The UAB Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (ADRC) funds developmental projects with support from the ADRC grant, P30AG086401. The goal of the developmental project program is to attract and support new investigators in the field of Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders (ADRD), leading to successful future extramural applications to NIH and other grant agencies. Each project will be funded for 1 year at up to $75,000 direct cost, with potential for a second year of funding based on review of progress.

Scope

These projects are intended to support a range of ADRD-related studies, including preclinical/laboratory research, the full spectrum of translational research, clinical research, social/behavioral research, and epidemiological/population research. The NIA publishes a list of approved concepts that may be the focus of future Notices of Funding Opportunities, but any area of ADRD research that is likely to be competitive for federal funding is welcome.

The ADRC developmental projects mechanism is particularly geared towards supporting early-career investigators and is intended to provide adequate funding to establish a new line of investigation, such as a pilot study or the initial data collection or analysis required to advance an innovative hypothesis.

Developmental projects are designed for junior faculty but may be awarded to a more senior investigator who is new to the ADRD field. The goal is for the recipient to use this award to develop their research program adequately to obtain NIH research funding and further solidify their career trajectory in the ADRD domain.

The ideal developmental project is a study proposed by a junior faculty investigator with a compelling hypothesis that has potential for impact on ADRD, before the project has developed to the point of being competitive for extramural support, when 1-2 years of additional investigation to generate preliminary data would enable a strong R01 or equivalent application.

Examples of unacceptable developmental projects are:

• A clinical trial.

• A study by an Associate or full Professor who has had previous funding in the ADRD field in the past 10 years.

• A study that is not relevant to ADRD.

• A study that provides incremental evidence in a well-established area of research.

ADRC Resources Available

The thematic focus of the UAB ADRC is Deep South disparities in dementia. Individuals born in the Deep South (traditionally defined as the five-state region spanning LA, MS, AL, GA, and SC) have high rates of AD relative to other regions. Contributing to this, the region is enriched with groups disparately impacted by dementia due to factors associated with race, adverse social determinants of health (SDOH), chronic health conditions, and other issues. The region is home to the nation’s largest population identifying as Black or African American, who are estimated to be at as much as double the risk of AD. Proposals related to this theme are encouraged but not required.

The ADRC collects data and biospecimens from a well-characterized cohort reflecting the demographics of the Deep South. Proposals that utilize existing ADRC data or biospecimens, or that request referrals of participants in the cohort, are encouraged but not required.

The ADRC’s Data Management and Statistics Core (DMSC) provides expertise in biostatistics and experimental design. Consultation with the DMSC regarding the feasibility and rigor of proposed studies is encouraged before submission of a developmental project application. 

Email alz@uabmc.edu to be connected to the DMSC statisticians. 

Data and biospecimens are also available from the larger consortium of ~35 ADRCs across the country for larger sample size. Data from the ADRCs, including clinical evaluations and neuropathology data, is collected by the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center (NACC). Imaging data from the ADRCs is available from Standardized Centralized Alzheimer’s & Related Dementias Neuroimaging (SCAN). Fluid biospecimens from the ADRCs are deposited at and available from the National Cell Repository for Alzheimer’s Disease (NCRAD).

Eligibility

• Principal Investigator should be faculty at the rank of Instructor or Assistant Professor; Associate or full Professors may apply if they have not had prior ADRD funding. Multi-PI applications are not accepted. Faculty from institutions in the Center for Clinical and Translational Science Partner Network or Deep South RCMAR are encouraged to apply.

• Principal Investigator must be eligible to receive NIH R01 or equivalent funding.

• Project in scope as described above.

Requirements

Applicants must agree to the following, if their application is selected for funding:

• Present at the annual ADRC Symposium.

• Submit a progress report 3 months prior the end of Year 1 and at the end of the project.

• Submit a brief progress report for the annual ADRC P30 RPPR (January).

• Acknowledge the ADRC grant, P30AG086401, in any resulting publications.

Application

To apply, please fill out the online application form (applications are currently closed--check back for information regarding the 2025 application cycle) which requests a short project summary and recommended external reviewers, with upload of a single PDF containing:

1. PHS 398 Face Page. Answer questions 1 and 3-8 only, do not complete 2 or 9-14 and you do not need to sign.

2. Research Plan. Five-page limit using Arial 11-pt font with 0.5” margins, including figures and legends (no less than Arial 9-pt for legends), which should include the following sections:

• Specific Aims.
• Significance. Clearly delineate the question you propose to answer and the impact that a successful study would have on the ADRD field.
• Approach. Describe the rationale and experimental design of your proposal, including how results will be interpreted to answer the question(s) to be addressed.
• Rigor. Describe what steps you are taking to ensure the study meets the highest standards of rigor and reproducibility.
• Feasibility. Describe what steps you are taking to ensure the proposed project can be completed within the project period for this grant. Priority will be given to projects that are “ready to launch.”
• Future Funding Plans. Describe your plans and timeline for future funding. If you have already applied for extramural funding to support this project, describe that application and its status/outcome. Address any appearance of overlap with current funding.

3. Literature Cited. This does not count toward the page limit above.

4. Detailed Budget for Year 1 on NIH PHS 398 form. See below for further information.

5. Budget Justification.

6. NIH biosketches for PI and any co-investigators.

7. IRB/IACUC approval letters, if applicable and available.

8. Letter(s) of support. Include a letter of support from the department chair which should comment on the independence of the applicant and availability of research space and other resources for the proposed research.

Applications do not need to be processed through OSP. For questions about the application, email alz@uabmc.edu.

Budget

Direct costs up to $75,000/yr for two years are allowed, although a second year of funding will only be awarded based on adequate progress upon review of the year 1 progress report.

Deadline and Timelines

Applications are currently closed. Please check back for information regarding the 2025 application cycle.
2024 applicants will be notified of final funding decisions in December and awards are planned to start January 1, 2025.

Projects that involve human subjects and/or vertebrate animals research will require IRB/IACUC approval before funding is released. If there are existing IRB or IACUC protocols for this proposed research, you must submit an administrative modification(s) to update those protocols with ADRC funding. If you will submit a new IRB/IACUC protocol for this proposed research, it must also reference ADRC funding.

Review Criteria

Projects will be peer-reviewed by other UAB faculty, and the most promising applications will have a second round of review by external faculty. Final selections will be made by the ADRC Executive Committee and must be approved by the NIA before an award is made.

Scored review criteria will include Significance, Approach, Feasibility, and Future Potential for funding. Reviewers will also comment on any budget concerns and degree of connectedness to the ADRC. A sample review form is available here.