submitting an application. Applications for awards of $20,000-$40,000 (direct costs only) will be considered during this review cycle.

Purpose

This Ignition Award is designed to support innovative, translational studies utilizing the resources within the UW School of Pharmacy. In particular, the School of Pharmacy maintains the DNA Sequencing and Gene Analysis Center, Mass Spectrometry Center, and Drug Interactions Database and provides expertise in the delivery, disposition and effectiveness of drugs in the human body. It encompasses a molecular evaluation of drug metabolism and transport processes and the study of genetic, environmental and disease-related factors that control or affect those processes, as well as the fundamental mathematical relations between enzyme/transporter function, blood concentration-time profiles and the spectrum of pharmacological effects. The Department of Medicinal Chemistry is exceptionally well equipped with modern research instrumentation, notably in the areas of mass spectrometry (MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. This award will facilitate use of these and other resources as well as research expertise within the School of Pharmacy in translation of basic molecular processes into clinical practice. The program is intended to help investigators generate preliminary data to serve as the basis for submission of a subsequent grant and/or clinical studies. Particular emphasis and priority will be given to applications directed at the development of novel therapeutics (small molecules or biologics).

Eligibility and review criteria

All faculty members (or those with equivalent titles) are eligible to apply, EXCEPT those who have received an ITHS/Pharmacy Ignition Award within the previous three years. All applicants must be sponsored by a faculty member in the School of Pharmacy (see process below for identification of Pharmacy School partners). Budgets must be developed in collaboration with the School of Pharmacy sponsor and may be used for salary and facility support. Institutional indirect rates must be included in the total costs. The total amount requested cannot exceed $40,000.

The total amount requested cannot exceed $40,000. The proposed research MUST be readily identifiable as addressing issues in either translational or clinical research.

  1. It will be the responsibility of the PI to clearly demonstrate how the proposed research has the potential to positively impact the quality or the conduct of clinical and translational research.
  2. The investigator should clearly describe how the proposed project fits within their current funded programs including plans for utilization of the services or information to be provided.
  3. The investigator should clearly describe how the proposed evaluation methodology provides an innovative approach to conducting the proposed research.

Review committee and standards

The combined Research Review Committee (RRC) for the ITHS Pharmacy Ignition Award applications will consist of members of the UW School of Pharmacy Research Review Committee and ITHS Drug and Device Advisory Committee (DDAC). For review of full applications, the RRC will also invite representation from the Technology Transfer Office of the applicants’ institution for guidance on innovation represented by the technology. Where potential conflict of interest may exist, ad hoc reviewers may augment the RRC membership. Members of the committee are reappointed on an annual basis and membership is designed to provide a diverse cross-section of research interests with representation from both core and affiliate researchers.

Two rounds of reviews are performed with each project scored against the criteria listed below. The first review of Pre-Applications is designed to narrow the field for further, in-depth review. A second round of review will be performed on the Invited Applications allowing for a more substantial project description. Each full application will be critiqued and scored. It is anticipated that the project with the lowest score/highest priority will be funded. Based on funding levels, it is anticipated that 2-3 projects will be funded during this 2009-2010 review cycle.Reviews are performed according to the following standards:

  1. Applicability to the ITHS and UW School of Pharmacy mission
  2. Scientific merit
  3. Proposed activities conducted with School of Pharmacy resources
  4. Innovation
  5. Potential impact on human health
  6. Potential for commercialization
  7. Probability of future grant funding and/or clinical studies

     

Application process and forms

One round of review will be performed with each project scored against the criteria listed above. It is anticipated that the projects with the lowest scores/highest priorities will be funded. The current plan is to fund three applications in the $20,000 to $40,000 range.

Step 1 – Submit the two-page Pre-Application by November 12th, 2009

Send pre-application form to ithsapps@u.washington.edu (DO NOT COMPLETE THE FULL APPLICATION UNLESS INVITED TO DO SO). Pre-applications are solicited from the local and regional (WWAMI) biomedical research communities via an electronically distributed official announcement. You may increase the space allotted for the Pre-application by one additional page, if needed.

Step 2 – Review of Pre-Applications and Selection of Invited Applications

  • Reviews are performed using the standards described above
  • RRC narrows the field to approximately 8-10 applications
  • ALL pre-application applicants will be notified of their status by December 4, 2009
  • Invited applicants will be asked to submit expanded applications and draft budgets using the ITHS Ignition Award Application
  • Investigators may contact ITHS (ithsprdn@u.washington.edu) and Kerstin Verdina of the School of Pharmacy (kverdina@u.washington.edu) for assistance preparing and submitting appropriate applications and budgets

For assistance in identifying School of Pharmacy Sponsors, preparing and submitting appropriate applications and budgets, contact kverdina@u.washington.edu

Step 3 – Invited Investigators submit full ITHS Ignition Award Application by January 15, 2010.

Step 4 – RRC Reviews Invited Applications and selects 2010 Awardees

  1. RRC meets to discuss merits of the expanded applications and budgetary information
  2. Selected Projects assigned to Core Staff sponsor
  3. Applicants notified of award by: February 12, 2010
  4. All final applicants will receive a detailed critique of the application

Applications will be reviewed and submitters notified within 1 month of the application deadline. Unsuccessful applicants may resubmit their applications for the next round up to a total of two (2) times, unless the reviewers determine that the application does not meet the intent of the program.

Reporting requirements

Ignition awards are an investment in translational research to improve human health. Meetings with ITHS representatives to assess the effective utilization of ITHS resources and reporting the progress and results of funded programs are important aspects to evaluate the success of this funding mechanism.

ITHS requires the following reports and presentations: pre-award meeting with the DDAC and establishment of a project timeline with milestones, semi-annual progress report, final work summary and presentation to DDAC. Quarterly in-person meetings with an ITHS representative may be requested as a tool to track the progress of funded activities.

Publicity

ITHS reserves the right to publicly disclose information about its granting activities. ITHS communications to the public may include lists of funded applications, the names of principal investigators and applicant institutions and departments, titles of proposed activities and reports about progress and outcomes.

Contact

For more information regarding the application process, please contact the Preclinical Research Development Network Core (ithsprdn@u.washington.edu) or Kerstin Verdina of the UW School of Pharmacy (kverdina@u.washington.edu).

Appendix

Definitions of Clinical and Translational Research

Last modified: January 6, 2010