NIH West Coast Metabolomics Center

The NIH West Coast Metabolomics Center at UC Davis (WCMC) requests submissions of pilot project applications to be conducted during the 2015 grant year. These awards are intended to support projects that will provide preliminary data for new extramural grant submissions. The review process will emphasize innovation and the potential of the project, if successful, to have a significant impact on an important research problem.

Funds will be available for up to $50,000 in total costs per project for a 12-month period. Requests for salary for the P.I. laboratory or extramural services outside UC Davis are not permissible.

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Purpose: The WCMC provides extensive services for metabolomics research. The goal of the Pilot and Feasibility Program is to enhance metabolomics research crucial to translational projects by providing support for investigators new to the metabolomics field, the development of new teams and partnerships, projects that link genomics, proteomics and metabolomics, and high risk/high impact research. The Pilot and Feasibility Program aims to form new multidisciplinary collaborations that will enhance the integration of new techniques that benefit multiple investigators. Potential applicants are encouraged to link basic, translational, and clinical researchers. Extending the collaborative nature of research projects by matching funds from other mechanisms is encouraged.

Eligibility: All basic, translational, or clinical investigators located at institutions within the United States who are eligible to apply as a Principal Investigator for NIH grants. Project Scientists and postdoctoral fellows may not serve as P.I. but can participate as co-investigators or trainees, as applicable. Early stage investigators and investigators who are new to the field of metabolomics are especially encouraged to apply.

Application Procedure: Proposals are requested using the form (http://metabolomics.ucdavis.edu/pilot-and-feasibility-projects). The submission must include a current NIH biographical sketch (maximum 4-pages) for each participating investigator. Deadline date for receipt is March 16, 2015 at 11:59 pm. NIH application guidelines will be followed.

Submitted proposals must use the following 5-page research plan format:

• Specific Aims and Hypotheses
• Background and Significance
• Scientific Plan, including the role of P.I., trainees, and Center personnel
• Rationale for Requested Funding and Planned Extramural Submissions
• Justification for the use of WCMC Services and Resources

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Additional Considerations: The West Coast Metabolomics Center specifically welcomes applications that form scientific partnerships, e.g. (1) including at least one trainee from the P.I. laboratory, (2) span scientific domains and metabolic platforms, (3) fulfill needs that benefit multiple investigators, (4) partner with one or more of the Advanced Service laboratories, (5) include a mentoring and trainee plan, and (6) participate in Center events, specifically the annual retreat, seminars, and courses. For such events, modest travel funds can be requested. It is expected that the role of the P.I. trainee(s) and the WCMC scientific scholars affiliated with the project will be very clearly defined. The names of all funded investigators will be posted on the WCMC website. Pilot awardees must acknowledge the WCMC base-operating grant in any abstracts, presentations, or publications resulting from supported studies, and provide quarterly progress reports, a final report, and an annual report that includes publications and new grant awards. As mandated by the NIH Common Fund, all metabolomics data and associated metadata will be publicly deposited in the Data Repository and Coordinating Center (DRCC).

Application Review: All submitted applications will be internally triaged by the WCMC Steering Committee for technical feasibility and compliance with the above requirements and formats. External reviews will use the NIH review scoring criteria and scores. Final funding decisions will be made by the Common Fund Metabolomics Program Executive Committee.

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Application receipt deadline: March 16, 2015 Earliest funding start date: May 15, 2015

Please send a pdf version of the application on the deadline date (including all biosketches in one complete document) to: aftarantal@ucdavis.edu

For questions, please contact:
Alice F. Tarantal, Ph.D. (aftarantal@ucdavis.edu) or Oliver Fiehn, Ph.D. (metabolomics@ucdavis.edu)

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For additional P/F funding opportunities, visit the other RCMRCs: Michigan Regional Comprehensive Metabolomics Resource Core (MRC2), NIH Eastern Regional Comprehensive Metabolomics Resource Core at RTI International, Southeast Center for Integrated Metabolomics (SECIM), Metabolomics Core at Mayo Clinic, Resource Center for Stable Isotope-Resolved Metabolomics (RC-SIRM)