Research Grant Application
Request for Proposals & Guidelines
PURPOSE: One of the missions of the Hawaii Pediatric Association Research & Education Foundation (HPAREF) is to support pediatric‐focused research endeavors by faculty members of the UH JABSOM Department of Pediatrics, other JABSOM faculty, Pediatric Trainees (residents or fellows), medical students, graduate students, and undergraduate students. HPAREF will provide research support for competitive projects proposed by faculty and trainees/students. Support is available for faculty and trainee/student proposals. The funds are meant to support feasibility or focused projects with the intent to generate preliminary data to be used for future grant applications. This announcement provides guidelines and criteria for proposal submissions.
RESEARCH SCOPE: Research proposals focusing on any aspect of pediatrics (neonatal, children, adolescents) are eligible. Basic, translational, clinical, behavioral, and educational research projects will be considered. Interested applicants are urged to contact Iain MacPherson (iain@hawaii.edu) for questions regarding scope of proposal.
ELIGIBILITY: 1) For faculty proposals, the applicant must hold an academic appointment in the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine. While preference will be given to Department of Pediatrics faculty, any JABSOM faculty are eligible; Co‐Principal Investigators will be allowed; 2) For trainee/student proposals, the applicant must be a trainee (resident or fellow, Pediatrics or Triple Board) or a student at UHM (medical, graduate, undergraduate) and plan to complete the proposed project prior to graduating from the respective residency program or UHM program; and the trainee/ student must have at least one Department of Pediatric faculty member as a mentor for the project. Past and/or currently‐funded investigators are allowed to submit application provided up‐to‐date Progress and/or Final Reports have been submitted.
IMPORTANT DATES:
SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS:
1) One complete PDF file that includes in the following order: Cover Page with Abstract, Budget, Budget Justification, Biographical Sketch (NIH format), Research Plan (electronic submission to Iain MacPherson, iain@hawaii.edu)
2) Incomplete applications (i.e. typed smaller than Arial, 11 point or not adhering to the page limits, missing pages, missing required elements, etc.) will not be reviewed
3) Applications are not required to go through JABSOM Grants & Development or UH Office of Research Services
A. Cover Page with Abstract (Page 1) and Guidelines
Complete cover page and abstract. For the other pages of the application, each page should be numbered;the name of the principal investigator should appear in the upper right‐hand corner of each page after Page1. Please include an abstract summarizing the proposal in the space provided on the Cover Page. The page order of the application should be as follows, adhering strictly to page limits.
B. Budget and Budget Justification (2 pages)
Please use the attached budget and budget justification page when completing the proposal budget (only direct costs apply). Enter the totals under each budget category. Salary support is not allowed but consultant fees such as biostatistician support are allowed as well as travel support to present accepted abstracts at professional meetings. Supplies directly related to the project should be included; request for equipment (including computers) requires proper justification and plans for future use of the equipment at the completion of the project. Any supplies and equipment purchased by HPAREF funds are properties of HPAREF. Suggested guidelines for total budget amount range from $1,000‐$10,000).
C. Biographical Sketch(s)
Biographical sketch (not to exceed five pages for each investigator and mentor; standard NIH‐format
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/forms/biosketch.htm for the Principal Investigator; and any additional key investigator including consultants. Please list publications and abstracts presentations. Please include current research support (source of funds, title of research, period of time covered, specific aims and role of the investigator), past, and pending. Please state any areas of potential overlap the proposed project may have with current and pending projects.
D. Research Plan (Please adhere to page limits; use Continuation Page)
Please keep in mind these questions as the following items are organized (a‐b)
What do you intend to do?
What is the significance and how is the proposed study related to pediatrics?
Why is the work important?
What has already been done; how innovative is the proposal?
How are you going to do the work?
a. Specific Aims (half page)
List the goals, long‐term objectives and what the specific research proposed in this application is intended to accomplish. State the hypotheses to be tested and relevance to pediatrics.
b. Research Strategy (Significance, Innovation and Approach; 4 pages)
Significance: Explain the importance of the problem or critical barrier to progress in the field that the proposed project addresses; Explain how the proposed project will improve scientific knowledge, technical capability, and/or clinical practice in one or more broad fields; Describe how the concepts, methods, technologies, treatments, services, or preventative interventions that drive this field will be changed if the proposed aims are achieved.
Innovation: Explain how the application challenges and seeks to shift current research or clinical practice paradigms; Describe any novel theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation or intervention(s) to be developed or used, and any advantage over existing methodologies, instrumentation or intervention(s); Explain any refinements, improvements, or new applications of theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation or interventions.
Approach: Describe the overall strategy, methodology, and analyses to be used to accomplish the specific aims of the project; How will the data will be collected, analyzed, and interpreted; Discuss potential problems, alternative strategies, and benchmarks for success anticipated to achieve the aims; Describe strategies to establish feasibility, and address the management of any high risk aspects of the proposed work; Point out any procedures, situations, or materials that may be hazardous to personnel and precautions to be exercised; If multiple Specific Aims are proposed, then address Significance, Innovation and Approach for each Specific Aim individually, or address Significance, Innovation and Approach for all of the Specific Aims collectively; A timetable for the project is required that targets completion of the proposed project. For students, residents or fellows, the timetable should encompass project activity prior to graduating from the respective residency, fellowship, or UHM program. The timetable should also include plans for abstract and/or publication submission; Provide preliminary data if appropriate.
c. Literature Cited (1 page)
List all references in numbered‐sequence within the text. Each reference must include the title, names of all authors, book or journal, volume number, page numbers, and year of publication. Please limit the references to relevant and current literature pertinent to the proposed research.
E. Human Subjects (no page limits)
Please follow the guidelines for documentation of certification for protection of human subjects in accordance with NIH guidelines (https://grants.nih.gov/grants/how‐to‐apply‐application‐guide/formsd/general/g.400‐phs‐398‐research‐plan‐form.htm#Human). For Non‐Exempt Human Subjects Research, please follow the instructions on the NIH guidelines. Copies of IRB approval letter will be required before any release of funds.
F. Vertebrate Animals (no page limits)
Certification for protection for the care and treatment of laboratory animals should be obtained for all applicable projects, in accordance with NIH guidelines. Copies of relevant IACUC approval letter will be required before any release of funds.
G. Consultants/Faculty Mentor (for fellow/resident/student)
Include letters from investigators and faculty members confirming and describing their roles as consultants/mentors in the project.
REVIEW PROCESS
Proposals will be reviewed by a committee comprised of HPAREF Board Members and/or ad hoc members whose areas of expertise are similar to the projects. Proposals will be critiqued on the following: significance, innovation and impact; applicant(s) qualifications (including publications, abstract presentations, research grants, etc.); statement of need; time management/timeline; research design and potential of success; environment to perform the research; and budget for the project. The written critiques from reviewers will be provided to applicants as feedback for their proposals.
AVAILABLE FUNDS
Proposals will be reviewed and considered for funding as long as HPAREF funds are available within each fiscal year.
POST AWARD INFORMATION AND REQUIREMENTS
1. Investigators with applications which are reviewed and scored within the fundable range will be notified approximately 1 month after the proposal is submitted. IRB and/or other regulatory documents (human subjects certification, animal research certification, etc.) showing approval will be required prior to release of funds. Funded investigators will sign a letter of agreement accepting the terms of the award.
2. A mid‐year and final progress report (maximum 2 pages each) will be due 6 and 12 months, respectively, after funds are released, in electronic PDF format (email to iain@hawaii.edu). Failure to submit the mid‐year progress report will result in termination of release of funds until the report is submitted. Failure to submit the final progress report, including planned abstract submission, will result in exclusion of any of the project personnel from submitting future research applications to HPAREF for consideration. Investigators who have mid‐year and/or final progress reports that have not been submitted will not have new applications reviewed.
3. Faculty projects and trainee/student projects will be required to have abstracts submitted to Regional/National Meeting or JABSOM Biomedical Symposium and Research Forum/JABSOM Symposium/Regional or National Meeting, respectively. Copies of the abstracts submitted should be submitted to HPAREF (iain@hawaii.edu) at the same time that the abstracts are submitted to the meeting. Investigators will be invited to present the results of their project to the HPAREF Board Members.
4. Investigators, students, and trainees are asked to acknowledge funding support from the Hawaii Pediatric Association Research and Education Foundation in abstracts and/or manuscripts; "The project was supported by the Hawaii Pediatric Association Research and Education Foundation (HPAREF). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of HPAREF."
Research Grant Application Cover Page (with fillable PDF):
Click on the logo to access the PDF