The MRCE Developmental Project program funds innovative projects that address key questions in biodefense or emerging infectious diseases research. Projects are selected by members of the MRCE Steering Committee and selected members of the External Advisory Board. Following final NIAID approval, projects receive $150,000 in direct costs plus institutional F&A. Previous awardees are eligible for a second year of funding for the same project or for a distinguishable new project. Awards for a single project will not continue for more than two years.
Support for innovative projects that address key questions in biodefense and emerging infectious diseases. Projects must fall within the scope of the following areas:
- Basic biology of category A-C agents*
- Mechanisms of pathogenesis of A-C agents
- Application of genomic and proteomic strategies to category A-C agents
- Basic aspects of the innate and adaptive immune responses to category A-C agents
- Rapid, sensitive, and specific approaches for detection and identification of category A-C agents
- Target identification for diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines, including assay development
- Development of new animal models for pathogenesis studies; for therapeutics and vaccine evaluation; and for rapid diagnostic studies.
- Testing through Phase I clinical trials of drugs, diagnostics and vaccines
Projects that will directly lead to product development are particularly desirable.
*NIAID Category A-C agent list: http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/topics/BiodefenseRelated/Biodefense/research/CatA.htm. Projects proposing work on agents listed in the NIAID Emerging Infectious Diseases list will also be considered: http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/topics/emerging/list.htm
Open to full time faculty at academic institutions or equivalently ranked investigators from biotechnology or pharmaceutical industries within the MRCE region (Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, and Cleveland, OH). The MRCE is particularly interested in:
- Junior, faculty-level investigators without grant support who seek to establish independence
- Independent investigators who wish to enter the fields of biodefense or emerging infectious diseases
- Established biodefense or emerging infectious diseases investigators wishing to pursue a new direction within these fields
AMOUNT: Up to $150,000 direct costs plus institutional F&A for one year may be requested. 3 awards will be made. Previous awardees are eligible for a second year of funding for the same project or for a distinguishable new project. Awards for a single project will not continue for more than two years.
Awardees will be notified by MRCE Director Dr. Herbert Virgin or MRCE Project Manager Dr. Scott Handley in January or February of each year. Awards will start on March 1 and are contingent on the MRCE’s timely receipt of all appropriate institutional regulatory information (e.g. Human Studies, Animal Studies, etc.), and approval by NIAID. All human subjects protocols must receive institutional approval as well as approval by Washington University’s IRB committee prior to the start of funding.