Funding Options for Your Research

David J. Bjorkman, MD, MSPHFlorida Atlantic University

Objectives

• Identify the type of research on which you will focus

• Have a well-defined hypothesis• Use local resources and mentor to enhance

funding opportunities• Look at specific funding agencies/foundations

for guidance• Get help in writing and reviewing your grant

Key Questions

• What is your phenotype?• What is your focus?• What are your resources?• Who is your mentor?• What are your institutional expectations?• Are you on the right faculty track?

What is Your Phenotype?

• Basic research at bench with cell or animal models

• Basic research using human subjects• Applied research using human subjects

(translational research)• Clinical efficacy in humans• Clinical effectiveness in populations• Population/health system/care delivery• Education

What Are Your Resources?

• Start-up funding (money)• Laboratory space/reagents/animals

(infrastructure)• Technical basic or clinical support (human

resources)• Protected time (personal resources)• Access to

samples/databases/patients/trainees

Who is Your Mentor?

• Same phenotype• Same focus• Successful in terms of grants and publications• Can train you in methods, as needed• Your advocate and defender• May include you as co-investigator of existing

grants• Facilitate networking outside of institution

What Are the Institutional Expectations

• Grant funding• Clinical responsibilities• Educational responsibilities• What will get you promoted/tenured?

Are You On the Right Faculty Track?

• What is the value of tenure in a medical school?• Tenure track positions have a set time when the ax

will fall (average age for first RO1 is 42)• Can you compete with Ph.D. faculty who are 90% in

the lab?• Clinical track positions do not preclude active research

programs• Funding buys research time• Most institutions require scholarly activity for

promotion in all tracks

Institutional Resources

• Division• Department• College: Dean for Research or Faculty Affairs• University Office of Sponsored Projects• Example: U.C. Santa Cruz http

://biomedical.ucsc.edu/funding.html• Organizational resources (i.e. ACG)

100 Sources of Research Funding

• http://oedb.org/ilibrarian/100_places_to_find_funding_your_research/

NIH Early Stage Investigator Awards and Policies

• http://grants.nih.gov/grants/new_investigators/index.htm

NIH Funding Opportunities

• http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/index.html

VA

• http://www.research.va.gov/default.cfm• http://www.research.va.gov/funding/#.

UsxjHv2Q3Rq

Private Foundations

• Pivot – Proprietary website– University may subscribe– Product of COS-Proquest

• http://pivot.cos.com/about_pivot

American Cancer Society Grants

• http://www.cancer.org/research/applyforaresearchgrant/

Clinical/Outcomes/Population Research

• PCORI http://www.pcori.org/funding-opportunities/landing/

• AHRQ http://www.ahrq.gov/funding/index.html• HRSA http://www.hrsa.gov/grants/index.html• CMS

http://www.cms.gov/cciio/Resources/Funding-Opportunities/index.html

• Foundations/Societies

GI Societies

• All GI societies have grant programs• ACG: http://gi.org/research-and-awards/• Specifics vary between societies• Excellent way to get pilot data• Additional resources may be available to

enhance competitiveness

Education

• Josiah Macey Jr. Foundation http://www.macyfoundation.org/apply

• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation http://www.rwjf.org/en/grants.html#q/maptype/grants/ll/37.875,-96.336/z/4

• Specific societies for diseases• AAMC

https://www.aamc.org/members/gea/regions/sgea/awards/66884/sgea_research.html#.Usxj3_2Q3Ro

• https://www.aamc.org/initiatives/rocc/352376/challengeawarddescription.html#.UsxkQf2Q3Ro

How To Get A Grant

• Hard work• Collaborations with mentors• Participation with other studies• Laser-like focus of hypothesis• Study design and statistics consultation • Preliminary data

Grant Writing is a Critical Skill

• Grant writing workshops• Work with mentor• Have MANY people read the grant and listen

to their feedback• ACG Grant Writing Tutorial:

http://d2j7fjepcxuj0a.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/research-GrantWritingTutorial.pdf

A Grant Needs:

• A compelling hypothesis important to the funding agency

• Clear, scientifically rigorous methodology to gather data

• Appropriate plan for data analysis and hypothesis testing

• Good luck

QUESTIONS?

Summary

• Know your phenotype• Develop a clear focus based on your interests

and strengths• Work with a mentor• Identify potential funding sources based on

your focus and skills• Write a clear, concise and scientifically

rigorous grant