Biomedical, Clinical & Life Sciences

No Applicants  // Limit: 1 // Tickets Available: 1 

NIGMS will accept only one MSTP application per institution.

The goal of the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) is to develop a diverse pool of well-trained clinician-scientist leaders available to address the nation’s biomedical research needs. Specifically, this funding announcement provides support to eligible, domestic organizations to develop and implement effective, evidence-informed approaches to dual-degree training and mentoring that will keep pace with the rapid evolution of the biomedical research enterprise and lead to the completion of both a clinical degree (for example, M.D., D.O., D.V.M., D.D.S., Pharm.D., etc.) and a research doctorate degree (Ph.D.).  

With the dual qualifications of a rigorous scientist and clinician, graduates will be equipped with the skills to develop research programs that accelerate the translation of research advances to the understanding, detection, treatment, and prevention of human disease, and to lead the advancement of biomedical research.  Areas of particular importance to NIGMS are optimizing training efficiency, fostering the persistence of alumni in research careers, and enhancing the diversity of the clinician-scientist workforce.  NIGMS expects that the proposed research training program will incorporate didactic, research, mentoring and career development elements to prepare trainees for careers that will have a significant impact on the health-related research needs of the nation.

This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) does not allow appointed Trainees to lead an independent clinical trial, but does allow them to obtain research experience in a clinical trial led by a mentor or co-mentor.

NIGMS allows multiple institutions to participate in a single MSTP application, where this may further advance the goals of the program.  A single contact institution would receive and administer the award.

The sponsoring institution must assure support for the proposed program. Appropriate institutional commitment to the program should be detailed in the Organizational Support Letter in the Letters of Support attachment. See the application instructions for the required Letters of Support instructions in Section IV.

As described in the instructions for the Training Program Director(s)/Principal Investigator(s) (PD(s)/PI(s)) in Section IV.2 below, NIGMS encourages multiple PDs/PIs, particularly when each brings a unique perspective and skill set that will enhance training. Note the following:

• To provide research training leadership for the program, at least one of the training PDs/PIs should have a record of using rigorous and transparent methods in experimental design, data collection, analysis, and reporting in a biomedical research field applicable to the program.
• Additional PDs/PIs may be included to strengthen the expertise of the PD/PI team. Examples include individuals such as program directors who regularly interact with students, or individuals with expertise in education, relevant social sciences, program evaluation, mentoring, or university administration. 

Any of the PDs/PIs may serve as the contact PD/PI. The contact PD/PI is expected to have a full-time appointment at the applicant organization unless extremely well-justified. If the full-time status of the contact PD/PI changes after the award, the organization must obtain prior program approval to appoint a new PD/PI or request a deviation from the full-time rule. The PD(s)/PI(s) will be responsible for:

• The overall direction, management, administration, and evaluation of the program.
• The day-to-day administration of the program, including direct involvement with trainees.
• The selection and appointment of trainees to the research training program.
• The selection of faculty mentors for the program, assessment of mentor performance, and ensuring the program deals appropriately with substandard mentor performance.
• Monitoring and assessing the program and submitting all documents and reports as required.
• Appointing members of the Advisory Committee (when applicable) and implementing their guidance as appropriate.

No Applicants  // Limit: 2* // Tickets Available: 2

*An eligible applicant may submit up to two LOIs for consideration, but only one (1) LOI may be selected.

Deadlines:

• Required Letter of Intent: May 28, 2024
• Invited Full Proposal: Sep. 6, 2024

The Military Health System Research Program (MHSRP) provides research grants on topic areas directed by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs (OASD (HA)) and the Leadership of the Defense Health Agency (DHA). The intent of MHSR is to foster research capability and capacity that supports the Military Health System (MHS) as a learning health system and to mature as an integrated health system focused on Ready Reliable Care that improves outcomes for patients, staff, and the enterprise.

The MHSRP funds research that examines factors that affect the enterprise in terms of economics/cost, quality, outcomes, variation, policies, and how they impact health readiness. The goal is to identify and characterize the factors that influence the efficiency and effectiveness of MHS care delivery. Knowledge obtained from this research should support evidence-based policy and decision-making at the strategic and front-line levels. This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) seeks rigorous collaborative health system research that has the potential to innovate military and civilian health care. The goal is to enhance data-driven evidence that optimizes the MHS delivery of health care and improves the health of beneficiaries. This NOFO is intended to solicit Intramural and Extramural Military Health System Research aligned with DHA priority research areas.

Areas of Interest:

Research must examine the organization, delivery, and financial cost of healthcare, producing evidence that impacts policy and decision-making within the MHS. The research must enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the MHS to be considered for funding. The research aims should address at least one of the Priority Topic Area(s).

a. Economics and Cost: Research on the factors that shape the MHS cost, drive demand and utilization, and influence cost in either TRICARE direct or purchased care systems; issues related to efficiency, effectiveness, value and behavior in the production, and utilization health care in terms of costs, charges, and expenditures; the impact of technologies on care delivery and cost; and the impact of workforce, recruitment, and retention of medical personnel. Research that delineates value-based care within the MHS in both purchased and direct care; pre- and post- studies to evaluate the impact of the structure of the TRICARE contract on patient care.

b. Quality - Research which examines the degree to which health services for individuals and populations are safe, effective, patient-centered, timely, efficient, and equitable with the outcome of increasing the likelihood of improved health. The impact of standardizing clinical practice through clinical practice guidelines, evidence-based practices, and process improvements, on the health of the population/sub-population.

c. Outcomes - Health outcome research identifies and measures the factors which impact a population of patients at the enterprise, geographic market level, or sub-population levels; examines the system level factors which influence achievement of the Quadruple Aim “better health” in comparison to private sector efforts. Health outcomes research incorporates clinical outcomes, financial impact, patient health, quality of life, and measurement of indicators that predict results important to patients and patient experience.

d. Variation - Studies that examine the factors that influence unwarranted variation or differences in quality, utilization, cost, or outcomes within the MHS and the implications to the enterprise as a system of system of care.

e. Health Readiness - Burden of disease and associated health and risk factors within the MHS populations that effect Active Duty Service Members ability to deploy. Implications of disease burden as an indicator of medical readiness, potential impact to staffing, network utilization, and cost for direct care and/or purchased care.

f. Health System - Research related to the impact of the significant changes in policy or structure of the MHS on health care cost, quality, utilization, health outcomes, manpower/staffing, or health care readiness. Comparisons to between direct and purchased care, or care within the private sector, and includes measurement of the impact of policy changes to the TRICARE benefit structure on utilization and cost.

The proposals must emphasize one of the listed Clinical Priority Areas:
a. Cardiovascular Health
b. Women’s Health
c. Primary Care
d. Specialty Care
e. Sensory Health
f. Dental Care
g. Surgical Care
h. Telehealth
i. Nutritional Care

LOIs and Full Proposals for this funding opportunity may be submitted by investigators, uniformed or civilian staff who work for DoD or non-DoD organizations, as defined below. DHA encourages applications from Minority Serving Institutions (MSI) that include Historically Black Colleges and Universities and others as defined at: https://www.doi.gov/pmb/eeo/doi-minority-serving-institutionsprogram.

a. Extramural Organization: An eligible non-DoD organization. Examples of extramural organizations include academic institutions, nonprofit organizations, and other federal government organizations (other than DoD). • Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) are not eligible to directly receive awards under this NOFO. However, teaming arrangements between FFRDCs and eligible organizations are allowed if permitted under the sponsoring agreement between the federal government and the specific FFRDC. • Government agencies within the US: Local, state, and non-DoD federal government agencies are eligible to the extent that proposals do not overlap with their fully-funded internal programs. Such agencies are required to explain how their proposals do not overlap with their internal programs.

b. Intramural DoD Organization: A facility or group of facilities owned, leased, or otherwise used by Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Military Departments, the Defense Agencies, and all other organizational entities within the DoD; to include DoD laboratories, DoD MTFs, and/or DoD activities embedded within a civilian medical center.

No Applicants // Limit: 1 // Tickets Available: 1 

Only one application per Institution (normally identified by having a unique entity identifier (UEI) or NIH IPH number) is allowed; however, that institution may also participate as partner via a sub-award or associate program through applications submitted by other institutions.

NIEHS invites applications for cooperative agreements to support the development and delivery of model programs for the training and education of workers engaged in activities related to hazardous materials and waste generation, removal, containment, transportation, and emergency response. This funding opportunity announcement aims to use safety and health training to prevent and reduce work-related harm. The training programs will provide skills and knowledge to workers on how best to identify and protect themselves and their communities from exposure to hazardous materials encountered during hazardous waste operations, hazardous materials transportation, environmental restoration of contaminated facilities, and emergency response. A variety of industry sites, such as those involved with hazardous waste cleanup, remedial action, and transportation-related emergency response may pose severe health and safety concerns to workers and the surrounding communities. These sites contain many hazardous substances, sometimes unknown, and a site maybe uncontrolled. A major goal of the Worker Training Program (WTP) is to support institutional competency-building for the development and delivery of model training and education programs.

Renewal application budgets are not limited but need to reflect the actual needs of the proposed project.  A new applicant that has never received funding under previous announcements may request a budget for direct costs of up to $700,000 for the first year.

Indirect Costs (also known as Facilities & Administrative [F&A] Costs) are reimbursed at 8% of modified total direct costs.

Limit: 5 // Tickets Available: 4

Robert Ferrando (Applied Mathematics)

The Travel Grants Program is open to Ph.D. students doing research that requires facilities or expertise not available in their home country.

The program has two calls annually, each supporting 10 awards.

The awards are for $6,000 each.

The trips will be only to a higher education, or a research facility in the U.S.A. (for Israelis) or Israel (for U.S. students).

The program will not support participation in conferences, or trips by very early/late-stage Ph.D. students.

Each trip will be for a maximum length of 2 months.
The awards must be utilized within 1 year of BSF notification.
Applications for trips that have already occurred will not be accepted.

The BSF will only accept applications that are in the scientific fields it supports in its regular research grant program. 

• Biomedical Engineering
• Life Sciences
• Medicine
• Psychobiology
• Exact and Physical Sciences
• Social Sciences

Eligibility:

• Applicants must be U.S. or Israeli citizens.
• The applicant, rather than his or her thesis advisor, must write the application.
• Applicants must be conducting supervised research towards a PhD in an accredited higher education institution, or in a non-profit research institution (government or other, including hospitals).
• Submitting an application before the PhD research program/plan is formally approved by the university is not recommended.
• Students in their last year of PhD studies are not eligible to submit applications to the program.
• Applicants must be 35 years old or younger.
• Israeli and American students doing research in the other country are not eligible to apply.
• A student who was previously awarded a grant in this program is not allowed to submit again.
• A student who was turned down may resubmit an application after 12 months, but only after receiving an approval from the BSF office. This approval will be given if an examination of the original submission will indicate that a resubmission has a good chance to succeed, for example if the application was submitted too early in the PhD study, and was otherwise excellent.

No Applicants  // Limit: 1 // Tickets Available: 1

 Each invited institution may only submit one application to the program which meets the eligibility requirements for the 2025 Grant Cycle. Applicants must be full-time faculty at an invited non-profit academic, medical, non-governmental or research institutions. United States citizenship is not required. Junior faculty are encouraged to apply. 

 The Harold S. Geneen Charitable Trust Awards Program for Coronary Heart Disease Research supports research in the prevention of coronary heart disease or circulatory failure and improving care for patients with these medical conditions. The program focuses on basic and translational scientific research. Clinical studies are currently ineligible. 

In accordance with Mr. Geneen’s directives, the program seeks to establish “…a more direct and personalized relationship with grant recipients than is normally possible in dealing with the diffuse and bureaucratic administrations through which large organizations are managed…and to support smaller institutions rather than major universities or medical complexes which have a demonstrated capacity to raise funds from the public generally.” Thus, eligible institutions represent mid-size institutions conducting relevant and innovative cardiovascular research. 

Applications examining the intersection of coronary heart disease and/or congestive heart failure and COVID-19 or similar viral illnesses are highly encouraged to apply. 

Eligibility 

Each invited institution may submit a single application from a full-time faculty member. United States citizenship is not required. To encourage the support of junior faculty, applicants are ineligible if at the time of application, they have combined federal and non-federal funding totaling $500,000 or more in direct costs during the first year of the Geneen Award. This figure refers to external funding only and not an applicant’s start-up package, other intramural support, or the Geneen Award itself. Applicants may hold a K Award or be in the R00 phase of a K99/R00 as long as those award amounts, combined with other funding, do not exceed these specified limits. 

Pending Federal and Non-Federal Support 

Applicants who have pending R01s or other large applications to the NIH and other agencies are encouraged to submit proposals to the Geneen Trust. Notification of funding after the application date will not impact eligibility for a Geneen Award. However, it is the responsibility of applicants to contact GeneenAwards@hria.org as soon as they are notified of any new funding. 

Review Criteria 

• The proposed research has the potential to improve the prevention and treatment of coronary heart disease or circulatory failure (understanding, prevention/treatment). 

• Hypothesis and Research Aims are clearly stated, based on sound precedents, and supported by relevant literature and preliminary data (if applicable). 

• Objectives that are well thought out, realistic, and technically feasible. 

• Research methodology, data collection, and data analyses are appropriate, thorough, well-specified and appropriate to the proposal’s aims. 

• The research project is of high quality and originality. 

• The timeline and budget align with a scope of work that can be completed within a two-year timeframe. 

• The applicant is qualified and supports the conduct of an innovative and successful research project. The research award would positively impact the development of the applicant’s cardiovascular research program. 

In order for the Harold S. Geneen Charitable Trust (the “Funder”) and Health Resources in Action (the “Administrator”) to carry out our legal responsibilities, we must ask the award recipient (the “Recipient”) and the Recipient’s institution (the “Institution”) as identified in the Application to read and acknowledge this award agreement (the “Agreement”) for Recipient’s proposed project submitted to the Administrator (the “Project”). The Agreement specifies the Recipient’s and Institution’s obligations for the duration of this award as identified above. 

Award Amount and Funding Period: Awards are made according to the stated schedule. Recipients may postpone the start date for up to three (3) months without an approval, but the revised date must be noted either on the signature page of this Agreement or by an email notification to the Administrator. Longer delays must be approved by the Administrator. A delayed start date will not reduce the total award period but will adjust the schedule out to include the entire period. 

Awards are made to non-profit academic, medical, non-governmental or research institutions within the United States on behalf of the Recipients. The Institution is responsible for the administrative and financial management of the Project, including any subcontracts, and maintaining adequate supporting records and receipts of expenditures. 

Limit:1 // SF-Wung (College of Nursing)

One application per institution (normally identified by having a unique DUNS number or NIH IPF number) is allowed. This FOA seeks to support programs that include innovative approaches to enhance biomedical engineering (BME) designeducation to ensure a future workforce that can meet the nation’s needs in biomedical research and healthcare technologies.

Applications are encouraged from institutions that propose to establish new or to enhance existing team-based design courses orprograms in undergraduate biomedical engineering departments or other degree-granting programs with biomedical engineeringtracks/minors. This FOA targets the education of undergraduate biomedical engineering/bioengineering students in a team-basedenvironment. Health equity and universal design topics must be integrated throughout the educational activities. While current bestpractices such as multidisciplinary/interdisciplinary education, introduction to the regulatory pathway and other issues related tothe commercialization of medical devices, and clinical immersion remain encouraged components of a strong BME program, thisFOA also challenges institutions to propose other novel, innovative and/or ground-breaking activities that can form the basis of thenext generation of biomedical engineering design education.

No Applicants // Limit: 1 // Tickets Available: 1 

The purpose of this Centers program is to bring together basic and clinical investigators to enhance communication, multidisciplinary collaboration, and effectiveness of ongoing research in Diabetes Research Center topic areas. By providing shared access to specialized technical resources (research cores) and supporting a Pilot and Feasibility Program (P&F), DRCs are intended to create an environment that provides the capability for accomplishments greater than those that would be possible by individual research project grant support alone. New Center programs that bring in diverse perspectives, propose unique scientific themes, or provide innovative resources are encouraged. Emphasis will be placed on Center programs that propose enhanced synergies with other NIDDK-funded programs as well as providing a rich mentoring environment for future diabetes researchers.

This NOFO requires a Plan for Enhancing Diverse Perspectives (PEDP), which will be assessed as part of the scientific and technical peer review evaluation. 

No Applicants // Limit: 1 // Tickets Available: 1 

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is designed to support highly integrated research teams of three to six Program Directors/Principal Investigators (PDs/PIs) to address ambitious and challenging research questions that are within the mission of NIGMS. Project goals should not be achievable with a collection of individual efforts or projects. Collaborative program teams are expected to accomplish goals that require considerable synergy and managed team interactions. Teams are encouraged to consider far-reaching objectives that will produce major advances in their fields.

This FOA is not intended for applications that are mainly focused on the creation, expansion, and/or maintenance of community resources, creation of new technologies, or infrastructure development.

No Applicants   // Limit: 1 // Tickets Available: 1 

The four-year RHRC Program awards will support research centers with specific rural health research areas of concentration. The topic(s) of concentration must relate to policy issues intended to inform the improvement of health care in rural areas. The topic(s) of concentration must also be of enduring interest and importance to rural providers, rural stakeholders, policymakers, and/or rural communities. RHRC recipients will conduct policy-oriented health services research. In addition to primary and secondary research, the applicant may conduct literature syntheses and update existing research to produce timely and relevant information. 

You may apply for either the:

(1) RHRC Program (base award of up to $700,000 per year for 4 years) alone; or
(2) RHRC Program (base award of up to $700,000 per year for 4 years) and Optional RHRC Supplement (of up to $250,000) awarded no more than once per year for each year of the 4-year period of performance.

Limit: 3 nominations per department.

• A. Favela  (School of Plant Sciences)
• R. Shomer  (School of Plant Sciences)
• M. Corty (Neuroscience)
• M.  Wohlgemuth (Neuroscience)
• S. He (Systems & Industrial Engineering)
• T. Lawson (DPS, College of Education)
• F. Willomitzer (College of Optical Sciences)

The Sloan Research Fellowships seek to stimulate fundamental research by early-career scientists and scholars of outstanding promise.

Successful candidates for a Fellowship generally have a strong record of significant independent research accomplishments that demonstrate creativity and the potential to become future leaders in the scientific community. Nominated candidates are normally several years past the completion of their Ph.D. in order to accumulate a competitive record of independent, significant research. The Fellowship amount is $75,000 for a two-year term.

Eligibility:

• Candidates must hold a Ph.D. or equivalent degree in chemistry, computer science, Earth system science, economics, mathematics, neuroscience, physics, or a related field.
• Candidates must be tenure-track, though untenured, as of September 15 of the nomination year.
• Candidate’s faculty position must carry a regular teaching obligation.

*Due to the competitive nature of this funding program, the internal competition is run based on the anticipated September 15, 2024 nomination deadline.