2025 Arizona Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center & Arizona Alzheimer’s Consortium Developmental Grant: Request for Proposals

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APPLICATION RECEIPT DATE:

Optional Pre-proposal Deadline: October 18, 2024 (Friday)

Full Application Deadline: December 2, 2024 (Monday)

Anticipated Start Date: July 1, 2025

PURPOSE: The Arizona Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (ADRC) and the Arizona Alzheimer’s Consortium (AAC) invites applications for Developmental grant proposals to support basic or clinical biomedical, translational, epidemiological, caregiving, educational, or behavioral studies in AD, ADRD or brain aging research. Developmental projects are intended to help establish the basis for applying for further research funding and further development of the applicant’s career in these areas of research.

APPLICANT ELIGIBILITY: Developmental projects are intended for junior faculty level investigators and, less commonly, for more senior investigator from other fields, who are interested in AD or ADRD research and who will have the highest chance of subsequent competitive grant funding. Post-doctoral fellows are encouraged to apply and are eligible for the State-funded Developmental grant, but not for the National Institute on Aging (NIA)-sponsored Developmental grant. Researchers who have previously received an NIA-sponsored Developmental grant are not eligible to receive a second NIA-sponsored Developmental grant, but may receive a State-funded grant.

APPLICATION GUIDELINES: All applications are expected to provide a provisional plan and timeline for the submission of a subsequent competitive grant application to NIA or another respected funding source. We encourage applications by researchers from underrepresented groups.

We also encourage, but do not require, researchers to capitalize on ADRC resources (e.g., those related to its Administrative, Clinical, Neuropathology, Biomarker, Outreach Recruitment and Engagement [ORE] or Data Management and Statistics [DMSC] Cores), and we strongly recommend consultation with Yi Su, PhD, who oversees our Statistics Program. Please see Core descriptions at: https://azadrc.org/our-research-center/.

The Program will consider proposals from researchers outside of Arizona if they meet our eligibility criteria, interact with members of our Consortium, their proposal is demonstrably stronger than those submitted by applicants within the Consortium, and they plan to interact with members of the Consortium as their work progresses.

MECHANISMS OF SUPPORT:  We aim to fund up to three Developmental projects, dependent on availability of funding from the NIA and the state of Arizona. Applicants may request a budget of up to $60,000 per year in direct costs with a project term between 12 and 24 months.  For projects requesting two years, the second year of funding is dependent on project progress, as captured in a 12 month progress report, and availability of funding.

Awards may be funded by the NIA and/or the state of Arizona.  If the award is supported by the state of Arizona, indirect costs (IDC) are not allowed.  If the Award is funded by the ADRC with funding from the NIA, the IDC rate is the institution’s federally negotiated rate.

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES: The funding mechanism is intended to allow an investigator the opportunity to develop preliminary data sufficient to provide the basis for an application for independent research support.

Examples of possible Developmental projects are:

  • A study based on data in the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center (NACC) data set to determine the feasibility of conducting larger studies in the future.
  • A study proposed by a new investigator, with an interest in research in AD, before the study has developed to the point of being suitable to apply for individual grant support.
  • Functional, mechanistic, or pre-clinical activities designed to move a basic discovery towards a translational endpoint in the near future.

A separate RFP for one year Pilot projects ($30,000 direct costs) funded by the state of Arizona will be distributed by November 2024.

Examples of unacceptable Developmental projects are:

Information obtained should allow subsequent submission of competitive grant support through the National Institutes of Health, or other extramural funding agencies. Proposals that utilize data available through NACC (Minimum Data Set, Uniform Data Set, Neuropathology Data Set, etc. – see https://www.alz.washington.edu/WEB/data_descript.html); that are related to the disciplines of the ADRC Cores/Components (Clinical, Data Management and Statistics, Biomarker, Outreach and Recruitment, Neuropathology – see http://azalz.org/about-us/all-cores/); or that promote the study of Hispanic or Native Americans are encouraged, but not required. All proposals must include a preliminary plan and timeline for submission of a competitive grant application.

 

APPLICATION PROCEDURES:

Optional Pre-proposal: If applicants desire feedback on their proposed application, a letter of intent (not to exceed one page) may be sent by October 18, 2024 to Winnie Liang, PhD ([email protected]).

The letter of intent should include a descriptive title, brief abstract with specific aims, and a list of study team members. While pre-proposals are not required, it would permit applicants an opportunity to receive initial feedback and suggestions that might help strengthen the full proposal. Pre-proposals will receive rapid feedback with constructive recommendations within ~2 weeks.

Full Application: PHS research grant application fillable forms must be used in applying for these funds (available at https://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/phs398/phs398.html) All components of the proposal, including appendices, should be sent in a single PDF (<10Mb) by December 2, 2024 to Winnie Liang, PhD ([email protected]). Please make sure that you receive an email confirming receipt of your application. If you do not receive an email, please contact Winnie Liang.

Applications must include:

• A cover letter with the names and contact information for 3-4 potential qualified reviewers

• In less than 400 words, please describe your life’s journey towards pursuing scientific research.

• Face page (form page 1)

• Summary, Relevance, Project/Performance Sites, Senior/Key Personnel, etc. (form page 2)

• Detailed Budget for Initial Budget Period (form page 4) – Budget limited to $60,000/yr direct

costs (plus applicable IDC; please see the “Mechanisms of support” section above)

• Budget for Entire Proposed Project Period (form page 5)

• Budget Justification

• Biographical Sketch(es) for Key Personnel: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/forms/biosketch.htm

• Resources (Facilities and Other Resources, Equipment)

• Research Plan – limited to 5 pages and should include:

  1. Specific Aims
  2. Research Strategy (Significance, Innovation, Approach)
  3. Timeline and Plan for Submission of Competitive Grant Application

• Bibliography and References Cited

• Protection of Human Subjects (if applicable)

• PHS Inclusion Enrollment Report – Planned Enrollment (if applicable)

https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/forms/readonly/PHS_Inclusion_Enrollment_Report-V1.0.pdf

• Vertebrate Animals (if applicable)

• Checklist Form Page (including your institutional indirect cost calculation)

Appendices are limited to three publications, manuscripts, abstracts, patents, or other printed materials directly relevant to the proposal.

Applicants may also wish to identify a mentor, collaborator, or consultant to advise or assist them on the project. Potential mentors, collaborators, consultants should be listed in the grant cover letter. Applicants who would like suggestions for appropriate matches should speak to Dr. Eric Reiman (Director, Arizona Alzheimer’s Consortium; see contact information below), or Dr. Carol Barnes (Director, Ad Hoc Review Program, [email protected]).

APPLICATION REVIEW CRITERIA:

Applications will be reviewed for scientific and technical merit by two relevant outside experts. Applications will be rated based on 1) significance, 2) quality, innovation, and feasibility, 3) use of NACC, NCRAD and/or Core facilities, 4) potential of applicant to develop a successful research program in the field, 5) likelihood of leading to a successful grant application, and 6) sound experimental design and statistical approach. If the grant was reviewed previously, the applicant may include a summary of the substantive changes made to the proposal in their cover letter.

Notification of the Developmental award recommended for potential NIA funding, as well as any proposal identified for potential State funding, will be sent by March 2025. Other meritorious applications will be invited to revise and submit proposals to the one year State funded Pilot grant program. The anticipated funding start date of successful applications is July 1, 2025.

INQUIRIES: Inquiries are encouraged. Inquiries regarding ADRC core resources or expertise related to the applicant’s field of interest can be directed to:

Eric M. Reiman, MD, Director, Arizona Alzheimer’s Consortium

Email: [email protected]

 

Jessica B. Langbaum, PhD, Director, Arizona ADRC

Email: [email protected]

 

Inquiries regarding application and review procedures can be directed to:

Winnie S. Liang, PhD, Administrative Director, Arizona ADRC

Email: [email protected]

 

Inquiries regarding statistical approach can be directed to:

Yi Su, PhD, Data Management & Statistics Core Director, Arizona ADRC

Email: [email protected]

 

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