PROPOSAL FORM for DIBS Research INCUBATOR Awards(2/1/2018)

About the Research Incubator Awards

DIBS Research Incubator awards, with a maximum award amount of $100,000 for one year, non-renewable, support research projects involving interdisciplinary, collaborative brain science research within Duke. The projects must represent exceptional innovation and broad significance to the field. Awards are open to faculty.

The projects must engage at least two faculty representing multiple fields or levels of analysis and bring together investigators from across the University whose individual programs of research are not already collaborating. Projects that include investigators from multiple schools within the University (e.g., School of Medicine, Arts and Sciences, Pratt School of Engineering, etc.) are encouraged.

How to Apply for the Incubator Awards

  1. Submit a one-page, non-binding letter of intent. The letter, in PDF form, is due THURSDAY, MARCH 1, by 5 p.m. ET, via email, to Nicole Schramm-Sapyta, Ph.D., Chief Operating Officer for DIBS, at Please be sure to indicate in the subject line the specific award type for which you are applying. The Letter of Intent will be used to determine eligibility and help DIBS organize the review committee and should provide:

•Name(s) and affiliations of investigators involved

•Overview of the topic area to be explored or questions that will be addressed

•Indication of the significance of the project to the broader field

Once the letters have been received, they will be reviewed and applicants will be notified by March 5 whether they should proceed to a full proposal for an Incubator Award.

  1. Submit a full proposal—due via email on FRIDAY, JUNE 1, by 5 p.m. ET. The proposal should be completed and assembled as described in the following chart, observing the page limits cited. The budget and budget justification and biosketches for all faculty collaborators should be submitted separately. Please use Arial font, 11 pt. or larger, with 0.5” margins.

Proposal Review and Selection Process for Incubator Awards

Incubator Awards require full proposals, which are evaluated by a review committee consisting of Duke faculty with a broad range of expertise in the brain sciences. The review committee will identify proposals that best meet the objectives of the DIBS Awards. The review committee considers:

  1. Significance and potential impact of the research program;
  2. Degree of innovation;
  3. Scope of the interdisciplinary collaboration and relevance for the goals of the research program;
  4. Feasibility of the research project; and
  5. Likelihood of development into a project that would attract external support. (Note: DIBS can provide assistance in identifying appropriate sources of support.)

The DIBS Faculty Governance Committee is responsible for final approval of the awards.

Questions?

Please contact Nicole Schramm-Sapyta, Ph.D., Chief Operating Officer, DIBS, .

How to Assemble Research Incubator Award Proposal Materials

Please use blank pages to assemble the requested information in the following order, adhering to the required font, font size, margins and word/page limits.

Also, please include the name of the Principal Investigator and submission dateat top right of each page. Deadline for submission is JUNE 1, 2018, by 5 p.m. ET.

Section / Description / Word/Page Limits
Face Page / Date, proposal title, participants and their affiliations; research activities / 1 page
  1. Outside Reviewers
/ Please list the names and contact information of four individuals outside of Duke who could potentially serve as reviewers for the proposal. / 1 page
  1. Abstract
/ The Abstract is similar to that of other research proposals. / 250 words
  1. Lay Summary
/ The Lay Summary should be written so that readers not familiar with the research may understand the proposal and its importance. / 250 words
  1. Relevance to the DIBS Mission and Incubator Award
/ How the proposed research fits within the Mission of DIBS and the purpose of the Incubator Awards / 500 words
  1. Work Group Justification
/ What each member of the working group will accomplish, including specific details on how the member is critical to the project / 1 page
  1. Research Proposal
/
  1. Specific Aims
  2. Background & Significance
  3. Preliminary Results (optional)
  4. Research Design & Methods
  5. Timeline/Milestones to be Achieved within the Year of Funding
/ 5 pages, including figures and legends
  1. Budget & Budget Justification
/ Submitted separately on blank pages / No page limit
  1. Biosketches for faculty collaborators
/ Submitted separately on blank pages / 5-page limit per biosketch
I. References / Submitted separately on blank pages / No page limit
Appendices / Not allowed / Not allowed

FACE PAGE

Application for DIBS Research Incubator Award

Please fill out this information, then complete the following pages. Be sure to include the Principal Investigator’s name in the upper right-hand corner of each page.

Date
Proposal Title
Principal Investigator
Title
School & Department
Campus Box #
Phone
Email
Co-Investigator(add lines for additional co-investigators if needed)
Title
School & Department
Campus Box #
Phone
Email
Co-Investigator
Title
School & Department
Campus Box #
Phone
Email
Co-Investigator
Title
School & Department
Campus Box #
Phone
Email
Animals / Yes/No (please circle one) If yes, list species:
Human Subjects / Yes/No (please circle one)
Major Equipment / Yes/No (please circle one) If yes, please describe:

A. OUTSIDE REVIEWERS (250-word limit)

B. ABSTRACT (250-word limit)

C. LAY SUMMARY (250-word limit)

D. RELEVANCE TO DIBS MISSION & INCUBATOR AWARD (500-word limit)

The mission of the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences (DIBS) is to advance interdisciplinary research and education that transform our understanding of brain function and translate into innovative solutions for health and society.

The purpose of the DIBS Research Incubator Awards is to provide up to $100,000 in one-year funding to support interdisciplinary and collaborative brain science research within Duke for projects of exceptional innovation and broad significance to the field. The projects must engage at least two faculty representing multiple fields or levels of analysis and bring together investigators whose individual programs of research are not already connected from across the University. Proposed projects that include investigators from multiple schools within the University (e.g., School of Medicine, Arts & Sciences, Pratt School of Engineering, etc.) are encouraged. By supporting interdisciplinary research teams, DIBS hopes to encourage innovative approaches to problems that transcend the boundaries of traditional disciplines, integrating the brain sciences with the social sciences, physical sciences, gene sciences, humanities, law, business, public policy, mathematics, computer science and engineering.

Please state how the proposed research fits within the Mission of DIBS and the DIBS Research Incubator Awards Program.

E.WORK GROUP JUSTIFICATION (1-page limit)

Please identify the members of the working group, including titles and departmental affiliations. Address what each person will accomplish, including specific details on how he/she is critical to the project. The collaboration among working group members must be essential to achieving the aims of the project. The number and composition of the working group should be both necessary and sufficient to meet the specific interdisciplinary goals of the project.

F. RESEARCH PROPOSAL (5-page limit, including figures and legends)

  1. Specific Aims
  2. Background & Significance
  3. Preliminary Results (optional)
  4. Research Design & Methods
  5. Timeline/Milestones to be Achieved within the Year of Funding

Submitted separately on blank pages:

G. Budget & Budget Justification (no page limit)

H. Biosketches for all faculty collaborators(5-page limit per biosketch)

I. References (no page limit)

Please note: Appendices are not allowed.

Application Submission Deadline: Friday, June 1, 2018, by 5 p.m. ET.

Please submit application via email to Dr. Nicole Schramm-Sapyta, Chief Operating Officer, Duke Institute for Brain Sciences: Be sure to indicate in the subject line the type of award (Incubator or Germinator) in which you are interested.

Duke Institute for Brain Sciences

Research Incubator Award Proposal/2-1-2018 -1-