Delaware INBRE Research Project Award RFA Information

Research Projects (RP): $80,000 in direct costs per year for 2 years ($160K total); 6 months or 50% workload devoted to research and professional development activities required for PI.

Research Project awards are mentored, two-year grants that provide seed funding to develop research programs of early stage and NIH new investigators. Research Project award applications must address an important research question relevant to NIH’s goals. Applicants are not limited to topical focus areas; any proposals addressing scientific questions relevant to NIH’s mission are welcome.

Letter of Intent Due: September 23, 2024 (11:59ET)
Full Proposal Due: October 21, 2024 (11:59ET)
Potential Awardees Notified: Mid January 2025
Just In Time (JIT) Deadline: March 3, 2025 (IRB/IACUC Approval/DUAs Due, failure to have these in place by this deadline may result in forfeiture of the award)
Grant Year begins: May 1, 2025 (contingent upon the availability of NIH funding)

***Note: IRB/IACUC approvals and DUAs must be received by the JIT date or the PI risks forfeiture of award. In addition, the IRB/IACUC approval and DUA letters must reflect that the protocol title matches the DE-INBRE proposal title. If it does not, a letter of congruency provided by the IACUC/IRB will be needed or the PI will need to seek approval of a new protocol with a title that exactly matches the DE-INBRE project.***

For Questions Please Contact: DRPP director, Anjana Bhat at abhat@udel.edu or the DE-INBRE office at info@de-inbre.org

Begin RP LOI Here

Overview

The Delaware IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (DE-INBRE) is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) and State of Delaware co-funded program to build Delaware’s capacity to conduct biomedical research by supporting investigator driven research projects, undergraduate research training, student/faculty professional development, and research infrastructure (e.g. core facilities and data access). Since this mission includes engagement with undergraduate researchers, funded investigators are required to engage undergraduates in their project and will be asked to describe this inclusion as part of the application. Eligible investigators across our network are welcome to apply to these funding mechanisms. The DE-INBRE network includes five institutions:

The University of Delaware (UD)
Delaware State University (DSU)
Christiana Care Health System (CCHS)
Nemours Children’s Hospital (Nemours)
Delaware Technical Community College (DTCC)

DE-INBRE also works with several affiliated institutions including the Wilmington VA Medical Center (Wilmington VA), Delaware Public Health Laboratory (DPHL), Delaware Health Information Network (DHIN), and the Delaware Biosciences Association. Research faculty with PI eligibility employed by these institutions are also eligible to receive support from DE-INBRE.

Investigators whose projects focus on Clinical Translational / Community Engaged Research involving Human Subjects are encouraged to direct their applications to the DE-CTR-ACCEL program.

Eligibility

DE-INBRE Research Project applicants must be employed by a DE-INBRE partner institution; (UD, Nemours, ChristianaCare, DSU or DTCC) or a DE-INBRE affiliate institution and hold independent investigator status as defined by their institution. Note: graduate students, clinical fellows and post-doctoral scholars are not eligible to serve as PIs.

Only NIH-defined “Early-Stage Investigators (ESIs)” and NIH-defined “new investigators” are eligible for Research Project grants. Prior DE-INBRE Research Project awardees (i.e., 2-year awards) who are still eligible as NIH “new investigators” can apply but will not be prioritized for new Research Project funding.

Investigators who have active research support from other IDeA mechanisms (e.g., Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence [COBRE], Center for Translational Research [CTR]), IDeA States Pediatric Clinical Trials Network [ISPCTN] are not eligible for simultaneous DE-INBRE Research Project funding

Investigators who have limited access to research resources will be prioritized for funding over those with substantial start-up packages from their home institutions or other research support.

NIH NIGMS requires that Research Project Investigators funded through DE-INBRE devote at least 50% of their overall professional effort (equivalent to 6.0 person months) to career development and research activities. Applicants must provide a letter from the chair, dean, or supervisor certifying that the applicant will have this level of protected time.

Mentors

Mentors are required for all early stage and new investigators

Delaware INBRE Research Projects have a strong mentoring component for early stage and new investigators. Thus, applications from NIH early stage and new investigators require a mentor and a mentoring plan described through a letter of support written by the mentor. The Primary Mentor (or Mentoring Team) is expected to have an established track record of NIH funding and investigator training. The primary mentor must:

Be a full-time, established investigator with a history of independent funding.
Be experienced in the area of the applicant’s proposal
Demonstrate commitment to the applicant’s career development
Have an established track record of training new / ESI faculty or fellows at the applicant’s career stage.

Applicants are encouraged to identify more than one mentor as this is often advantageous while developing sustainable programs. The applicant should seek out their mentor(s) in preparing their application. Potential applicants having difficulty identifying an appropriate mentor are encouraged to reach out to the DRPP Director, Anjana Bhat at abhat@udel.edu for assistance.

Detailed Requirements, Instructions & Forms

Submission Requirements:

All LOI and Application materials will be submitted using the DE-INBRE Piestar RFx system. UD applicants should log into the Piestar system using their UD credentials (via CAS SSO). Non-UD applicants must create their own username and password for the DE-INBRE Piestar RFx system. Once an account is created, an applicant can apply for any DE-INBRE funding opportunities in the future using the same log in information. The Piestar system is compatible with firewalls and security protocols at all DE-INBRE partner and affiliate organizations. If you have problems setting up your Piestar account, please contact INBRE-evaluation@udel.edu for assistance.

Letter of Intent (LOI)

A Piestar Fillable Form must be submitted by September 23, 2024 (11:59 pm ET) and should include:

A descriptive title of proposed research
Principal investigator’s name, email address, phone number
Mentor’s name and email address
Names of other key personnel and participating institution(s)
The application type: Pilot Project. Please specify the mechanism you are applying to: Take-off, Booster, High-end Core Facility, or DE Data Science Awards
State if your project will require IRB/IACUC approvals or DUA approvals.
A concise description of your proposed project with sufficient detail to identify expert reviewers for your proposal
A list of 3-4 potential scientific reviewers familiar with the proposed research. These potential reviewers need not be from Delaware. Professional familiarity with the applicant is allowed, however, a potential reviewer should not have a significant conflict of interest.
All PIs submitting an LOI are invited to submit a full proposal.

Full Proposal

Full proposals are due by October 21, 2024 (11:59 pm ET)

Document Formatting & Naming Requirements:

Please upload the requested information specified below using currently approved NIH forms/formats. All pages must be prepared using 11 point or larger Arial, Helvetica, Georgia, or Palatino Linotype fonts (non-condensed), single (or higher) paragraph spacing, and ½ inch margins. Forms and formatting are similar to those of NIH R type, small grant proposals.
Templates and samples for most forms are provided under Templates and Downloads.
To help keep all applications well organized, please name each document file beginning with the PI’s last name, then name of the item (e.g. duncan_sf424)
Using the appropriate template files and file naming conventions will ensure your records stay together and will reduce the administrative burden for reviewers and research staff.

Forms to be completed by institutional research contact with PI support (see contact list below):

SF424 (R&R) form provided here

Forms to be completed by PI with mentor/department chair support:

Biosketches: (<5 pages each): in the current NIH format for PI and Key Personnel including the primary mentor, other members of the mentoring team, and collaborators who would play a significant role in accomplishing the goals of the proposal. Please review NIH Biosketch policy and consider using the Sciencv system to create the biosketches.
Specific Aims Page (1 page): Follow guidance on Specific Aims here and here. It is recommended that ESI/new applicants work closely with their mentors on this section. This document should end with an explicit impact statement specifying why this work if successful will make a sustained impact on the field of study.
Research Strategy (6 pages) & Bibliography (no page limit): Follow guidance on Research Strategy here and here. It is recommended that applicants work closely with their mentors on this section which includes Significance, Innovation, and Approach (including Preliminary Data, if available). Please include the Bibliography & References Cited (no page limits) uploads with this form. Follow guidance here and here.
Budget & Justification:
- Budget & Justification: Provide 2 separate itemized, detailed budget forms (R&R budget form – 5 yr.) 1 budget form, 80k for each year (May 01, 2025 – April 30, 2026 & May 01, 2026 – April 30, 2027).
- Provide 2 separate written budget justifications to match the items listed in the budget per these budgetary guidelines. Please work with your institution’s research contact (see contact list below) to develop your budget.
Undergraduate Inclusion Plan (1 page): Briefly describe your plans for engaging undergraduate students in your research including high-quality opportunities to participate in bona fide research projects in the summer or academic year during your award period.
A letter of Support from the PI’s Department Head/Chair: Letter should indicate the level of institutional support. The letter must include assurance that the applicant will have sufficient time available over the course of the award to participate in the proposed research program.

Early Stage / New investigator forms:

Individual Development Plan (1-2 pages): The IDP should include mentor names, applicant’s overarching career goals (broad, general, long-range statements), specific objectives in the next few years in four different career development domains: clinical, teaching, research, and leadership. Include SMART objectives that are specific, measurable, short-term actions and are designed to achieve applicant’s goals.
Mentoring plan letter from primary mentor (2 pages) must confirm their willingness to be a mentor and should include proposal PI (mentee) and mentor names and titles, the mentor’s past research and training record (their own research expertise and funding record, as well as the number of past mentees they trained and the mentees’ career trajectory including positions held and grant/research productivity). Explain the mentor’s understanding of the PI (mentee)’s potential for future research success and their goals for developing further expertise. In addition, describe the details of existing mentoring or working relationship (if any) and any additional specifics of the planned mentoring interactions during the funding period. Explain how the mentor will support the PI (mentee) in achieving the specific goals stated including future proposal development for NIH and other extramural funding (e.g., meeting frequency, topics covered, and grant writing guidance). Names and roles of any other mentors and their roles can also be explained. In cases where there are multiple mentors or a mentoring team, this letter should indicate each mentor’s full understanding of their role and commitment to the PI’s research progress.

Other documents required from PI depending on the proposal:

Letter(s) of Support from Core Directors or Collaborators, if applicable.
Plans for Vertebrate Animal Use, if applicable (no page limits): Follow guidance provided here, for this section. See specific bullets under Additional Specific Details.
Human Subjects Clinical Trials Forms, if applicable: Follow guidance provided for Form G, for this section. Use the PHS Human Subjects and Clinical Trials form provided here.
Plans for Human Subjects Research, if applicable (no page limits): Follow guidance provided here and here. See specific bullets under Additional Specific Details. Upload this file in the Human Subjects Clinical Trials Form pdf.
Statement of success from prior awards (1 page), if applicable: PIs who have led a project supported by CTR, DE-INBRE, COBRE grants should include a progress report on the prior work, including their success in leveraging that research into independent external support and explaining why further support is necessary.

Funding Level & Reporting Requirements

Applicants will be expected to submit itemized budgets at levels that reflect justified projected needs up to and not exceeding: $160K in direct costs for the funding period of two years ($80,000 per year)

A typical DE-INBRE Project will provide support for undergraduate or graduate students or a postdoctoral fellow, and appropriate amounts for:

PI summer salary (i.e., buyout of PI salary is permitted). However, institutional policies and employee expectations vary across DE-INBRE institutions. Therefore, petitions for PI salary buyout will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the RDC. RDC recommendations will be forwarded to the DE-INBRE PI, Dr. Melinda Duncan (duncanm@udel.edu) for final decision with oversight and review by the DE-INBRE External Advisory Committee (EAC) and, as appropriate, NIH Program Officials.
Supplies
Travel
Use of DE-INBRE affiliated centralized core facilities and/or data science resources.
Contractual or consultative work (if applicable)

Reporting Requirements

DE-INBRE investigators are required to sign agreements that set out the conditions of their award. Investigators must submit research reports and financial updates at intervals outlined in their agreements and provide periodic updates on career progress after the completion of DE-INBRE support. In addition, they will be required to participate in DE-INBRE professional development events and program evaluation activities. They will be required to present posters and/or talks at External Advisory Committee Meeting(s), and the DE-INBRE research conference to be held in Spring 2026.

Additional Specific Details
Plans for Human Subjects or Vertebrate Animal Research

Protections for Human Subjects:

For research that involves non-exempt, human subjects research (see 45 CFR Part 46), the investigator should discuss the justification for involvement of human subjects and the proposed protections from research risk relating to their participation according to the following five criteria: risk to subjects, adequacy of protection against risks, potential benefits to the subjects and others, importance of the knowledge to be gained, data and safety monitoring for clinical trials
For research that involves human subjects and meets the criteria for one or more of the six categories of research that are exempt under 45 CFR Part 46, the applicant should discuss: the justification for the exemption, human subjects involvement and characteristics, sources of materials.
More guidance is provided here and here.

Inclusion of Women and Minorities: Applicants must detail how they will assure that women and minority groups are included in any clinical research in a manner that is appropriate to the scientific question under study.

Follow guidance here.

Inclusion Across the Lifespan: To comply with the NIH’s Inclusion Across the Lifespan Policy, applicants must explain how they will ensure that individuals are included in clinical research in a manner appropriate to the scientific question under study so that the knowledge gained is applicable to all those affected by the condition.

Follow guidance here.

Planned Enrollment: Use the planned enrollment table format provided in the Human Subjects and Clinical Trial Form.

Plans for Vertebrate Animal Use, if applicable:

The vertebrate animal use justification and protection section should cover:
- Description of Procedures: Provide a concise description of the proposed procedures to be used that involve vertebrate animals. Identify the species, strains, ages, sex and total number of animals by species to be used. If dogs or cats are proposed, provide the source of the animals.
- Justifications: Provide justification that the species are appropriate for the proposed research. Explain why the research goals cannot be accomplished using an alternative model (e.g., computational, human, invertebrate, in vitro).
- Minimization of Pain and Distress: Describe the interventions to minimize discomfort, distress, pain and injury. These include analgesia, anesthesia, sedation, palliative care and humane endpoints.
- Euthanasia: State whether the method of euthanasia is consistent with the recommendations of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals. If not, describe the method and provide a scientific justification. Follow guidance provided here, for this section.

Contacts

For general application questions please email DRPP Director, Dr. Anjana Bhat (abhat@udel.edu)

See a list of support contacts here:

Institution-Specific Program Contacts

Type of Support	Contact Name	Email
Piestar RFX System Support	Linda Polasko	lpolasko@udel.edu
Christiana Care Health System
Research Contact, Application Assistance (Forms, Rules)	Ross Budziszewski	ross.budziszewski@christianacare.org
Budget, Allowable expenses	Mary Thomas	mary.thomas@christianacare.org
EHR/Data Science/Core Facilities	Claudine Jurkovitz	cjurkovitz@christianacare.org
IRB Approval	Institutional Review Board	IRBOffice@christianacare.org
Delaware State University
Grant writing mentoring	Hacene Boukari	hboukari@desu.edu
Grant writing mentoring	Hakeem Lawal	hlawal@desu.edu
Grant writing mentoring	Melissa Harrington	mharringon@desu.edu
Research Contact, Application Assistance (Budget, Forms)	Rohina Niamat	rniamat@desu.edu
IRB/IACUC approval	Chanel Haman	chaman@desu.edu
Core Facilities	Michael Moore	mmoore@desu.edu
Nemours Children’s Hospital
Grant writing mentoring	PI Mentoring Program	mentoring@nemours.org
Director, Mentoring Program & DE-INBRE Proposal Approver	Robert Akins	robert.akins@nemours.org
Research Contact, All aspects	Ranita Chakrabarti	ranita.chakrabarti@nemours.org
Core Facilities	Heather Hardy	heather.hardy@nemours.org
University of Delaware
Grant writing mentoring / Application assistance	Anjana Bhat	abhat@udel.edu
Research Contact, Budget and Forms	Dawn Everhart	dawnm@udel.edu
IRB Approvals	Humans Subjects Review Board	hsrb-research@udel.edu
IACUC Approvals	Eric Hutchinson and Julie Hoffman Forms available on Research office web site https://research.udel.edu/	UD-IACUC@udel.edu
Core Facilities	Jeffrey Caplan	jcaplan@udel.edu
Wilmington VA
Research Contact, Application assistance & VA procedures	Suzanne Milbourne	suzanne.milbourne@va.gov

Grant Writing Resources

For examples of applications and components, please email DRPP Director, Anjana Bhat, abhat@udel.edu directly.

Please see a list of resources here. If you still have a question don’t hesitate to email us at info@de-inbre.org and we will direct your question to the direct source!