A sixth year of funding has been announced for the Research Enhancement Program (REP). This program is designed to strengthen the University's performance as a nationally recognized research university, as described in the Strategic Action Plan, and is intended to contribute toward developing research themes for the University that are consistent with an emphasis on the urban mission and a global presence. A total of $1.5 million is available to support approximately 3 to 5 awards.
President Reid has designated a portion of this year's REP funds to support interdisciplinary projects related to urban health. This program's research focus demonstrates the University's institutional commitment to the underlying philosophy of the institutional Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) proposal to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which is to bring basic science findings to answer clinical problems and to draw on clinical experience to frame basic science investigation in the context of urban health. This theme encompasses a broad range of potential approaches and disciplines necessary to achieve an authentic change in urban health, including disciplines traditionally not associated with urban health as well as those already engaged.
The University expects this investment to enhance the University's progress toward developing our institutional award to the NIH (see http://www.ctsa.wayne.edu/ and http://www.ctsaweb.org/) and to help build an academic environment that will increase the efficiencies and speed of clinical and translational research by creating an infrastructure that fosters interdisciplinary research and enhances training of the next generation of biomedical scientists. The program also is designed to continue building strengths in research on disparate outcomes in disease prevention and cure, experienced among different ethnic, cultural and socio-economic groups, as well as research directed toward improving the health of children.
The proposed research projects related to urban health will join together researchers who bring knowledge from their respective disciplines to work on a common problem; therefore, projects must be multidisciplinary. Multi-institutional research teams with at least one WSU faculty member (see further below for a list of institutions currently participating in the planning of the CTSA proposal, which are eligible to participate in the initiative) and research groups who have received prior REP funding are especially encouraged to apply. Research teams may propose to analyze a problem from many different perspectives and resolve it across a variety of domains such as biological, psychological, social/environmental, and community and policy. The projects should provide an opportunity for graduate students to bridge between different scientific laboratories, and develop research in the interstices of multi-disciplinary investigation.
Proposed projects need to support the long-term goals of the University's CTSA proposal: (1) to foster and optimize multidisciplinary clinical and translational research at WSU, its affiliates and collaborating institutions elsewhere in Michigan; and (2) to develop a true academic home for clinical and translational research that will impact the healthcare of the citizens of the United States. Implicit in undertaking this planning process is the willingness to acknowledge and overcome roadblocks at all levels of our institution that are inherent to making the organizational and cultural changes necessary to build on the strong and extensive foundations in clinical and translational research that are already in place at WSU.
A pre-proposal meeting will be held on Tuesday November 6, 9:00 - 11:00 a.m., Student Center Building, second floor, Hilberry A-B. Visitor parking is available at structures 2 and 5, both on Anthony Wayne Drive and Kirby - go to http://www.campusmap.wayne.edu/ to access WSU's campus map - for $3.50 per car to be paid at the gate. During this meeting, an overview of the funding guidelines will be provided and Michael Diamond, M.D., Principal Investigator of WSU's CTSA planning proposal and Hilary Ratner, Ph.D., Co-Investigator, will provide short presentations on the CTSA and the availability of university services and resources. Potential applicants, from both WSU and partnering institutions, are highly encouraged to attend. An important aspect of this meeting is to allow potential applicants to share their research areas and expertise needs, resulting in possible collaborations.
Please note: the Pilot and Collaborative Translational and Clinical Research (PCTCR) program is a companion initiative to this program, which will also support projects relevant to clinical and translational science. The PCTCR awards will likely support projects involving work smaller in scope, new investigative teams, or riskier projects than those funded by this REP. To access the announcement for PCTCR, please go to http://www.ctsa.wayne.edu/pilot.php.
Additional information includes:
• The period of funding will last for 18 months, starting approximately in May 2008.
• It is anticipated that 3 to 5 proposals will be funded.
• Eligible Principal Investigators can be from institutions other than WSU; however, one of the Co-PI's must be a WSU faculty member.
• Groups who have been funded through prior Research Enhancement Programs can apply.
• Successful applicants will be expected to participate in information-sharing.
• The research proposal may request funding for the use of core services or resources at the University (see www.research.wayne.edu for a list of services and resources).
Participating institutions on WSU's CTSA planning proposal include:
• Crittenton Hospital and Medical Center
• Detroit Medical Center
• Henry Ford Health Systems
• Oakwood Healthcare System
• Providence Hospital and Medical Center
• St. John Hospital and Medical Center
• St. Joseph Mercy Oakland
• William Beaumont Hospital
• John D. Dingell VA Medical Center
University of Windsor
See http://www.ctsa.wayne.edu/collaborations.php for links to institution web sites.
The assessment of submissions will proceed in three phases as follows:
Phase 1: Principal Investigators should e-mail a Letter of Intent (LOI) to the Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) to sjames@wayne.edu.
The LOI should be limited to three-to-four pages in which the following are summarized: (1) research objectives and plan, (2) participating faculty, (3) budget in the form of a spreadsheet (maximum 18-month budget), (4) potential external funding sources and timeline for submitting proposals to these sources, and (5) potential of the project to enhance graduate programs and institutional reputation. Biosketches (not to exceed four pages) of the participating faculty should be appended. LOI's and biosketches are due by e-mail attachment in one bookmarked pdf document no later than 5:00 PM on December 3, 2007.
Phase 2: An advisory committee consisting of faculty from the biomedical and life sciences, nursing, engineering and representatives from the Office of the Vice President from Research will evaluate the LOI's on the following criteria:
− Relevance of project to intent of REP
− Significance of project
− Demonstrated excellence of the participating faculty
− Clarity and viability of research plan
− Appropriate use of multidisciplinary teams
− Potential for advancing knowledge in the field
− Potential for securing external funding opportunities
− Timeliness of external fund solicitations
− Contributions toward advancing graduate programs, research experiences for undergraduates, and institutional reputation.
Inclusion of post-doctorates and GRAs in the budget is encouraged.
Investigators will be selected from the Letters of Intent to develop full proposals. This initial review will be completed by December 21, 2007 and investigators will be notified shortly thereafter.
Phase 3: Complete proposals including summary, narrative, and full budget will be due in PDF format to the OVPR by e-mail (sjames@wayne.edu) no later than 5:00 PM on March 3, 2008. Proposals require the approval of all deans of the faculty involved. External reviews will be solicited to assess scientific merit, likelihood of external funding and other criteria for final award decisions. Award recipients will be informed by the Office of the President no later than April 21, 2008. Funding will be contingent upon the availability of funds at that time; however, the President's commitment is to give a high priority to the support of research even in difficult financial times.
We look forward to receiving your Letters of Intent!
Irvin D. Reid, President
Nancy S. Barrett, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs