Submission Deadline: 5 PM EST, Friday, March 6, 2015

The Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) invites applications for the 2015 cycle of Development Grants thanks to the Bowes Acceleration Fund. Development grants are different from the HSCI Seed Grants and Disease Program Pilot Grants. In line with the intent of this fund, this program will provide resources for innovative, high-impact projects that are ready to be “accelerated” into a development or translational phase or can be prepared for such a phase as a result of the proposed funding. Projects may be in any area of stem cell related biology with a preference for projects in areas of HSCI’s existing Disease Programs: Blood, Cancer, Cardiovascular, Diabetes, Kidney, and Nervous System. Projects in these areas of inquiry will be reviewed within the relevant HSCI Disease Program and each program may submit one to the HSCI Executive Committee for review and approval.  Projects which fall outside of the HSCI program areas will be reviewed by an appropriate member(s) of the HSCI Executive Committee (for more information please see http://hsci.harvard.edu/leadership). The HSCI Executive Committee will make the final decision.

HSCI may fund up to six Development Grants. Each project will be funded at a maximum of $100,000 total direct costs for one year. Applications can be submitted by either individual investigators or collaborations between multiple PIs. Depending on the policies of the applicant’s home institution, up to 20% total indirect costs (total direct cost basis) may be budgeted in addition to the direct costs specified above.

The number of Development Grants awarded will depend on the number and quality of proposals submitted, as well as the availability of funding. HSCI reserves the right not to fund any project. Decisions regarding the appropriate level of funding for any proposed project will be made by the review committee, and will be based on the availability of other funding sources.

It is understood that any tool or reagent generated as part of an HSCI-funded grant will be shared with the wider HSCI community.  Any resultant publication should reference the HSCI and the Bowes Acceleration Fund.

Please see file below for full application details and guidelines.

Submission Process

Please send your application via email to robert_perez@harvard.edu no later than 5:00 PM Eastern Standard Time, Friday, March 6^th, 2015.

Incomplete or late applications will not be considered.

Review Criteria

Factors for reviewers’ consideration include: scientific quality, relevance to HSCI’s mission of impacting disease, and potential for developing new therapeutic strategies.

HSCI Disease Program heads will independently evaluate the proposals, giving primary consideration to excellence regarding the factors mentioned above. They will also consider the availability of alternative funding sources, the degree of impact this funding could have within the timeframe allotted, and whether the project will ultimately contribute to the development of new therapies. As a broad community, HSCI is also interested in the potential of all supported work to enable future collaborative research.  Recommendations from the Disease Program Heads and reviewers will be sent to the HSCI Executive Committee for final decision.

Inquiries

Programmatic questions regarding the 2015 HSCI Development Grants may be addressed to Claudia Rizzini, Program Director, at (617) 495-4388 or claudia_rizzini@harvard.edu

Administrative questions regarding this call for proposals may be addressed to Robert Perez, Grant Programs Coordinator (617) 496-5295, robert_perez@harvard.edu.

Application Timeline

Application due date: 5 PM, Friday, March 6^th, 2015

Review outcome notification: Wednesday, March 25^th, 2015

Award start date: May 1^st, 2015

Thank you for your interest in the HSCI.