The Texas Resource Center for Minority Aging Research (RCMAR) announces a call for applications for Pilot Projects supported by Grant Number P30 AG059301 from the National Institute on Aging/National Institutes of Health. The initiative, a collaboration between the University of Texas Medical Branch and the University of Texas San Antonio, aims to foster the development of researchers and research on the health and aging of under-represented populations, with a special focus on the Hispanic population in the United States and Mexico. The center invites faculty applications for 1-year Pilot Projects, providing $40,000 in direct costs for the period from 07/01/2024 to 06/30/2025. Emphasizing inclusivity, the program encourages applications from under-represented populations, offering mentorship and training in aging research. The application process involves a Letter of Intent due by February 12, 2024, and selected investigators will submit full proposals by March 4, 2024, with decisions expected by March 26, 2024. Successful applicants will contribute to advancing research on minority aging, aligning with the Texas RCMAR mission. For further details and inquiries, contact Soham Al Snih, MD, PhD (soalsnih@utmb.edu) or Fernando Riosmena (fernando.riosmena@utsa.edu).
Texas Resource Center for Minority Aging Research CALL FOR APPLICATIONS - PILOT PROJECTS
University of Texas Medical Branch & University of Texas San Antonio Resource Center for Minority Aging Research (RCMAR) Supported by Grant Number P30 AG059301 from the National Institute on Aging/National Institutes of Health
Request for Letter of Intent and Research Proposal
Funding will support 1-year Pilot Projects
$40,000 direct costs for the period 07/01/2024 to 06/30/2025
The Texas RCMAR is a partnership between the University of Texas Medical Branch and the University of Texas San Antonio (K. Markides and F. Riosmena, Multiple PIs), in close collaboration with the University of Texas at Austin. The purpose of the Texas RCMAR is to provide infrastructure that facilitates the development of researchers and research on the health and aging of under-represented populations. While our Center has a special focus on the Hispanic population in the United States as well as in Mexico, we also aim to provide support for research on other racial/ethnic, gender/sex, or other minorities in Texas (or the United States more broadly).
Special emphasis will be given to providing research opportunities to faculty from under-represented populations and/or in Hispanic-Serving Institutions in Texas or Universities with large numbers of underserved students and faculty.
Who Should Apply
We encourage applications from faculty who are interested in conducting research on health and aging (broadly defined) particularly of under-represented populations. We provide support for junior faculty, but we will consider applications from mid-career faculty moving their research toward the study of aging in minority populations.
Pilot funds are to be used to jumpstart or further support the applicant’s research. Funded applicants will be part of a small cohort of scientists receiving mentorship and training on aging research, including the development of a subsequent grant application to the National Institute on Aging (NIA) or other relevant funding agencies based on the pilot project.
Four investigators called ‘RCMAR Scientists’ will be selected based on:
Quality of proposed research
Relatedness of the proposed research to the Texas RCMAR mission
The likelihood that the proposed research would lead to subsequent National Institute on Aging (NIA) funded projects
Investigator’s experience, training, and record of accomplishments
Application Process
A 3-page Letter of Intent is due by February 12, 2024, and should be uploaded here.
Investigators with promising applications will be notified by February 19, 2024 to submit a full proposal.
Full proposals are due by March 4, 2024. Proposal will be uploaded into RedCap. Invited investigators will be sent a RedCap link via email to upload their proposal.
Applications will be reviewed by March 15, 2024.
Decisions will be made by March 26, 2024.
The start and end dates for pilot projects are July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025.
The Letter of Intent materials will include:
Title of project
Description of the proposed pilot project, including the brief justification for the research and a brief description of the design and data to be collected or used in the pilot project
Statement about how the proposed pilot project is related to the Texas RCMAR
Statement about how this pilot project will inform the applicant’s future research and how it will lead to larger funding by the National Institutes of Aging/NIH or another agency.
Brief timeline that documents the feasibility of completing the pilot project in the pilot period
Description of the applicant scientist and their role in the project
Proposed mentor(s) and a statement about their involvement and the role they will play in conducting the pilot project
Also include:
Applicant’s NIH Biosketch in the current format
Mentors’ and/or senior key personnel’s NIH Biosketches in the current format
Institutional Letter of Support
This is a letter of support from the applicant’s department chair or division chief confirming that the applicant has a junior- or mid-level faculty appointment between 07/01/2024 and 06/30/2025 and adequate ‘protected time’ during that period to conduct the proposed pilot project.
The full proposals and supporting documents will be forwarded to the NIA/NIH for final approval.
The Full Proposal should include:
Project Summary (3 pages)
Specific aims
Significance
Innovation
Investigators
Data and methods
Plans for future funding
Budget and budget justification
Biosketches for key personnel
Each awarded Pilot Principal Investigator must ensure compliance with NIH Financial Conflict of Interest requirement and secure IRB institutional approval prior to the NIA/NIH approval.
Proposal Format
Font and Line Spacing:
Must be 12 points or larger, with lines single-spaced
Recommended fonts:
Arial
Georgia
Helvetica
Palatino Linotype
Times New Roman
Paper Size and Margins:
Use paper (page) size no larger than standard letter paper size (8 ½” x 11”).
Provide at least one-half-inch margins (½”) — top, bottom, left, and right — for all pages. No applicant-supplied information can appear in the margins.
Proposal Components
Budget and justification must be included as separate pages, preferably following the formats provided in the links below:
NIH SF424 (R&R Budget Form) Instructions – G.300
R&R Budget Form
NIH-style biosketches for the key personnel:
Biosketch Format Pages, Instructions and Samples
Blank Non-Fellowship Biosketch
For questions regarding pilot applications, please contact: Soham Al Snih, MD, PhD (soalsnih@utmb.edu) or Fernando Riosmena (fernando.riosmena@utsa.edu).