Dale and Betty Bumpers Vaccine Research Center search   
Vaccines for Life
Office of the Director
Research Laboratories
Clinical Studies
Collaboration and Funding
Publications News Seminars Meetings Employment

VRC Home

Collaboration & Funding
Intramural Scientific Collaboration Program

Purpose
The Intramural Scientific Collaboration Program (ISCP) is a VRC program intended to provide funding to support basic and translational research collaborations between VRC investigators and other investigators within the NIH intramural program. Proposed collaborations should advance the VRC's mission to conduct research that facilitates the development of an effective vaccine against HIV/AIDS. The VRC Committee for Intramural Research (VCIR), composed of VRC and senior intramural investigators, will review proposals. The ISCP will be co-chaired by Dr. William Paul (NIAID/DIR) and Dr. Richard Koup (NIAID/VRC). Funding allocated under this Program is designed to provide support to the laboratories of intramural investigators in order to promote collaborations with VRC investigators.

Specifically, this Program will serve as a mechanism to foster and support collaborations and cooperative research between VRC investigators and other investigators within the NIH intramural program. The following criteria will be taken into account in evaluating the proposal:
* The research project is a collaboration between a VRC scientist and an investigator within the NIH intramural program
* The research project is consistent with the goals and scientific agenda of the VRC, as described within the VRC strategic plan
* There is no pre-existing effort within the VRC that would substantially overlap with the proposed project
* The goals, objectives and hypotheses to be tested are clearly described and the project is time-limited
* The proposed funding, along with other existing intramural resources for the project, can reasonably be expected to result in successful completion of the project goals.

Amount of Support and Funding Limitations
It is anticipated that the majority of projects will be funded for a period of 1-2 years with an annual dollar amount of up to $50,000, though larger grants will be considered if well justified. Total funding available each year for the Intramural Scientific Collaboration Program is $250,000.

Application Procedures
Applications should include the following:
* Summary of the research proposal, including specific goals and objectives (not to exceed 4 pages).
* Letter of support from the collaborating VRC investigator.
* Cover letter addressed to the VRC Committee for Intramural Research.
* General outline of budget.
* Biosketch of the Principal Investigator and co-investigators.
* Where applicable, evidence of current or pending approval from the Institutional Review Board, the IBC and the IACUC

Application Deadlines and Schedules
Applications will be reviewed on a quarterly basis. The review process will take approximately one month from each submission deadline. The submission deadlines for each quarter are:
* December 15th
* March 15th
* June 15th
* September 15th

Review Process and Application Evaluation Criteria
All proposals will be considered confidential and VCIR reviewers will abide by this confidentiality. Key factors and criteria for review include:
* Technical merit of the proposal including:
 
-
Scientific merit of objectives and hypothesis to be tested;
 
-
Evidence of effective project design and appropriate project schedule;
 
-
Logical aims and appropriate methodology;
* Scientific relevance of the proposal including:
 
-
Consistency with the goals and scientific agenda of the VRC;
 
-
Potential contribution of the project to the development of an HIV vaccine or understanding of immune correlates of protection;
 
-
Novelty or uniqueness of research aims
* Feasibility
 
-
Qualifications of the investigator, including documented prior experience and past performance with projects of comparable scope and complexity.
 
-
Laboratory resources and technical feasibility of accomplishing the proposed research
 
-
Cost appropriateness of the budget.
* Application Forms, Submission and Further Information
  Questions regarding the VRC ISCP may be addressed to Abe Mittelman at: amittelm@mail.nih.gov. Five (5) copies of each application should be submitted to the attention of:

Vaccine Research Center
Intramural Scientific Collaboration Program (ISCP)
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
National Institutes of Health
40 Convent Drive
Bethesda, MD 20892

 

 

National Institutes of Health logo

Department of Health and Human Services / National Institutes of Health / National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Vaccine Research Center / 40 Convent Drive / Bethesda, Maryland 20892
Email the VRC / Directions and Maps / Site Map

Office of the Director | Research Laboratories | Clinical Studies | Collaboration and Funding
NIAID Website Privacy Statement | NIAID Website Accessibility Statement

Last updated 03.29.05 (ms)

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease logo