Overview

The UAB Comprehensive Cardiovascular Center and UAB Microbiome Center are pleased to announce a joint RFA to fund pilot research that broadly focuses on the impact of the microbiome on cardiovascular biology and disease. We anticipate funding one pilot grant with clear translational relevance, a mandated requirement for this RFA. Funds should be used to generate key preliminary data and/or to develop new areas of research. Funding that continues ongoing projects will not be considered.

Interdisciplinary multi-PI projects that link basic and clinical or population investigators and have advanced beyond the first stages of planning are especially welcome and should be designed to generate sufficient data for use in extramural funding applications, including large programmatic grants (e.g., R01, DoD, PPG, P50, U54) including projects that are responsive to an upcoming/issued RFA or will enhance likelihood of continued extramural P30/P50/P60 support. Applications from PIs from multiple schools are also highly encouraged.

If funded, the proposed start date of the Joint Pilot grant will be June 1, 2022. One pilot project with a budget not exceeding a total of $50,000 will be awarded based on merit of the application. Awards are not renewable. Half the budget will be allocated at the outset of the award. Awardees will be required to present at the next annual UAB Comprehensive Cardiovascular Center Symposium and/or the UAB Microbiome Center Symposium as well as provide an interim and one-year final report on accomplishments. 

Key Dates

January 7, 2022: RFA Announcement
March 1, 2022: Pre-proposal deadline
April 1, 2022: Successful finalists notified and full proposal & presentation requested
April 29, 2022: Full proposal deadline
May 10, 2022: Finalist presentations given
June 1, 2022: Funding start date 

Eligibility and Expectations

1. Open to all UAB faculty members, Assistant Professor and higher.CCVC/MC Steering Committee members are not allowed to be listed as the PI.
2. Projects can be basic, translational, clinical, or population science, or a combination (i.e. basic-clinical, basic-population, etc.). This RFA is specifically soliciting innovative and high-impact science. Preference will be given to interdisciplinary team-based proposals including investigators from two or more schools or departments.
3. Applications that are extensions of currently funded research will not be considered. A statement describing both how this application differs from currently funded projects as well as how it has translational relevance should be included.
4. Require IRB and/or IACUC protocol submission prior to the funding start date (as applicable).
5. Selected pilot projects are expected to lead to the submission of an extramural NIH or equivalent grant application within 12 months of pilot project expiration.

Application Information

1. A two-page pre-proposal should be submitted by March 1, 2022 at 5pm (CT) and should include: title of proposal; names of the PI and applicants; a brief statement of goals; how the proposed research addresses a significant basic science, critical population, or clinical issue related to the microbiome and cardiovascular disease, translational relevance, and plans for a subsequent application for extramural funding.
2. NIH bio-sketch of the principal investigator(s) should be submitted.
3. PIs of the most meritorious pre-proposals will be notified by April 1, 2022 and the full proposal will be due by 5 PM on April 29, 2022. The full application must include, in the following order:
- Project title and summary describing the potential translational implications of the project and list of all participants, their expertise and contributions to the project, ( < 1 pg.).
- NIH bio-sketches for each proposed faculty participant ( < 5 pg. per investigator).
- Budget and justification, including description of management of the project, ( < 2 pg.), along with the source and extent of any matching funds and other available resources.
- Scientific overview of project: hypotheses, aims, significance, innovation, and approach (  < 4 pg.).
- Timeline for milestones & deliverables, with a clear plan for how the funds will directly lead to the targeted NIH (or other) grant mechanism ( < 1/2 pg.).

Finalist presentations before the joint CCVC and MC Steering Committees will be on May 10, 2022, prior to award selection.

Application Instructions

Applications must be submitted electronically in a single PDF to CCVC Administration (CCVC@uabmc.edu) by 5:00pm CT on March 1, 2022 (pre-proposal) and May 1, 2022 (final proposal). Applications may use the NIH PHS 398 forms for the cover page, key personnel, budget, budget justification, and the 5-page NIH bio-sketch with other support for all key personnel. Applications must use Arial 11-point font with 0.5-inch margins. Faculty salary, travel, or publication costs are not allowed. Applications that are not formatted as described will not be reviewed.