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Research Grant Programs:
Research grant applications are invited from investigators studying
clinical and basic science hypotheses relevant to the identification,
management, treatment, cure, or determination of pathogenesis of
syringomyelia/Chiari malformation.
Vision Statement: American
Syringomyelia Alliance Project (ASAP) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3)
organization established on May 31, 1988. Its vision is to decrease the
devastating effects of syringomyelia, Chiari malformations and related
disorders. ASAPs goals include: increasing public awareness of the
existence of the disorder and its devastating effects; financially
supporting research efforts and raising funds to find all causes, to
develop new treatments and to improve existing treatments; coordinating
the efforts of organizations working towards improving the lives of
people with syringomyelia and/or Chiari.
Grant Description: The
Medical Advisory Board and Directors of ASAP solicit research grants
that are peer reviewed and must adhere to standards similar to that of
the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The application process is
much more streamlined than traditional NIH grants to encourage
applicants. The scientific goal is to award grants to those
investigators that demonstrate exciting and innovative approaches to
the treatment and/or contribute to our understanding of the etiology of
syringomyelia and its related disorders. We are not looking to provide
bridging funding to established researchers who are between grant
cycles. We are hoping to encourage innovative thinking from new
investigators in this previously under researched field. Our goal is to
generate enough revolutionary funding that investigators who receive an
ASAP grant subsequently receive funding from more traditional sources
such as the NIH.
Unsolicited Applications:
Applications for research grant funding may be submitted outside the
regular grant submission process following discussion with Research
committee chair. ASAP reserves the right to award research funds
outside of the standard grant application procedure should compelling
applications be presented that fall within the scope of our research
aims and should funding be available.
American Syringomyelia Alliance Project
Grants: Funds for one year of support up to $50,000 may be
requested. Extensions beyond the first year of funding may be
requested. Awards for extensions are based on research progress and
availability of funds.
I. Application Procedure:
Research grants are available to junior and established scientists and
physicians (faculty) at universities or accredited medical institutions
in the United States. Non-faculty members are eligible with indication
of support from faculty sponsor.
II. Deadline dates:
Awards are funded for period September 1 August 30.
All research funds are currently committed. Please check back after
6/1/07 regarding future funding opportunities.
III. Applications should be sent to:
Please submit 7 copies of all applications to:
Marcy Speer, Ph.D.
Chair, Research Committee
American Syringomyelia Alliance Project
Duke University Medical Center
Box 3445
595 S. LaSalle Street, Room 2016
Durham, NC 27710
(919) 684 2063
Neither late submissions nor electronic copies of applications will be
accepted.
IV. Questions about the relevance of specific
proposals or specific questions about the research application itself
should be directed to:
Marcy Speer, Ph.D.
Duke University Medical Center
Box 3445
595 S. LaSalle Street, Room 2016
Durham, NC 27710
(919) 684 2063 (phone)
(919) 684 0917 (FAX)
marcy@chg.duhs.duke.edu
(electronic mail)
RESEARCH GRANT PROGRAM: SPECIFIC GUIDELINES
I. Eligibility
1. Principal investigator must be a professional
or faculty member at appropriate educational, medical, or research
institution and be qualified to conduct and supervise a program of
original research. Non-faculty members are eligible if sponsored by
faculty member.
2. Have access to institutional resources necessary to conduct the
proposed research project.
3. Awards are available to applicants within the United States, only.
4. Conflict of Interest: Medical Board Members of ASAP can not be the
Principal Investigator in any proposed research grant. They may,
however, collaborate with any project as a collaborative investigator
as long as they do not accept grant money to perform the research.
Furthermore, no Medical Board Member may review a research proposal
from his/her institution, or from one in which they
collaborate.
II. Duration and distribution of awards:
1. Awards are made for fiscal year September 1 August 30.
2. Awards are granted for a one-year period. Extensions are possible
depending on research progress and availability of funds.
3. Checks are made payable to the institution and not to an individual
investigator. The institutions financial officer should establish an
account from which research expenses may be paid under the terms of the
approved award. Funds are disbursed in quarterly payments.
III. Authorized expenses:
1. Salary support for ancillary scientific personnel except for
principal investigator and co-investigators;
2. Equipment and supply expenses necessary to fulfill the projects
specific aims;
3. Travel expenses related directly to the conduct of the research;
4. Professional scientific/medical travel up to $3,000/year that
includes travel to an ASAP meeting;
5. Costs associated with publication of research;
6. No indirect cost will be paid Indirect costs up to 8% are allowed;
7. No secretarial costs will be paid.
IV. Unauthorized expenses:
1. Salary or fringe benefits for the principal investigator;
2. Salary or fringe benefits for any ASAP co-investigator;
3. Salaries, travel, and/or housing related to sabbatical leaves;
4. Purchase or rental of office equipment (e.g., typewriters,
furniture, copy machines, computers);
5. Expenses normally covered in the indirect cost allocation of the
principal investigators institution;
6. Fees for tuition;
7. Membership dues, tuition, books or journals;
8. Service contracts;
9. Waste disposal;
10. Construction, alteration , maintenance, or rental of building space.
V. Human and/or animal subjects/tissues:
1. A copy of the institutions current IRB approval notice and a copy of
the patient informed consent form must be submitted before any award
money is transferred. The IRB does not have to be approved prior to
submitting the application.
2. When human subjects, tissues, and/or materials are to be used in a
research grant project that is awarded monies, it is the responsibility
of the principal investigator and the institution to ensure that the
institution has the following on file:
a. A complete copy of the research protocol approved by the
institutions human subjects review board (IRB) and a copy of that
boards current approval notice;
b. A copy of the patient informed consent to be used.
3. When experimental drugs and/or experimental medical devices are to
be administered to patients, the materials required in the research
protocol section above are necessary. In addition, it is the
responsibility of the principal investigator and the institution to
ensure that the institution has the following on file:
a. A complete copy of the requested exemption for Investigational New
Drug (IND) and/or Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) application
that has been approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) and a copy of the FDAs approval notice;
b. Copies of all correspondence during the application and award
periods between the FDA and the ASAP principal investigator pertaining
to the experimental drug and/or device study.
4. ASAP requires that patients participating in experimental drug
and/or device studies not be charged directly for any research
procedures included under the projects approved protocol.
5. ASAP investigators should use animals and animal tissues in their
research only when reasonable and practical alternatives do not exist.
When attainment of the specific aims of a project require the use of
animals and/or animal tissues, a detailed justification must be
included in the research grant application submitted to ASAP. The
justification shall include statements confirming that institutional
guidelines:
a. are at least as protective as those of the National Institutes of
Health guidelines;
b. conform to all applicable laws and regulations;
c. meet the prevailing community standards for responsible scientific
research;
d. apply throughout the project to ensure the humane treatment of any
animals involved in the project.
It is the responsibility of the institution to ensure that no ASAP
funds will be released for research involving humans and/or animals
until the required documentation described above is on file with the
appropriate official at the institution.
RESEARCH REPORTS AND PUBLICATIONS
I. Report of expenditures:
A Report of Expenditures form will be mailed to the principal
investigator of the institution two (2) months prior to the end of each
fiscal year of the grant application. The financial officer of the
institution must, within twelve (12) weeks of the expiration date of
the grant, return the completed form to ASAP with a check in the amount
of all uncommitted and unexpended funds plus unexpended accrued
interest, if any.
II. Report of progress:
Progress reports must be submitted at 6-month intervals during each
funded grant year. A final report of progress must be submitted no
later than one month following grant termination date. ASAP may require
additional progress reports at any time during an award period as a
condition of continuing the award.
III. Publications and news releases:
ASAP expects timely publication of the results of all research projects
it supports and requires that every such publication whether in
peer-reviewed journals, meeting abstract formats, review articles, or
similar publications contain the following statement or its equivalent:
This work was supported by a grant from the American Syringomyelia
Alliance Project (ASAP). A copy of each research publication resulting
fully or in part from funding from ASAP shall be submitted to ASAP.
Since funds to support ASAPs research program are primarily from
donations from private citizens, it is essential to the growth and
maintenance of ASAP and its research program that these donors be kept
fully informed of the research progress that their contributions make
possible. ASAP also endeavors to keep individuals and families affected
with syringomyelia and/or Chiari type I malformation informed of
research progress. For these purposes, ASAP may issue press releases on
newsworthy research developments and produce various publications for
the public that report research activities after careful review of its
Medical Board. Such a press release or report may be issued on the
occasion of the publication of an article in a professional journal or
a presentation at a scientific or medical meeting.
In addition, ASAP requires funded investigators to submit short reviews
(3-5 paragraphs) of their research plans and progress for publication
in its newsletter and on its website. ASAP may invite funded
investigators to present their research at its annual patient education
conference. ASAP award money may be used for the purpose of travel to
this conference.
Budget revisions, expenditures beyond grant
expiration date, change in status:
1. The continued use of grant funds following any major change in
status (sabbatical, unexpected leave of absence, move to new
institution, or withdrawal from project) of the principal investigator
requires prior written authorization from ASAP.
2. Expenditures may not be committed against a grant after the
expiration date of the grant, except when authorized in writing by ASAP.
3. ASAP requires the submission of a revised budget when a grant is
awarded for less than the amount originally requested. The revised
budget must reallocate the amount awarded for items requested in the
original budget, except for any items specifically described in the
award letter that must be deleted from the budget. A revised budget
must be submitted to ASAP and to the business office of the institution
within four (4) weeks of receipt of the notice of award.
4. The principal investigator must submit a written request for
authorization to reallocate funds, reappoint personnel, or change
equipment purchases of an approved budget to ASAP. Such requests must
include the amount of the reallocation, the budget items affected by
the reallocation and a detailed justification. Requests will be
considered up to four (4) weeks prior to the termination date of the
award. ASAP does not permit budget revisions exceeding 15% of the total
budget for that year or a budget reallocation adding funds to a budget
category for which there is no prior approved budget. Reallocations are
permitted only during the current funding year. Discretionary budget
revisions totalling under $1,000 are permitted without ASAP
authorization.
ASAP reserves the right at all times to cancel a grant if circumstances
render the individual on whose behalf the award was made unfit,
unqualified, and/or unable to perform under the terms and conditions of
the grant program policy. Such circumstances include, but are not
limited to, abandonment of the project, loss of license, conviction of
a crime, or withdrawal of insurance or other material institutional
protections.
Review Process:
Each grant application will be reviewed in a uniform manner. The ASAP
Research Committee will review all grant applications in a timely
manner after submission. All Conflicts of Interest of the Medical Board
Members, review board, and applicant must be declared prior to the
initiation of the formal review process. The Medical Board may
recommend a team of reviewers or a single outside review expert if the
grant subject matter or analysis of the scientific methods fall outside
the scope of the ASAP reviewers. The grant applications will be
reviewed on the basis of 1) applicability (falling within the realm of
the ASAP vision statement), 2) scientific merit, 3) utility of
methodology employed, 4) originality of the proposal, 5) and the
qualifications of the investigators carrying out the proposed research.
Each category will be rated and tabulated. Both the cumulative and
individual category raw scores will be passed directly on to the Board
of Directors of ASAP. The final decision to award monies based on the
scientific recommendations of the Research Committee and consultation
with the Medical Advisory Board, rests with the Board of Directors of
ASAP.
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