Each year the Boston Obesity Nutrition Research Center (BONRC) funds pilot
projects for research related to obesity, weight regulation, metabolic
function, and nutrition. BONRC is a collaborative, multi-institutional
center supported by a grant from the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive
and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). Investigators at institutions anywhere in
the greater Boston area are invited to apply.
Aims of the Program
Eligibility
Availability of Funds
Maximum Award
Application Process
Review of Applications
Responsibility of Awardee
Call for Letters of Intent
The Pilot and Feasibility program provides funding on a competitive basis for new investigators or those with novel ideas in the area of obesity research. The goals of the program are: 1) to support new investigators beginning research in obesity; and 2) to encourage established investigators to pursue new avenues of obesity research. The awards are made with the expectation that the preliminary research supported by the pilot will lead to applications for additional external funding. The Pilot and Feasibility Studies contribute to the Center's success and ongoing funding by providing the foundation upon which larger research projects are funded.
Faculty and senior post-doctoral scientists throughout the Boston area are eligible. Applicants must belong to one of the following categories:
- New scientists without previous or current NIH research grants (R01, R29, or P01) or equivalent support. Recipients of T32, F32, K08, K23 or R03 funding are eligible for this category.
- Established investigators not currently working in the area of obesity or nutrition who propose to study a problem in these areas.
- Established investigators in obesity or nutrition who propose an innovative project that is a substantial departure from previous areas of study.
Individuals are eligible to receive
pilot and feasibility funding for one or two years, but
may only be funded once in a five year Center funding cycle.
Funds may be used
for salaries, supplies, subject stipends,
patient care costs and travel. The purchase
of any major equipment must be approved
in advance by the Executive Committee.
Pilot investigators are encouraged to
make use of the available Core facilities
as they pertain to the goals of the research
project.
The maximum award
is $15,000 per year (direct cost only).
This amount may vary if the Center's current
level of funding changes.
The Center requires
an initial Letter of Intent describing
the proposed research to pre-screen applications
for eligibility and scientific merit.
Letters of Intent are reviewed by the
Center's Executive Committee. Those investigators
whose proposals are judged to be eligible
and relevant to the Center's goals are
asked to submit a full application which
describes the specific aims and methods
of the research. Announcements requesting
letters of intent are distributed electronically
to the Center's research base as well
as the Center's
general email distribution list. Please
check with the Center's Administrator
for additional information regarding submission
dates.
All full applications
will be reviewed by a Review Committee
appointed by the BONRC Executive Committee.
Recommendations of the Review Committee
will be reviewed by the Executive Committee,
who will make the final funding decisions.
Application review criteria include (1)
scientific excellence and importance,
(2) innovation, (3) relevance to the programmatic
goals of BONRC, (4) eligibility category
of applicant (from list above), (5) applicant's
productivity and promise, and (6) likelihood
that the project will lead directly to
additional outside funding (e.g. from
NIH or NSF).
A final written
progress report must be submitted to the
Executive Committee within 60 days of
the close of the final project period.
In addition, the pilot study investigator
must submit a brief progress report prior
to the Center's annual progress report.
Publications or grant awards that result
from a pilot project must be reported
to the BONRC Administrative Office. In
addition, pilot project investigators
should cite support from the Center (P30
DK46200) in any published articles directly
related to the pilot project. Pilot project
recipients are expected to present their
research at Center sponsored seminars
and committee meetings.
The Boston Obesity Center's next competitive cycle for Pilot and Feasibility funding will begin in December 2008 for funding in April 2009. A Call for Letters of Intent will be distributed electronically via email to BONRC members, participants in the Adipocyte Core's Adipose & Metabolic Tissue Study Group and anyone included on the Center's general distribution list. Please see the document below for additional information about the Pilot and Feasibilty program.
Frequently Asked Questions
|
