Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital

Research Grant

2018

Instructions for Applicants

Objective

The purpose of the Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital (LBCH) Research Grants Program is to promote meritorious clinical and basic investigation at LBCH. The program is especially designed to support studies by individuals who are in the early stages of their research career and individuals who are initiating new lines of investigation. However, proposals from all eligible applicants will be considered.

Eligibility

Members of the LBCH medical staff, nursing staff, and investigators in the Children’s Foundation Research Institute (CFRI) at LBCH are eligible to apply for grant support. It is expected that the applicant will propose an independent research project. Only one project per principal investigator will be reviewed and awarded. No investigator will be funded more than three consecutive years or more than three out of every five years.

Grant Description

The amount of the award will be limited to one year of funding. Additional funds may be available after grant review to supplement meritorious applications. Grants may be renewed twice, for a total of three years of funding, by submitting a renewal application with a progress report and a budget report at the end of the first and second years. Renewal applications will be judged in competition with other applications. Instructions for a competitive renewal application should be followed.

Funds will be set aside this year to fund up to threejunior faculty members (less than 5 years out of training) at $25,000 each to support development of their research programs. Individuals applying for these larger awards should indicate “Junior Faculty Grant” on the application face sheet. The applicant should also include a cover letter outlining his/her research career development plans and how the funding will facilitate these plans. These applicants should identify a faculty mentor who should supply a letter of support, as well as a NIH-style biosketch. These applicants may use Le Bonheur funds to supplement other funding sources as long as there is no budgetary overlap and the budget is well justified. Any remaining funds will be used to fund smaller projects up to $5,000 each depending on the number of applications and their quality, as well as the amount of remaining funds.

Those applicants applying for grants for clinical studies using CFRI/Le Bonheurresources and personnel should contact Sheon Lynch ( or 287-6208) or Chris Smith ( or 287-5090) before preparing budgets to discuss these charges.

All applications are to be submitted by NOON, April 30, 2018 (no exceptions). Grants selected for funding will have a starting date of July 1, 2018.

All studies involving human or animal subjects must be approved by the appropriate Institutional Review Boards prior to the start of funding, July 1, 2018. If this requirement is not completed, the funding will be revoked and awarded to another investigator.

Procedure

Application formsareavailable from the CFRI. You may pick up a paper version from Terrie Swearingen, Room 471R Children’s Foundation Research Tower at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital or you may request an electronic version by e-mail – , phone 287-5355.

All grants will be reviewed by at least two non-conflictedexpert reviewers. The following points will be taken into consideration when the proposals are reviewed:

  1. Does the study have scientific merit?
  1. If the study includes human subjects, does the benefit of the study outweigh the risks and discomfort? Is it clear how study subjects will be identified and recruited? A draft consent form must be included. No award will be made until appropriate IRB approval is in place. For studies involving animals, the appropriate IACUC approval must be in place before an award will be made.
  1. Can the proposal be completed by the applicant in the time allotted? Is the applicant qualified to carry out the proposed study? If the applicant is a junior faculty member, does the proposed work advance the research career of the applicant? Is there an appropriate mentor? The mentor’s biosketch should be included. Is there a clear plan for how the grant will bridge to a K award or other external funding to become sustainable?
  1. Is the proposal clear and concise? Has the appropriate literature been consulted and cited? Was the proposal written with attention to detail? Can the reviewer tell exactly what the applicant plans to do and why?
  1. Is it clear how the data will be analyzed? Are appropriate statistical tools used? Is the applicant appropriately utilizing CFRI Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Core support?
  1. Is the budget appropriate? Will it be possible to document how the money is spent?
  1. Did the applicant follow directions in completing the application?

Funding decisions are not subject to appeal.

Reports

By June 30, 2019, at the conclusion of the period of grant support, the investigator must provide a Progress Report to the Committee. This report must include the results of the study, a list of resulting abstracts, presentations, manuscripts and extramural grant applications, and a detailed budget report. The support of Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital and the Children’s Foundation Research Institute should be acknowledged on all publications related to the proposal.

Instructions

The Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital Research Grant application form must be used. The application should be typed and the pages must be numbered. Arial 11 font is preferred as is used in NIH grant applications.

Individuals applying for the larger awards for junior faculty should indicate “Junior Faculty Grant” on the application face sheet. The applicant should also include a cover letter outlining his/her research career development plans and how the funding will facilitate these plans. These applicants should identify a faculty mentor who should supply a letter of support, as well as a NIH-style biosketch.

The instructions below should be followed:

A.Face Sheet (self explanatory)

  1. Budget

Types of Expenditures Allowed

  • Research Supplies
  • Purchase and maintenance of animals
  • Cost of computer time
  • Study participant fees
  • Laboratory or procedure fees (pathology, x-rays, etc.)
  • Equipment costing less than $2,500 (special justification is necessary for items exceeding this amount)
  • Computer hardware and software (must be fully justified and necessary for completion of project)
  • Salary support for research personnel, clinical research nurses, research technicians and part-time temporary personnel (such as student stipends)

Note: Those applicants applying for grants for clinical studies using CFRI/Le Bonheur resources and personnel should contact Sheon Lynch ( or 287-6208) or Chris Smith ( or 287-5090) before preparing budgets to discuss these charges.

Types of Expenditures Not Allowed

  • PI salary support
  • Charges for routine medical care
  • Travel to attend scientific meetings
  • Secretarial and telephone services
  • Periodicals or books
  • Office furniture, equipment or supplies
  1. Budget Justification: The exact cost of each item to be included should be provided. The need for each item should be justified.
  1. Current and pending sources of support for the investigator and all co-investigators for the last five years including past support by the Le Bonheur Research Grant Program.
  1. Personnel Listing: All individuals who will participate should be included with a description of their role in the project. The percent effort on the project can be calculated by multiplying the percent of time per week multiplied by the percent of the year. For example: one day per week for 6 months would be (0.20) X (0.5) = 0.10 or 10%.
  1. Description of the study: This segment of the proposal should be no longer than 6 pages not including the bibliography and consent. Use the following format:
  • Abstract (250 words)
  • If this is a revised grant, you may include a one-page Introduction summarizing your responses to the previous review that will not count toward the 6-page limit.
  • Hypothesis and Specific Aims (one half page)
  • Background and Significance
  • Experimental Approach and Methods (this should include a timetable indicating when various parts of the study will be completed)
  • Expected outcomes and data analysis, as well as potential pitfalls and alternative approaches
  • Bibliography
  • Consent form draft (If the study includes human subjects, the consent form should be in the style required by the UT IRB.)
  1. Biographical sketch (NIH style, not the most recent “new” format; no more than 4 pages, copy attached) of the PI, the PI’s mentor if the PI is a resident or fellow, and key collaborators or consultants.
  1. Departmental Signatures (The grant should be signed by the Department Chair, Dr. McCullers, and Department Director, Granger Butler)

Submission of a Competitive Renewal Application –

  1. Face Sheet – After the title, indicate that the application is a competitive renewal.
  2. Budget – Indicate how much money has been spent in each of the categories in the first 7 months of funding. Use a second budget sheet to indicate how money will be spent in the second year of funding.
  3. Abstract of proposal (may be the same as the first year)
  4. Hypothesis and Specific aims (may be the same as the first year)
  5. Progress report – In no more than one page summarizing the results obtained in the first 7 months of funding.List any resulting manuscripts, abstracts or scientific presentations.
  6. Proposal – In no more than two pages indicate the studies planned for the second year of funding. If there have been changes in the approach from the original proposal, please indicate. If the proposal involves pediatric subjects and includes changes that affect the subject, a revised consent must be submitted.
  7. To permit easier review of the competitive renewal application, the application should include a copy of the description of the original study (see item F under “Instructions”)
  8. Biographical sketches (NIH style; not the most recent “new” format; no more than 4 pages, sample attached)

Incomplete applications will not be considered.

An electronic copy and one hardcopy should be submitted to:

Terrie Swearingen

Room 471R, Children’s Foundation Research Tower, 287-5355

Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital

Rev. 2/2018

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