Penn CFAR Pilot Grants in HIV/AIDS-Related Malignancy Research—Request for Applications: March 15 |
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February 12, 2013,
Volume 59, No. 21 |
The Penn Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) and the Abramson Cancer Center (ACC) are pleased to announce this request for applications (RFA) for pilot grants for research in HIV/AIDS-related malignancies. This opportunity has been made possible by supplemental funds provided by the National Cancer Institute.
The purpose of this RFA is to encourage and support research in basic, clinical, epidemiologic, and translational aspects of HIV-related malignancies. Faculty who are members of the Penn CFAR or ACC at the University of Pennsylvania, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia or The Wistar Institute are eligible. Preference will be given to applications that promote collaborations between investigators at the CFAR, the ACC and/or The Wistar Institute. An area of additional interest is to explore new approaches in diagnosis, treatment, pathogenesis and epidemiology of HIV-related malignancies in international settings, including but not limited to Botswana, Kenya, South Africa and other sites in sub-Saharan Africa.
An overview of key dates and general information for the application are listed below:
Application Submission Date: March 15, 2013
Projected Review Date: April 1, 2013
Anticipated Start Date: May 1, 2013
Overview and General Information:
Mechanism of support:
Funding for this pilot grant awards program has been made possible by a one-year grant of supplemental funds from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) of the National Institutes of Health.
Funds available, amount per award, and anticipated number of awards:
Funds for up to $50,000 in direct costs per application will be available. It is anticipated that 3 applications will be awarded.
Eligibility:
Applicants must be full-time faculty members at any of the CFAR’s participating institutions, the University of Pennsylvania, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia or The Wistar Institute. Non-faculty trainees and instructors are eligible to be included as co-investigators and mentoring relationships between faculty and trainees are encouraged. Priority will be given to applications that establish collaborative research activities between CFAR and Cancer Center members.
Application format and materials:
Application formats should follow PHS 398 form pages and formatting, including:
- Face Page (FP1);
- Abstract/Key Personnel (FP2);
- Budget (Direct Costs) for the one year funding period (FP4);
- Budget Justification;
- NIH 3-page Bio-Sketches of Key Personnel that include Other Support;
- Resources Page;
- Experimental Plan (see below);
- Literature Cited
- Sections for use of human subjects and/or animals should be included using NIH guidelines. Letters of support demonstrating collaborative activities between CFAR and Cancer Center members are required.
The experimental plan should include specific aims, background & significance and experimental design and should total no more than 4 pages using PHS 398-approved formats and fonts. Preliminary Results are not required but may be included.
Application submission:
Applications and supporting materials should be submitted by email as a single PDF file and as a single hard copy with original signatures no later than 5 p.m., March 15, 2013, to David Nagdeman of the Penn CFAR: nagdeman@mail.med.upenn.edu, Room 522 Johnson Pavilion.
Research Areas:
A wide range of research projects in HIV/AIDS related malignancies that foster collaborative activities between CFAR and Cancer Center (Abramson Cancer Center and Wistar Institute Cancer Center) members are sought for this Pilot Grant Awards Program. New and innovative areas are encouraged and priority for funding will be given to projects that, as a result of this award, can lead to subsequent NIH funding (e.g. R21, RO1, etc.). Suggested scientific areas include (but are not limited to) those listed below:
(1) Developing and utilizing relevant models to study disease pathogenesis of the prevalent viral agents (i.e., KSHV/HHV-8, EBV, HCV and HPV) found in AIDS-defining cancers;
(2) Discovering and characterizing new viral and other microbiological agents that act as co-factors in tumor promotion and/or progression;
(3) Developing and utilizing predictive models for the preclinical evaluation of new therapies for HIV-associated malignancies;
(4) Developing therapeutic strategies for HIV-associated malignancies based on the roles of infectious agents in their pathogenesis;
(5) Developing preclinical applications to translate basic knowledge of HIV-associated malignancies towards the development of new treatments for patients with these diseases in a national or international setting;
(6) Defining the molecular epidemiology of HIV-associated cancers and their pre-neoplastic conditions;
(7) Discovering, developing and utilizing biomarkers of cancer risk, progression and/or response to treatment, including immunologic and epigenetic markers and markers that change during the course of disease (e.g., cytokines or viral load);
(8) Discovering new modifiable factors that contribute to disease development.
Note: Proposals for research in Botswana, the site of the Penn CFAR’s International Core and location for the University of Pennsylvania’s Botswana/UPenn Partnership, as well as applications for research in other countries (e.g. Kenya, South Africa, Uganda) are eligible and encouraged but not limited to these countries. Any questions regarding proposals set in Botswana should be directed to Dr. Harvey Friedman (Director, Penn CFAR International Core & Botswana-UPenn Partnership Program) at hfriedma@mail.med.upenn.edu
Applicants who plan to submit applications for research projects are strongly advised to contact Dr. James Hoxie (Director, Penn CFAR) hoxie@mail.med.upenn.edu or Dr. Erle Robertson (Director, ACC Tumor Virology Program) erle@upenn.edu prior to the submission of their application. Applicants are also encouraged to view the CFAR web site for information relevant to its shared resource cores, particularly its international core based in Botswana at www.med.upenn.edu/cfar/
Questions concerning application submission can be directed to David Nagdeman, administrative coordinator, Penn CFAR, nagdeman@mail.med.upenn.edu or by telephone: (215) 746-2754.
Related: Penn CFAR Pilot Grant Program—Request for Applications: March 18
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