Background

The purpose of the John Sealy Memorial Endowment Fund for Biomedical Research Data Acquisition Grant program is to stimulate the development of new research initiatives through the support of projects that have a very high probability of attracting new biomedical research grants to UTMB. Topics that will build our capacity to compete for major funding initiatives available now or anticipated from the NIH and other funding agencies (e.g., neuro-dysfunction, aging and rehabilitation, infection and immunity) or that will exploit technologies available in our core facilities are encouraged.

Funding Available

• Data acquisition grants of up to $20,000 are available. It is expected that recipients of the data acquisition grants will utilize core facilities at the UTMB. Most of the DA grants were funded at $10,000 or less during FY2018
• It is expected that when needed, core facilities at the UTMB will be used. Requests for equipment and travel must be highly justified and should be part of the work plan (i.e., not to attend scientific conferences). Funding of research taking place outside of the UTMB campus must be well justified.

Important Dates:

• Application due date:             February 18, 2020
• Anticipated review date:         February 21, 2020
• Anticipated Funding Period:   March 2, 2020 to August 31, 2020

Eligibility

• The Data Acquisition Grants are open to all eligible UTMB Assistant Professors, Associate Professors and Professors from all schools and departments at UTMB. Please follow UTMB's current policy for Principal Investigator eligibility.
• There is no restriction on the type of research performed (i.e. basic, clinical, outcomes/health services, career development, etc.).
• Special consideration will be given to applicants who will develop collaborative, inter-disciplinary/inter-departmental projects.

Application Instructions

1. OSP proposal routing form: An Office of Sponsored Programs Proposal Routing form must accompany all intramural research grant applications (copies of this form are available at the OSP web page: https://research.utmb.edu/sponsored-programs/proposal-forms)
2. Assemble the grant application (Two pages maximum)

   Title and type of the project (e.g. R01, R21) for which data will be acquired.

   1. Names, affiliation, and expertise of the PI and collaborators as relevant to proposal.
   2. Specific aims of the project that is planned, and the agency to which it is being sent.
   3. A description of how the proposed data acquisition project will strengthen the proposed research application.
   4. Requested budget and proposed use of funds. Personnel costs are not allowed.
3. A list of cited literature (Please keep it brief and relevant).

Grant Submission:  The principal investigator is requested to submit proposal in a single pdf file by email to Ms. Erika LeGros (E: erlegros@utmb.edu). Please name your file as Last Name-Data acquisition

Important Considerations

• Data Acquisition Grants will not supplement or replace externally funded research projects. It is incumbent upon the principal investigator (PI) to address the relationship between the proposed research and ongoing projects, and to convince the reviewers that successful completion of the proposed experiments will have a reasonable likelihood of attracting new grant support. Reviewers will critically evaluate proposals for scientific merit and the potential to attract new funding.
• A condition of the award is the submission of a related extramural grant within 6 months of the end of the award. An abstract of a submitted grant can be used as this final report.

For information or answers to specific questions, please contact Erika LeGros (O: 409-266-9480, E: erlegros@utmb.edu) or Dr. Nisha J Garg (E: nigarg@utmb.edu)