ITHS/Primate Center Ignition Award

The ITHS and the Washington National Primate Research Center (WaNPRC) are pleased to co-sponsor an Ignition Award, focused on the use of nonhuman primate models of human disease. The purpose of this Ignition Award is to explore innovative areas of nonhuman primate research and generate preliminary data to serve as a basis for submission of new research grant applications (e.g. R01-type grant to NIH or other funding agency) and/or subsequent clinical studies. Please pay close attention to the submission instructions and due dates. 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 up to $50,000 will be considered during this review cycle. A no-cost extension of one year may be requested if the proposed experiments have not been completed in the first year of the award, although the extension is not guaranteed.

Purpose

This program is designed to support innovative studies utilizing resources within the WaNPRC, including those available through the Division of Functional Genomics and Infectious Disease. This Division is focused on developing high-throughput genomic and proteomic technologies, sophisticated immunologic resources, and advanced computing and bioinformatics applications to enhance the use of nonhuman primates as models for infectious disease. Nonhuman primates are the pre-eminent animal model of the human condition and this program will facilitate use of these and other resources within the ITHS to provide information applicable to subsequent grant and/or clinical studies. This program will advance research programs through the translational process of therapeutics, diagnostics or device development.

Examples of types of projects include, but are not limited to:

  1. The development of clinical tests/diagnostics/therapeutics that have the potential to:
    1. speed translational research (i.e., new outcome measures)
    2. develop highly relevant model systems
    3. decrease the cost of healthcare (new biomarkers)
    4. improve clinical treatments (i.e., new therapeutics or new indications for approved drugs)
  2. The use of systems biology approaches, including the generation of high-throughput genomics or proteomic data from nonhuman primates
  3. The use of new computational approaches to integrate high-throughput data or generate network models of biological process related to infectious disease

Eligibility and review criteria

All faculty members (or those with equivalent titles) are eligible to apply, EXCEPT those who have received an ITHS/Primate Center Ignition Award within the previous three years.

Applicants are encouraged to contact the WaNPRC (Peggy Smith) (directorsoffice@wanprc.org) to discuss the scientific components of their projects and general costs of the services to be provided. Complete budgets are only required for the invited Full Applications and must be developed in collaboration with the WaNPRC. The budgets for full applications may only be used for costs within the WaNPRC.

  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.
  4. Up to $50,000 per selected applicant will be directly applied to the costs of the WaNPRC.
  5. The ITHS will pay the WaNPRC directly.

Review committee

The combined Research Review Committee (RRC) for the Ignition Award applications will consist of members of the WaNPRC Research Review Committee including the Division of Functional Genomics and Infectious Diseases, and the 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 projects with the lowest score/highest priority will be funded. Based on funding levels, it is anticipated that a total of five projects will be funded during this 2009-2010 review cycle.
Reviews are performed according to the following standards:

  1. Applicability to the WaNPRC and ITHS missions
  2. Scientific merit
  3. Proposed activities conducted on site at the WaNPRC
  4. Innovation
  5. Potential impact on human health
  6. Potential for commercialization
  7. Probability of future grant funding and/or clinical studies

Application form and process

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

If you are applying to the second round of funding, submit the two-page Pre-Application by January 20, 2010

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 15-20 applications
  • Pre-application applicants for the first round of funding were notified of their status by December 4, 2009.
  • Pre-application applicants for the second round of funding will be notified of their status by February 12, 2010.
  • Invited applicants will be asked to submit expanded applications and draft budgets using the ITHS Ignition Award Application
  • Investigators are offered Peggy Smith of WaNPRC (directorsoffice@wanprc.org) and ITHS assistance (ithsprdn@u.washington.edu) in order to prepare and submit appropriate applications and budgets

Step 3 –

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 from the first round of funding will be notified of award by: February 12, 2010
    Applicants from the second round of funding will be notified of award by: April 16, 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 or the Peggy Smith of WaNPRC (directorsoffice@wanprc.org).
 

Appendix

Definitions of Clinical and Translational Research

Last modified: December 9, 2009