Resources for Investigators
Pilot Projects '
CURRENT RFP DEADLINE FOR LETTER OF INTENT: MONDAY OCTOBER 22, 2012
ADRC PILOT PRESENTATIONS AND ROUND-TABLE Q & A FOR ALL INTERESTED APPLICANTS: THURSDAY OCTOBER 4, 2012
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD RFP AND SCHEDULE HERE
Research Themes
ADRC Organization (6 Cores)
Pilot Projects
Request to use ADRC Resources
Opportunity Each year, the ADRC will select and fund two to three pilot projects. Level of funding is no more than $30,000 direct costs per year (April 1 to March 31).
Theme Reducing Alzheimer and Vascular Contributions to Cognitive Impairment in Diverse Populations
Purpose Pilot projects may meet one of more of the following objectives:
- foster new investigators with interests in cognitive impairment by providing funds to gather preliminary data,
- attract established investigator in non-AD area to become involved in dementia research,
- develop pilot or preliminary data for R01 (e.g., assess feasibility of a study or a method in a small sample, before proposing a more definitive study in a large sample).
Project Design Interested investigators are encouraged to work closely with an ADRC Core or Project Leader in designing a pilot project. In addition, the ADRC biostatisticians (Drs. Mack or Zheng) must be involved early in the design of ADRC pilot projects or use of the ADRC database. Interested investigators are invited to attend an ADRC workshop in September, 2009, where they will have an opportunity to meet the Core and project leaders.
Review There is a two-step process for selecting pilot projects: first a preliminary review by the ADRC Executive Committee, followed by a second level outside review (i.e., a committee to review pilot grant applications comprising scientists from outside the ADRC often from our external advisory committee). The same criteria will be applied at both review steps: 1) scientific merit (significance, innovation, feasibility), 2) investigator (potential, expertise), 3) likelihood of leading to R01 or other external source; 4) relation to ADRC theme or use of Core resources. Each of these areas is rated on the NIH scale1-5 (1=outstanding, 2=excellent, 3=good, 4= less than average, 5=poor).
Timetable (sample)
|
Date |
Deliverable |
Responsible Party |
|
July 1, 2009 |
RFP for pilot proposal drafted and circulated to Executive Committee. |
Chui/Finch/Munoz |
|
August 1 |
RFP circulated to USC research community |
Munoz |
|
August 15 |
RFP recirculated to USC research community |
Munoz |
|
September 1 |
1 page description (500 word abstract) & 4-page NIH biosketch due to etaylor@usc.edu |
Applicant investigators |
|
September 12 |
Executive committee selects the top 3-5 proposals for further development and invites oral presentation to Executive Committee |
Executive Committee |
|
October 6 |
3-5 page pilot proposal due. |
Applicant investigators |
|
October 10 |
Oral presentation to Executive Committee. Review of statistics and experimental design. External advisors selected. |
Applicant investigators & Executive Committee |
|
October 20 |
Revised 3-5 page pilot project due. |
External reviewers |
|
October 27 |
Pilot Project sent out to external advisors |
Munoz |
|
|
External reviewers return ratings and recommendations |
External reviewers |
|
November 14 |
Executive Committee selects final 2-3 pilots. |
Executive committee |
|
December 15 |
Second revision of 3-5 page pilot and budget due. |
Investigator |
|
January 15, 2010 |
Final pilot project and budget due |
Investigators |
|
February 1 |
Pilot proposal submitted to NIA with non-competing renewal |
H Chui/E Munoz |
|
February March |
IRB submission by pilot investigators |
Applicant |
|
April 1, 2010 to March 31, 2011 |
Pilot project Funding Period |
|
|
June, July |
Oral progress report due |
Applicant |
|
January, 2011 |
Written progress report due to NIA |
Applicant |
The Executive Committee will request a status report on each approved proposal at six-month intervals. Investigators must agree to submit abstracts and manuscripts for review by the Executive Committee, to acknowledge NIA funding (P30 AG01542), and to submit accepted manuscripts to PubMed Central.
ADRC Bioenergetics and Cognition Workshop
The USC CTSI sponsors a biannual Research Development program (headed by Ed Gompertz at CHLA) which features workshops around focused themes, with the intent of generating new research partnerships and novel ideas. For example, we will collaborate with CTSI to offer such a workshop with theme(s) around ADRC-identified themes. Presenters will include our current project and pilot project investigators, and others. The timing of this workshop will coincide with the release of our RFA for pilot projects.