University Letter

UND's faculty and staff newsletter

Deadline for Epigenetics COBRE 2020-2021 pilot grants is May 1

In anticipation of funding for Year 2, the UND Center for Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) for Epigenomics of Development and Disease is announcing Pilot Grant awards for 2020/2021. The funding opportunity is designed to allow researchers to generate preliminary data using epigenomics platforms to increase their ability to compete for extramural awards. This is a competitive program to support novel, innovative research that fits with the overall goal of the COBRE to promote research focused on understanding the functional role of epigenetic changes in biological systems. Previous awardees of Epigenomics pilot grants are eligible to apply, but must include a one-page summary of outcomes of their award (see details below).

Application due date: May 1, 2020

Maximum award: We anticipate funding 3-4 proposals for $40,000 – $50,000 for one year.

Eligibility: All basic science/clinical/translational/population health or other faculty members throughout the University of North Dakota are encouraged to apply. Prior to submission, all applicants are encouraged to discuss their research aims and methodology with epigenetics group members in order to maximize synergy within the group. Collaborators are allowed, but funds can be provided only to collaborators from UND.

Application Format: Applications should be prepared in general accord with the NIH PHS 398 application guidelines, (revised 01/2018, available from http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html).

Forms required:

1. NIH Face Page (Form Page 1)

2. NIH Pages Two and Three: Summary, Relevance, Project/Performance Sites, Senior/Key Personnel, Other Significant Contributors, and Human Embryonic Stem cells

3. NIH Detailed Budget (Form Page 4). Allowable costs include salary support for graduate students or staff and supplies. Funds cannot be used for PI’s salary, travel, or equipment purchases greater than $5,000. Do not include F&A as this is already covered from the CoBRE grant.

4. Budget/Personnel justification

5. Biographical Sketch(es) of Pl and Key Personnel

6. Research Plan/Proposal (three-page limit including specific aims, significance, innovation, and research Strategy).

7. A one-page summary of outcomes of any previous award(s), including any publications and grants resulting from the award (only for previous awardees).

8. Bibliography using NIH citation style

9. NIH Human subjects research form, if applicable

10. Vertebrate animal justification and protection form, if applicable

11. Letters of support, if any

In addition, please observe the following:

• All figures and their lettering must be large enough to be clearly legible.

• Missing or inaccurate information may disqualify your application from consideration.

• IRB, IBC, and IACUC approvals must be secured prior to anticipated start date.

Evaluation: Grants will be awarded based upon the standard NIH criteria (Significance, Approach, Innovation, Investigator, Environment), the ability to expand novel research capabilities in the COBRE, and the potential for the data generated to support competitive proposals for extramural funding. The grants will be funded through a competitive review process.

Submission: Submit proposals by e-mail to Jennifer Henry (Jennifer.henry@und.edu) by 5 p.m. May 1, 2020. Awards are scheduled to begin July 1, 2020 and end on June 30, 2021.