Mountain West CTR-IN RFP

The Clinical and Translational Research Infrastructure Network (CTR-IN) and Western Region IDeA Networks for Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) Programs are soliciting proposals for a six-month Developmental Translational Team Grant (DTTG) to take place from January 2019 through June 2019. No carryover beyond project period is allowed due to NIH regulations.

The purpose of this FOA is to provide support for a clinical investigator teamed with a basic science or a pre-clinical investigator to yield a project “proof-of-concept” for a subsequent, larger extramural (NIH, NSF, DoD, USDA, etc.) grant application. Proposals should include how this funding will facilitate the team’s specific plan to apply for additional funding.

The Mountain West Clinical Translational Research Infrastructure Network (CTR-IN) is supported by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) under the Institutional Development Award (IDeA) program for development of clinical and translational research (CTR) capacity among our partner Mountain West IDeA states. The West Region INBRE programs are funded by NIGMS IDeA with the goal of building biomedical education and research infrastructure in their states.

A long-term goal for MW CTR-IN and INBRE programs is to partner across IDeA programs in the region to enhance collaboration between clinical, preclinical and basic science investigators and their access to resources in support of biomedical research. The long-term goal of this program is to build extramurally-funded collaborative CTR-INBRE projects engaging clinical, pre-clinical and basic science researchers in Mountain West States to address critical regional health disparities issues.

Funding Sources: National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS, U54GM104944, P20GM103474).

A successful proposal will describe a CTR project co-directed by a clinical investigator collaborating with a basic science or preclinical investigator, both with faculty appointments at Mountain West CTR-IN institutions in the same IDeA state.

Note: Montana's two MW CTR-IN institutions are MSU and UM. See full list below.

Investigators from Montana without connections to clinical partners are encouraged to apply and to contact Montana INBRE and/or the Mountain West CTR-IN for assistance in developing a project.

Note: Neither investigator may concurrently serve as a Principal Investigator (PI) on another IDeA award from another IDeA program (i.e., CTR, COBRE or INBRE).

Six months (January, 2019 through June, 2019.) No carryover beyond project period.

Investigators should submit applications to Montana INBRE Director, Dr. Brian Bothner (bbothner@montana.edu), by email.

A complete application will include:

1. Concept Paper

Text limit: Two pages. Use MS Word, 0.5 inch margins, single spacing, 11-point font in Arial, Times New Roman, or Palatino Linotype.

In addition to explaining the research concept, papers should discuss how the pairing of a clinical investigator teamed with a basic science or a pre-clinical investigator will help lead to a subsequent, larger extramural (NIH, NSF, DoD, USDA, etc.) grant application. Proposals should include details about how this funding opportunity will facilitate a specific plan to apply for additional funding.

2. NIH Biosketch for Each Lead Investigator

See PHS 398 Instructions, Section 4.6, pages 25-28. There is a 5-page limit per biosketch.

Please use NIH's Biographical Sketch Format Page to prepare this section and to view sample biosketches.

3. Budget and Budget Justification

The budget should be prepared as two separate documents with one budget identified for the CTR-IN-supported portion (i.e., clinical investigator) and one budget identified for the INBRE-supported portion (basic scientist or pre-clinical investigator) [see Overall Budget below]. 

Note: Investigators from Montana without connections to clinical partners are encouraged to apply and to contact Montana INBRE and/or the Mountain West CTR-IN for assistance in developing a project.

Total Costs

Total costs of up to $20,000 may be requested. Funds can be used for supplies, equipment, or travel for team or community meetings. Funds are intended to be for team building, hypothesis generation, and capture of preliminary data.

If planned preliminary data involves human subjects it should be based on data captured under a previously IRB-approved protocol (or exempt). For example, this mechanism will not support new collection of biological samples from human subjects, but it can support new analyses of biological samples that were previously collected provided that the new analysis was already approved under the existing IRB protocol.

Allowable Expenses

All expenses must be allowable under NIH guidelines. Additionally, the following restrictions apply:

• Equipment costs over $5,000 – not allowable.
• Significant foreign participation – not allowable.
• Laptops/computers – not allowable.
• Tuition and fees for graduate students – not allowable; however, salary support is allowable.
• Subcontracts to institutions located in non-IDeA states – not allowable; however, services provided in non-IDeA states can be purchased on a fee-for-service basis.
• Publication costs (i.e., page charges) – not allowable.

Overall budget

We anticipate funding up to seven projects (1 per Western IDeA state) under this announcement pending NIGMS approval. For each award CTR-IN will allocate up to $10K to support the clinical investigator half of the preclinical or clinical team, and the corresponding state INBRE program will support the basic science research investigator half of the team up to $10K.

Montana INBRE

Dr. Brian Bothner (bbothner@montana.edu)
Dr. Ann Bertagnolli (abertagnolli@montana.edu)

MW CTR-IN Pilot Grant Program

Dr. Curtis Noonan (curtis.noonan@mso.umt.edu)
Dr. Scott Seville (sseville@uwyo.edu)

Boise State University
Idaho State University
Montana State University
New Mexico State University
University of Alaska, Anchorage
University of Alaska, Fairbanks
University of Hawaii
University of Idaho
University of Montana
University of Nevada Las Vegas
University of Nevada Reno
University of New Mexico
University of Wyoming