The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases is inviting grant applications for Diabetes Research Centers, which will serve as a key component of the NIDDK-supported research effort to develop new therapies and improve the health of Americans with, or at risk for, diabetes and related endocrine and metabolic disorders. The Centers promote new discoveries and enhance scientific progress through support of cutting-edge basic and clinical research related to the etiology and complications of diabetes, with the goal of rapidly translating research findings into novel strategies for the prevention, treatment and cure of diabetes and related conditions.
Diabetes Research Centers support three primary research-related activities: Research Core services, a Pilot and Feasibility (P&F) program, and an Enrichment program. All activities should enhance the efficiency, productivity, effectiveness and multidisciplinary nature of research in Diabetes Research Center topic areas.
One of the primary objectives of the Centers is to bring together investigators from a variety of scientific disciplines in a manner that will enhance and extend the effectiveness of their research. In addition to collaborations between scientists within an institution, Centers may also foster interactions and collaborations between investigators at multiple institutions to promote a multifaceted approach to a common goal.
$4.5 million will be available for awards of up to $1 million annually (unless the applicant proposes to provide regional or national core services, in which case the award limit will be $1.25 million annually) for five years.
A Diabetes Research Center must be an identifiable unit within a single institution such as a university medical center, or within a consortium of cooperating institutions. In either case, Diabetes Research Center applications must be associated with an existing program of excellence in biomedical and/or behavioral research in diabetes as well as related areas of metabolism and endocrinology. The research base for the Center must consist of at least $3 million of peer-reviewed research projects.
Because the campus may submit no more than one proposal, interested applicants are asked to submit a preliminary application to my office by March 17, 2014 (electronic submission to or@research.uci.edu is preferred), with the following information:
- Brief proposal (up to three pages),
- Preliminary budget,
- Bio-sketches (no more than two pages each) of the primary researchers,
- Support letter from the Dean (or the equivalent in units without a Dean).
If necessary, an ad hoc committee will convene to review the preliminary proposals. The selected PI(s) will be notified in time to meet NIDDK’s letter of intent deadline of May 17, 2014; full proposals are due June 17, 2014.
For the complete NIDDK guidelines, including detailed information about the program, please refer to http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-DK-13-004.html. Questions about our internal campus review process may be directed to Greg Ruth at greg.ruth@uci.edu or x4-0372.
John C. Hemminger
Vice Chancellor for Research