Funding Resources

The pre-application is to be written and submitted by the mentors of a post-doctoral candidate, and will be reviewed by a member of the MSUCOM research team to confirm (one mentor must be an MSUCOM faculty member): 

• The mentors are eligible to receive funding, and have identified a future program project or center grant opportunity that will be applied for, based upon the efforts conducted under this project.
• The research area is consistent with MSUCOM’s mission and current/emerging research strengths.
• The proposal will link two distinct research groups (preferably from at least 2 different departments, including different colleges) to meet MSUCOM's goal to foster collaboration and team research. Any pledges of support from non-MSUCOM colleges to the project can/should be noted.
• The proposal will include MSUCOM students’ mentorship in research, preferably via OST 599 (pre-clerkship)/ OST 615 (clerkship) research electives.
• The post-doctoral candidate: 
  • is eligible to submit an NIH F32 or other proposals 
  • has the adequate background,
  • will be involved in the project in a manner that will directly support their F32 application,
  • will be fully available on the indicated start date to immediately begin the project. 

*Note: women, and individuals from under-represented in medicine groups are especially encouraged to be supported.

The above 5 items should be addressed as part of the following:

Project Details: A brief (600 words or less) description of your proposed project should include:.

• Project Location(s): enter where the work will actually be done. 
• Estimate of Amount Requested: enter your best estimate of the total cost of your proposed project, up to $50,000 per year, for no more than 1 year. (300 words)
  • *Note: If necessary, a single request for a no-cost extension of 3 months will be allowed, after which unspent funds will be returned.
• Proposed Mentors: Enter the Mentor Names that will serve as mentors for this project. 
  • *Note: the intent of this program is to promote collaboration between two or more laboratories to align research activity and foster collaborative research initiatives and future proposals (for example, NIH Center or Program Project proposals). Therefore at least 2 mentors are required, preferably from two different departments, and one of which must be an MSUCOM faculty member. The proposal should serve to allow the post-doctoral researcher’s efforts to bring together the research efforts of the mentors
• Provide the mentors and post-doctoral candidate’s Biosketches as separate documents.

Notification of pre-application approval
    If the pre-application is approved, the mentors will receive an automated message from the MSUCOM Research office, and will then be allowed to submit a full application. In some cases, MSUCOM Research office staff may send the pre-application back for clarification or changes before final approval.

Once a pre-application has been approved, the full application can then be submitted. The full application is again to be written and submitted by the mentors. Please use the subject headings listed below as outline headers for each section of the proposal.     
    *Maximum word or page limits for each section are indicated.  Proposals will be immediately rejected and returned if they do not conform to the word or page limits; use only 11 point or larger font, and minimum of half-inch margins on all pages.

Mentor’s Training Experience
    List each predoctoral and postdoctoral trainee for each mentor from the past 5 years. Note duration of time of study, and year of program completion if applicable for a trainee.(1 page)

Biographical Sketches
    All key personnel should be listed, including the mentors, the post-doctoral candidate, and anyone else substantially involved in the proposal. This will assist the college in more effectively tracking all the researchers and clinicians who participate in MSUCOM-funded projects. (NIH style is preferred). 

Lay Language Summary of Proposed Project (250 words)
    The lay language summary should describe the proposed research in language suitable for a news release to the lay public.

Abstract/Scientific Summary of Proposed Project (500 words)
    This summary should capture in condensed form the rationale, specific aims, methods, anticipated outcomes, and how the proposed research addresses one of the College’s Research Priority or Emerging Areas in a manner that fosters collaboration. 

COM Relevance (500 words)

• Detail how the research plan will align with MSUCOM’s Research Priority and Emerging Research Areas. -Identify specific Center or Program project grants (or equivalent) to be applied for as a result of the efforts in this proposal. 
• Projects that also include definitive plans to mentor MSUCOM medical students for research in the project will receive higher priority. 
• Include a brief description of the ongoing activities in the respective laboratories, epidemiological or clinical research, especially as they relate to the proposals research objectives, and how the candidate’s efforts will provide a collaborative link between the 2 mentor’s laboratories/sites of research, thereby promoting expanded, COM team science. 

Research plan (3 page limit- including figures)

• Specific Aims (1/2 page)
• Background/Preliminary Data (1 page)
• Experimental Design: include plan for data analysis, alternative approaches for potential pitfalls
• Anticipated Outcomes

Literature cited (no limit)

Post-doctoral candidate prior training, planned training, and career plan (1 page)

• Detail how the post-doctoral candidate proposed to undertake this project is qualified to succeed, what elements of formalized training will be included during the time-frame funded, and potential career plans of the candidate.
• Include how the project will lead to the success of a subsequent F32 or other award application by the candidate. 
• The mentors must each attest that the post-doctoral candidate will be fully available (>80% time commitment) on, or near, the indicated start date to immediately begin the project. 
• The candidate will be asked to present their results at a COM designated event, to be determined.
• Women, and individuals from under-represented in medicine groups are especially encouraged to be supported.

Human Subjects and/or Vertebrate Animals (no page limit)
    This section includes information on protection of human subjects and animals. If any documents concerning these assurances need to be included, such as IRB approval memos. This section should not be used to provide additional elements of the research plan that were not included in the 3 page research plan.

Budget (1 page)
    Budget items are limited to salary support of the post-doctoral candidate, and supplies to be used by the post-doctoral researcher (no equipment, travel, or publication costs are to be included in the budget). Up to 100% of the funds can be used to support the post-doctoral candidate’s salary if necessary, with assurance that all elements of the proposal can be achieved with additional mentor(s) funding currently available. 
        *Additional fringe benefits may not be added to the request.

Reference Letters
    Please provide up to 3 letters of reference on behalf of the post-doctoral candidate; One reference letter should be from the candidate’s doctoral dissertation advisor. The mentors cannot be counted as a reference.