Department of Medicine Annual Translational Research Pilot Project Program  

 Due: March 30, 2018

The Department of Medicine Translational Research Pilot Program is designed to integrate, coordinate, and foster our research mission  by funding innovative projects which achieve the following items as they related to translational (T0-T4) research: (1) aid in the improvement of clinical data collection, (2) employ a milestone-driven approach that aids in timely generation of tangible products and outcomes, and (3) promote cross-disciplinary collaboration between grant recipients, especially new and novel types of collaborations.

This Request for Proposals seeks to establish and/or further enhance collaboration between Department of Medicine faculty members. To further encourage new and cross-divisional collaboration, preference will be given to project that involve faculty from two different divisions. Applicants are subject to competitive review. In all cases, major consideration will be given to: 1) the extent to which the proposed studies, if successfully completed, will enhance the investigators' competitiveness for extramural funding; 2) the ability of the proposed studies to strengthen the research activity and productivity of the Department of Medicine.

The budget period for the 2018 Translational Research Pilot Project will begin on or about July, 1, 2018 (following IRB/IACUC approval of the protocol). A written progress report will be required within 4-month of the project's completion. In addition, award recipients will present their findings at a Department of Medicine Grand Rounds.

Principal Investigators must hold a full-time faculty appointment in the Department of Medicine. Applicants must follow the application format detailed below, which includes the NIH-style-5-page biographical sketch and budget, a list of current funding, and a relevant article to supplement the application. Faculty with limited research experience should engage a mentor. In this situation, a letter of support addressing a mentoring plan and biographical sketch from the mentor should be included in the application packet. 

Budget (up to $50,000):

  • Salary support for faculty and staff with a primary assignment in the Department of Medicine is allowable. Applicants are advised to balance personnel and operating expenses appropriately.
  • Equipment: the purchase of specific items of equipment exceeding $5,000 are discouraged unless they are unique to the proposal and are not available for use by the applicant in any core facility or laboratory in the department or college. 
  • Utilization of departmental and college core facilities is strongly encouraged. The award can only be used for support of laboratory and clinical studies conducted at the University of Vermont

Funding will be for one-year, with the possibility of a no-cost extension upon written request and evaluation by the Research Committee. No funds will be disbursed to awarded projects until all necessary institutional approvals are received. The request for a no-cost extension must be received within the 12-month period of the original award. All funded Investigators or their designees will be required to present their ongoing research at periodic departmental meetings or other venues. Failure to participate in the meetings by investigators or designates will result in termination of funding.

Deadlines and Timeline:  

Applicants are encouraged to discuss the content of their proposals with Charles Irvin, Ph.D.; Dr. Irvin may be contacted at Charles.Irvin@uvm.edu or 656-8928. Submit proposals in one PDF file (in the order outlines on page 3 of this Request for Proposals) to Tina Mazuzan at tina.mazuzan@uvmhealth.org by March 30, 2018. Funding decisions will be made by mid-June, with funding to begin on or about July 1, 2018.  

Notes on Review Process:  

Applicants will be reviewed by the Department of Medicine Research Committee; 2-3 reviews will act as primary reviewers; in rare cases, an external reviewer may be asked to comment. Accordingly, all submissions should be written in a language that is understandable to Scientists who are not experts in the applicant's field of study. The Chair of the Research Committee will report proposal scores to the Department Chair who will make the final funding decision.

If you need assistance in understanding these instructions or developing your proposal, seek input from any member of the Department of Medicine Research Committee

Click this link to view the Format For Submission of Translational Pilot Project Applications