Inside Duke Medicine

SOM Bridge Funding applications due April 15

Calling all investigators! Get your application in soon for the School of Medicine's Bridge Funding program. Application due date is April 15.

Dean Nancy Andrews is pleased to announce the SoM Bridge Funding Program. The next deadline is April 15, 2010. Please consult the announcement below for application procedures and eligibility. Application materials should be submitted to Patricia O’Brien via email: obrie024@mc.duke.edu

Duke University School of Medicine Bridge Funding Program

The following points outline a bridge funding plan for helping investigators in the School of Medicine who have had a lapse in grant support. One-time support of up to $100,000 will be provided by the Dean’s Office following application by the affected individual’s chair, anonymous review of merit by two appropriate referees in the School of Medicine, and a positive recommendation by the Bridge Funding Committee.

1. Eligibility
• In general the program will be reserved for tenure track faculty, although exceptions for non-tenure track faculty are allowable when there is strong endorsement by the faculty member’s chair.
• Candidates include faculty who were unsuccessful with a competitive renewal of an independent investigator award (NIH RO1 or NSF equivalent) or a program project grant (as the PI of the PPG).
• Applications that were unsuccessful but received a priority score will be most competitive for bridge funding, in particular if the candidate can effectively address the concerns outlined in the summary statement.
• Applications for bridge funding of an unsuccessful new R01 proposal will be considered if the new proposal represents replacement funding for a previous NIH funded line of investigation that has run its course,
the applicant has completed a K08, K23, K12, or K01 grant or an equivalent NIH K grant intended for transition to independence and has received a priority score on the original R01 submission.

2. Mechanism for application
Applications will be accepted by April 15, August 15, and December 15 (allowing time to receive summary statements) and should be submitted via the investigator’s department chair. Application materials must include:
• The summary statement from the non-funded application.
• The investigator’s response to the summary statement.
• The investigator’s updated NIH biosketch.
• Plans for expenditure of the requested bridge funds (<$100,000).
• A complete summary of other funds available during the bridge period (e.g. discretionary funds, gift accounts, training grants).
• Plans to secure funds, e.g. other applications, mentoring plan, grant writing course.
• The chair’s letter of endorsement and commitment, including commitment of department funds available to pool with institutional bridge funds, unless a compelling case exists for the lack of departmental funds.
• Recommendations by the chair of at least two faculty outside the candidate’s primary department who could provide an expert and unbiased review of the application.

3. Application review process
• Anonymous assessment of all application materials by two faculty in the School of Medicine with appropriate expertise and without a departmental affiliation with the candidate, selected with input from the candidate’s chair.
• Preparation of brief statement by the reviewers describing the merits of the case and the likelihood of funding following bridge support.
• Review of the two faculty assessments and all application materials by Bridge Fund Committee.
• Recommendation by Bridge Fund Committee to Dean.