Overview

The UAB Microbiome Center solicits pilot project research proposals that investigate microbe interactions with each other and the host, and/or how the microbiome impacts health and disease. Pilot projects will generate preliminary data that can be used in competitive grant applications to the NIH, NSF, or other extramural funding agencies. This opportunity is open to any faculty member at UAB.

The pilot program will fund three 1-year awards, at least one going to a junior faculty member, each for $20,000 in project-related direct costs including appropriate staff salary support and supplies. An additional $5,000 is available for expenses related to the use of Center supported cores including the UAB Microbiome Institutional Research Core, UAB Microbiota Culture Core, and Laser Microdissection Core. 

A panel of research experts will evaluate submitted proposals based upon relevance to microbiome-related research, significance, innovation, feasibility of the scope of work proposed, and potential for subsequent extramural funding. 

Application Information

Applications for this funding opportunity can be submitted via the REDCap portal from May 1 to June 25, 2023.

Decision on the applications will be made by July 15, 2023, with anticipated start date of August 1, 2023.

Funded investigators will be required to present at the UAB Microbiome Symposium in January 2024 and submit a final progress report at completion.

For additional information please contact Dr. Carlos J. Orihuela.

Required Documentation & Guidelines

Incomplete proposals or those not following the guidelines below will not be reviewed.

Formatting requirements:

1. All text should be written in Arial 11-point font with 1 inch margins (top, bottom, left, right) – do not justify borders.
2. Figures and tables should not contain text with font sizes below 9 points
3. Final grant proposal document should be submitted as a single PDF file.
4. The itemized budget should be included as part of the PDF.

Required documents and page limits:

Please provide the following documentation as a single PDF file following the order specified below:

1. PROPOSAL FACE PAGE (1-page maximum) – Containing the following information:
   1. Proposal title
   2. Principal Investigator: name, degree, position, department/unit
   3. Other key personnel: name, degree, position, department/unit
   4. Location where work will be done
   5. Proposal Abstract (30 lines maximum)
2. PROPOSAL SPECIFIC AIMS AND APPROACH (combined 3-page maximum)
   1. Specific Aims
   2. Background
   3. Significance
   4. Innovation
   5. Research Plan
   6. Plan for Future Support (If applicable describe relevant Program Announcement or Request for Applications).
3. BUDGET & BUDGET JUSTIFICATION (2-page maximum)
   1. Personnel (note that PIs and faculty) cannot take effort on the grant.
   2. Itemized budget – Please use the provided excel template to create your budget.
4. BIOSKETCHES (5-page maximum per biosketch)
   1. NIH format biosketch for the PI and key personnel – Please use the new NIH Biosketch format and highlight relevant prior work in the personal statement.
5. REFERENCES (1-page maximum)
   1. Relevant bibliographic references