2021 BHI-CAHBIR Pilot Grant RFP (submission deadline: April 16, 2021, 5 PM)

Objectives – (i) to promote the use of the new Center for Advanced Human Brain Imaging Research (CAHBIR) facility on Busch campus in Piscataway opening June 1, 2021, and (ii) to collect robust preliminary human brain imaging data to develop extramural grant applications.

Human Brain Imaging Core facility capabilities– A state-of-the-art research-dedicated 3T Siemens Prisma scanner with 64 and 20 channel head/neck coils, MRI-compatible visual/auditory stimulation and behavior/physiological response equipment, mock scanner and a contrast agent injector. The core facility will also provide expert technical support to users with all levels of experience. For additional info about facility capabilities, please contact Dr. David Zald, the Director of CAHBIR (dz268@rbhs.rutgers.edu).

Number of one-year grants available: Up to 9 awards of up to $50,000 each are available. Because of the sources of funding for this program, these grants are only available to full-time tenure track or tenured faculty at RU-NB and RBHS.

Application format and budget preparation:  All applications should be formatted as an R21 NIH style application (1 page Specific Aims and 6 pages for the Research Plan).  Include Literature Cited, and sections on Protections for Human Subjects and Inclusion of Women, Minorities, and Children. Also include Budget, Budget Justification and NIH Biosketches for all key personnel.  Within the Research Plan under the Innovation section please describe explicitly how the pilot funding will promote new collaborations and/or new projects. The application should be single-spaced, and use font/size Arial 11 with 0.5 inch page margins.  All applications must include the Cover page (Title, co-PI’s, institutions, etc.) and the Submission Check List (Click here for Application Cover Page).  The application should be combined into one PDF document with the Cover page in the front and submitted via e-mail to bhi@ca.rutgers.edu .

RAPSS submission and IRB approvals are not required at the time of initial grant application submission; however, awardees will have to submit these items before the funds from the grant award are disbursed.

Applicants should work with CAHBIR to develop the budget. Up to $30,000 is set aside for scanning fees (at a rate of $500/hr). Up to $20,000 in addition can be provided to the awardee and used for CAHBIR technical support fees, participant recruitment costs, and partial support of research personnel (post-doc, graduate students, research coordinator) specifically involved in the grant project. No overhead costs, PI salaries or equipment purchases are allowed.

The principal investigators of meritorious applications, selected from the scientific review, will be asked to submit and obtain IRB approval for the proposed pilot project within four months of being informed of the scientific review results. Only applications that obtain IRB approvals within the four-month deadline will be awarded the pilot funds. It will be important to begin the IRB application and submission process as soon as your project is selected and respond in a timely manner to address issues raised by the IRB.  Contacting CAHBIR staff prior to preparing the pilot application will also be important to determine if the planned studies can be executed at the core facility.

Review process: All grants will undergo a dual stage review process, organized by BHI/CAHBIR. They will have an initial external review to judge scientific quality and be assigned a priority score by external reviewers (similar to NIH study section review). They then will be reviewed by an internal committee (similar to an NIH Council Review) to allocate funds consistent with the long-term strategies for developing human brain imaging research at Rutgers and the sources of funds. One main factor in determining funding will be perceived likelihood that the pilot data generated will lead to external funding. Applicants will receive written reviewer critiques.

Post-award reporting: The pilot awardees will have to provide evidence of related extramural grant applications within 6 months of completion of the pilot, and outcomes within a year of the pilot. All pilot awardees will be required to submit a final progress report within 6 months of the end of the award. This report will include publications and grant applications submitted, as well as results obtained and significance of those results. Awardees must acknowledge the BHI-CAHBIR pilot grant program in publications or presentations that result from the pilot grant project. Awardees must also report any extramural awards received as a result of the pilot grant project. These outcome measures are important for continuation of this pilot grant program.

Submission deadline: Application are due by 5 PM April 16, 2021. Submit application with cover page to bhi@ca.rutgers.edu . Awards will be announced by June 30, 2021.

If you have any questions about this grant program please reach out to Dr. David Zald (dz268@rbhs.rutgers.edu ) or Eldo (kuzhikev@ca.rutgers.edu )