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Call for Pilot Project Proposals [Microsoft
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A printer-friendly, Microsoft Word version of the call for proposals.
Call for Proposals Flyer [PDF
version]
A 1-page flyer announcing the call for proposals.
Additional information for WHOI PIs [PDF version] |
Call for Pilot Project Proposals
The Woods Hole Center for Oceans and Human Health (COHH) invites proposals for pilot projects to investigate questions at the intersection of oceanographic, biological, and environmental health sciences.
Background
The Woods Hole COHH is one of four centers in a program sponsored
jointly by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
(NIEHS) and the National Science Foundation (NSF). The Woods Hole
Center is a joint effort involving scientists from the Woods Hole
Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), the Marine Biological Laboratory
(MBL), and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
The purpose of the overall COHH program is "to support interdisciplinary
research leading to improved understanding of the connections between
oceans and human health." This will occur through "multidisciplinary
research programs in the diverse areas of oceanography, climatology,
ecology, biomedical science, and computational biology…[that]
will provide for a national network of investigators and will foster
an interconnected research approach dedicated to understanding the
physical, chemical, and biological complexities linking oceans and
human health." Special areas of emphasis for the COHH program
are:
- Harmful algal blooms (HABs)
- Water- and vector-borne diseases
- Marine-derived pharmaceuticals and probes
The Woods Hole COHH is addressing fundamental questions concerning
the distribution of biological agents with potential human health
consequences in the temperate coastal ocean, including bays, harbors
and estuaries. Current research projects focus on harmful algal
blooms and on human pathogens and infectious agents, in both cases
with focused and complementary physical oceanographic studies and
biological and molecular genetic studies of causative agents.
Objectives of Pilot Project Program
The purpose of pilot projects is to assess the feasibility of new areas of study, especially those that are not currently represented in the Woods Hole COHH but would contribute to the overall goals of the COHH program and the Woods Hole center. Pilot projects are intended to support the collection of preliminary data that can be used to generate full proposals to NSF, NIH, or other agencies or organizations. Through this pilot project program, we also hope to:
- stimulate collaborative and interdisciplinary research within the center,
- recruit scientists not currently involved in the WH-COHH to become participating members of the center and interact with other center investigators,
- encourage the use of the WH-COHH genomics core facility, and
- foster the application of new technologies and experimental approaches to questions concerning the impact of oceanic processes on public health.
» See previously funded pilot projects
Eligibility
All faculty and research scientists from WHOI, MBL, and MIT are eligible to apply
for Pilot Project grants. Preference for awards will be given to new
investigators (those not currently serving as PI on a COHH research
project).
Budget guidelines
Pilot project awards will be for one year, with the possibility
of a one-year, no-cost extension. Budgets of up to $35K (total costs)
will be considered. (We anticipate making 2-3 awards of $30K-$35K.)
Allowable items include salaries and supplies. Small items of equipment
will be considered only if essential and strongly justified. Funds
for travel to scientific meetings will not be allowed, but requests
for travel or ship time necessary for sampling will be considered
if accompanied by strong justification.
Guidelines for pre-proposal and proposal preparation
We will not require pre-proposals this year. However, prospective
applicants should feel free to contact us for advice or feedback
on possible proposal ideas. We will be happy to provide advice
regarding the suitability of the proposed research in terms of the
objectives of the Pilot Project Program and the Woods Hole Center.
If you are planning to use the COHH Genomics Core, please contact
Hilary Morrison or Mitch Sogin (contact information below) to discuss
the extent of use, and include this information in the proposal.
WHOI applicants only: Proposals must be routed through your department and sent to WHOI Grant and Contract Services; see detailed instructions linked to this page. All applicants: Please submit full proposals by 5 PM EDT on Thursday, November 1, 2007, electronically (as a single pdf file) to COHH Administrator, Erin Dupuis (edupuis@whoi.edu).
Proposals should include the following items:
1. WHOI Green Sheet with
appropriate Departmental signatures (WHOI applicants only), Title page,
including Title, PI and major co-investigators, PI contact information,
total costs, and a half-page abstract.
2. Research Plan (not to exceed four pages), including
- Objective(s)
- Background and Rationale
- Experimental design and methods
- Facilities available and anticipated use of Center Genomics Core
facility
- Relevance of proposed research to Oceans and Human Health program
- Relationship of proposed research to Woods Hole COHH, including
a description of any collaborative arrangements with Center investigators
- Broader impacts of the proposed research
- References (not included in 4-page limit)
3. Detailed budget (including direct and indirect costs)
4. Budget justification (one page)
5. Biographical sketches for all key personnel (2 pages each)
6. Other support for all key personnel
7. Human subjects and Vertebrate animals approvals (if applicable)
The earliest possible start date for funded projects is
January 1, 2008.
Review process
Proposals will be reviewed by the WH-COHH Internal Advisory Committee
(IAC). The opinions of outside experts also will be solicited as needed
for proposals containing elements outside of the expertise of IAC
members.
Review criteria
Proposals will be scored based on the following
criteria:
- Scientific merit - What is the scientific merit and feasibility
of the proposed studies? How appropriate is the experimental design
for achieving the stated objectives?
- Relevance and Potential Impact - What is the relevance of the
proposed research to the overall goals of the COHH program as
well as the specific goals of the Woods Hole Center? What is the
likelihood that the results obtained will lead to future outside
funding of a larger project on this topic?
- Innovativeness - Does the proposed research move the Center
in new directions or fill gaps in the current research focus of
the center? To what extent does the proposed research foster the
application of new technologies and new experimental approaches
to questions concerning the impact of oceanic processes on public
health? To what extent does the proposed research foster collaborative
and interdisciplinary research within the Center or between the
Center and other organizations?
- Investigators - What are the qualifications of the investigators
for carrying out the proposed research? Is the PI a new investigator
or junior investigator? Is this a new direction for the applicant?
(Preference will be given to qualified applicants who are not
already associated with the Center as PI on a research project
or pilot project, to junior investigators developing research
programs, and to established investigators pursuing new directions.
Applications proposing continuation of ongoing research will be
considered non-responsive.)
- Facilities - Are the available facilities sufficient for the
proposed research? Preference will be given to projects that take
advantage of Center Genomics Core facilities or that develop facilities
or research capabilities that might be used by multiple projects
within the center.
- Broader impacts - Will the proposed work foster training of
students and under-represented groups? What is the potential for
broad use of the results of this research (including the pilot
project or full project funded as a result of the pilot project
award)?
Additional information and contacts
Dr. Mark Hahn, WHOI (
mhahn@whoi.edu),
Pilot Project Program Director
Dr. John Stegeman, WHOI (
jstegeman@whoi.edu),
WH-COHH Director
Dr. Dennis McGillicuddy, WHOI (
dmcgillicuddy@whoi.edu),
WH-COHH Deputy Director
Dr. Mitch Sogin, MBL (
sogin@mbl.edu),
WH-COHH Genomics Core Director
Dr. Hilary Morrison, MBL (
morrison@mbl.edu),
WH-COHH Genomics Core Deputy Director
Ms. Erin Dupuis (
edupuis@whoi.edu), Administrator
