8/4/2019 NIMH Pilot Announcement 2011

1/4

2011 DEVELOPMENTAL PILOT GRANT ANNOUNCEMENT

The Johns Hopkins University NIMH Center for Novel Therapeutics of HIV- associated CognitiveDisorders is pleased to announce the upcoming 2011 DEVELOPMENTAL PILOT GRANTAWARDS for innovative Neuro-AIDS projects. The Center, which opened in 2006, is part of the

Department of Neurology and has as its main objective, funding new investigators (including cross-disciplinary) interested in collaborating with the Center faculty to generate preliminary data that willlead to future NIH funding. The grant awards are particularly designed to stimulate new projectsand encourage new investigators to generate data that would be used for future grant applicationsto the NIMH. Faculty members of any rank are encouraged to apply, and collaborations with otheracademic institutions or international sites are allowable. Three to four pilot grants of $25,000 to$35,000 in direct costs for a one-year period will be awarded.

The application process will be in two stages. To apply, prepare by August 30, 2011, a briefLETTER OF INTENT (LOI) consisting of a one to two page outline describing your proposed projectplan and the background and experience of the investigator(s) and submit it to Gretchen Mulvihill,

Program Administrator at gdetwei1@jhmi.edu. Those individuals selected by the review committeewill be notified by September 13, 2011 and invited to submit an abbreviated, 6-page grantapplication by October 7, 2011. The application should be in the NIH R21 format, detailing specificaims, significance, innovation, preliminary data (if any), and approach. Align the proposal with thescoring criteria used by the reviewers along with an NIH-style biosketch. Two attachments areprovided describing in detail the JHU NIMH Center Development Pilot Grants and theInstructions for Pilot Grant Proposal Submissions to the JHU NIMH Center, including thescoring criteria used by the reviewers. A funding decision will be made by October 21, 2011 withfunding to begin November 30, 2011.

Potential applicants are encouraged to contact the NIMH Center with any questions or todiscuss their projects. Please contact Gretchen Mulvihill, gdetwei1@jhmi.edu or by telephone at

443-287-0571; Director Dr. Ahmet Hoke, ahoke@jhmi.edu, 410-955-2227 or Co-Director, Dr.Amanda Brown, abrown76@jhmi.edu; 410-614-2429. We look forward to hearing from you.

8/4/2019 NIMH Pilot Announcement 2011

2/4

These pilot grants are primarily designed to support innovative faculty research, which has not yet reached apoint in development where NIH funding is likely. Thus, it is expected that proposals will outline a plan thatwill generate sufficient preliminary data to eventually make NIH funding likely. Indeed, the success of theprogram will be judged, in part, by the number of pilot grants accomplishing this goal. Therefore, successfulattainment of subsequent long term funding is only one criterion of the programs success.

Equally important is providing seed money for innovative and cross-disciplinary research for publication inpeer reviewed journals. Proposals are expected to address at least one area of thematic importance to the

JHU NIMH Center: Detection of early neurological disease; Neuropathogenesis; Neurological treatments; Development of biomarkers or animal models; Assessment of the impact of cognitive dysfunction and aging; Behavioral or psychological aspects of HIV-associated cognitive disorders; The impact of co-infections or confounding illnesses on HIV-associated cognitive disorders.

Junior investigators and those not previously involved in HIV research are particularly encouraged to apply.The goals of the Pilot Grant program are reflected in the attached scoring system below.

Who May Apply?Any faculty member applicant that plans to actively collaborate with a JHU NIMH Center faculty investigatorwill be eligible to apply for a Neuro-AIDS pilot grant through our Development Core. That includes researchassociates and instructors (or the equivalent rank), in addition to more senior faculty. Undergraduates,graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows, will not be eligible to apply as Principal or Co-Investigators forpilot grants, but can participate in funded research with a faculty PI.

Recipients of pilot grants will not be eligible to apply for another pilot grant in the year following their award.They may apply for another grant after two years, even if they have received a no-cost one-year extension.Unsuccessful applicants may apply in consecutive years. Investigators who have applied to but not beenfunded by any CFAR will be permitted to apply for Neuro-AIDS development funds. However investigatorswhom have had applications funded by CFAR will not be permitted to receive additional funding for the samestudy by the Neuro-AIDS program.

Funding and Timelines

Three to four pilot grants per year are expected to be awarded in the range of $25,000-$35,000 in directcosts. No indirect costs are included. Funds may be used for faculty or fellow salary support, but not forstipends paid to undergraduate or graduate students, or for tuition. Funds may be used for travel essential tothe conduct of research, but not for travel to established meetings or conferences. The review committeerecognizes the high per diem costs of some international sites, but expects investigators to exercise ingenuityand judgment in budgeting for overseas room and board. Funds may not be used for equipment.

Funding will be for one year with the possibility of a one-time, no-cost extension for grants with a balanceequal to or exceeding 20% of the original award must be submitted as a written request at least 3 monthsprior to the project end date and is contingent on NIH approval.

Grantees are required to update the JHU NIMH Center on continued progress in the funded area of research.In the past many grantees have not submitted timely reports. It is crucial that we stay informed regarding thesuccesses in areas for which pilot funding have been provided, as this will be the ultimate measure of theCenters value to the Hopkins HIV community and for future funding. Any publications of work funded in partby a JHU NIMH Center pilot grant should acknowledge this funding source: P30 MHO75673.

Submission Deadline and Start Date of AwardsThe application process is streamlined and requires the submission of an abbreviated grant application. Thisshould be in an NIH R21 format, with specific aims, significance, innovation, preliminary data (if any), andapproach. Further details are included below. Your application should be submitted electronically in PDF

8/4/2019 NIMH Pilot Announcement 2011

3/4

format by 11:59PM on the due date to Gretchen Mulvihill at gdetwei1@jhmi.edu and should be formatted toaddress briefly each of the aspects used to score the pilot grants:1. Scientific merit, including feasibility and experimental design (10 points; faculty reviewers)2. Scientific impact and innovation (10 points; faculty reviewers)3. PI new to Neuro-AIDS research (3 points; Executive Committee reviewers)4. New collaboration between investigators (1 point; Executive Committee reviewers)5. New area of research for PI (1 point; Executive Committee reviewers)Total: 25 points

The NIH-style biosketch of investigators and any Letters of Support should be included with your applicationas one PDF document. Applicants are encouraged to contact the NIMH Center to discuss proposed projects:Dr. Ahmet Hoke, ahoke@jhmi.edu; 410-955-2227; Dr. Amanda Brown, abrown76@jhmi.edu;410-614-2429.

The following are the detailed instructions for pilot grant proposal submissions:

Instructions for Pilot Grant Proposal Submissions to JHU NIMH Center

Grants must be submitted as PDF files containing:I. Title of Proposal, names and departmental affiliations of all investigators, name(s) of PrincipalInvestigator(s). Funding can be divided among more than one PI, but this must be reflected in the budget withclear justification.II. NIH format Biographical Sketch and Other Support page for all investigatorsIII. Itemized Budget (does not need ORA review) with justification, including salary, supplies, travel, etc.III. Research Plan ~ NIH R21 formatGeneral Format: The Research Plan should be no longer than 6 single-spaced pages, including figures, usinga font of 11 point. Figures may be integrated within the text or included as a separate appendix, but the totalnumber of pages must be 6 or fewer. References may be attached on separate, additional pages, and shouldbe carefully chosen, not to exceed 30 in number. References are not included in the 6-page limit. The nameof the PI(s) should appear in the right top corner of each page.

The Research Plan comprises the following components within the 6-page limit (some taken from NIHwebsite):Abstract: Any new collaborations or highly innovative aspects should be succinctly noted. Relevance to theNIMH Center Grant theme of Therapeutics should also be indicated.Specific Aims: Aims should highlight specific hypotheses to be tested. If new techniques, new populations,or new collaborations are utilized to test these hypotheses, they should be emphasized.Significance: In addition to scientific background and significance, this section may indicate how success ofthe pilot grant will affect subsequent research and funding. The section on Significance should indicaterelevance to the NIMH Center Grant theme of Therapeutics. This section should clarify how answers to thequestions asked will advance the field. Does the project address an important problem or a critical barrier toprogress in the field? If the aims of the project are achieved, how will scientific knowledge, technicalcapability, and/or clinical practice be improved? How will successful completion of the aims change theconcepts, methods, technologies, treatments, services, or preventative interventions that drive this field?Innovation: Does the application challenge and seek to shift current research or clinical practice paradigmsby utilizing novel theoretical concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions? Arethe concepts, approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions novel to one field of researchor novel in a broad sense? Is a refinement, improvement, or new application of theoretical concepts,approaches or methodologies, instrumentation, or interventions proposed?Preliminary Results (if any) and Experimental Approach: Are the overall strategy, methodology, andanalyses well reasoned and appropriate to accomplish the specific aims of the project? Are potentialproblems, alternative strategies, and benchmarks for success presented? If the project is in the early stagesof development, will the strategy establish feasibility and will particularly risky aspects be managed?

If the project involves clinical research, are the plans for 1) protection of human subjects from research risks,and 2) inclusion of minorities and members of both sexes/genders, as well as the inclusion of children,justified in terms of the scientific goals and research strategy proposed?

8/4/2019 NIMH Pilot Announcement 2011

4/4

Scoring SystemScoring System (maximum possible points awarded for each category):1. Scientific merit, including feasibility and experimental design (10 points; faculty reviewers)2. Scientific impact and novelty (10 points; faculty reviewers)3. PI new to Neuro-AIDS research (3 points Executive Committee reviewers)4. New collaboration between investigators (1 point Executive Committee reviewers)5. New area of research for PI (1 point Executive Committee reviewers)Total: 25 points

Executive Committee Members

Justin McArthur, MBBS, MPH, FAAN, Center DirectorNorman Haughey, PhD, Surrogate Markers Core Director

Ned Sacktor, MD, Clinical Core DirectorJoseph Steiner, PhD, Therapeutics Core Director

Ahmet Hoke, MD, Ph.D., Development Core DirectorGretchen Mulvihill, Program Administrator