The USC Alzheimer Disease Research Center (ADRC) is pleased to announce an invitation to clinical and basic science USC faculty to submit applications for a 1-year development project (DP), due October 27, 2025.
The ADRC encourages clinical and basic science investigators to propose innovative projects that advance understanding of factors modifying the effects of APOE ε4 on cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) biomarkers. Proposals should bring forward new basic, clinical, and psychosocial approaches that inform disease pathogenesis, prevention, and treatment of early cognitive impairment in humans and animal models, with strong emphasis on translational and intervention strategies from pre-clinical models to early phase trials.
The Development Project is primarily designed for three categories of investigators: 1) junior USC faculty member – instructor or assistant professor or 2) post-doctoral students at USC with an identified mentor. The mentor should have active funding and a potential plan to support the postdoc in career development. A project may also be awarded to a 3) more senior USC investigator who has experience in areas other than AD research, but who wishes to work in the AD research field or to test a new hypothesis, method, or approach that is not an extension of ongoing AD research.
2025 Timetable
| Before Monday, October 27, 2025 | Consult with the ADRC Data Core statistician to ensure the scientific rigor of the proposed study design and statistical methods. |
| Monday, October 27, 2025 | Applications due. Please submit an NIH biosketch and 3-Page proposal. Include the title of study, investigator(s), ADRC collaborator/sponsor, scientific rationale, specific aims, methodology, study duration. Also include a proposed budget and justification for the direct costs. Post docs need to include a mentor letter, with mentor active funding information and a brief plan to develop the career of the post doc. |
| Monday, November 17, 2025 | Announcement of Finalists. |
| Monday, December 15, 2025 | Final version of Finalist’s proposal due. |
| Monday, March 2, 2026 | First amount awarded. |
| Tuesday, September 8, 2026 | Second amount awarded, contingent on satisfactory progress report. |