CCB Driving Biological Projects (DBPs) - Request for Applications

• What?
  Request for Applications (RFA) for new DBPs (September 01, 2010 - August 31, 2012)
  Center for Computational Biology (CCB)
  David Geffen School of Medicine
  University of California, Los Angeles
  

• Program Summary
  The CCB was established to develop, implement and test computational biology methods that are applicable across spatial scales and biological systems. Our objective is to help elucidate characteristics and relationships that would otherwise be impossible to detect and measure. CCB provides a number of advanced computational tools, research infrastructure and resources to the biomedical community.
  
  This request for applications (RFA) intends to solicit outstanding proposals that will provide new, exciting and challenging biomedical problems and applications that will serve as driving forces for the development of novel mathematical models and computational tools within the CCB.

• Eligibility
  
  • This search for new DBPs is nationwide.
  • Any investigator with a PI status is eligible
  • Project must be aligned with the overreaching goals of CCB
  • Project must provide a driving motivational biological problem for developing novel computational techniques within the CCB.

• Important Notes
  • NIH/NCBC Collaborations (separate from this CCB DBP call)
  • CCB DBP Wiki page.
  • The 2007-2010 CCB DBPs were for 3 years, new CCB DBP projects will be for 2 years!
  • CCB is recruiting up to 4 additional DBPs.
  • Successful applications will be funded directly by the CCB
  • Annual Total Costs cannot exceed $200,000
  • NIH R01 proposal format must be used for all applications. PHS 398 Form
  • Applicants should have a CCB liaison from the CCB principals.
  • There are absolutely no guarantees for funding, as these applications are contingent upon NIH NCBC/CCB grant continuation.

• How to Apply?
  
  • Pre-proposal: Each potential applicant must first review in detail the aims and challenges addressed by the CCB investigators. Then the applicant will normally contact one CCB Principal Investigator 2-4 weeks before the initial pre-proposal is due. The Principal Investigator must be carefully selected with expertise in the applicant's chosen field, and be interested and willing to serve as a local CCB liaison for this proposal.
    
    Once initial contact with the liaison is established you need to begin formalizing your research proposal in close collaboration with your CCB liaison. Finally, you need to submit your pre-proposal and full proposal to CCB by the deadlines listed in the Timeline section. With your initial inquiry, please submit two additional documents: a complete biosketch and other support (including pending and proposed).
    
    
  • Full proposal submissions are by invitation only and based on the evaluation of the pre-proposals. These must include:
    • What to submit? Like a standard PHS 398 grant application, we need a complete proposal, including Face Page, Form Page 2, Table of Contents, Budget Forms, Budget Justification, Biosketches, Resources, Research Plan, Checklist, Targeted/Planned Enrollment Table & Inclusion Enrollment Report if there are human subjects involved in the project, and publications for the appendix. In addition, we need your Statement of Work & a copy of your institution F & A Costs Agreement for the subcontract set-up at UCLA.
      If there are human subjects or animal subjects involved in the project, please work on your human or animal protocol ASAP, list our CCB primary funding source, Grant #U54 RR021813 in your protocol. Once you obtain the institutional approval, please send all the related documents to us, as we'll have to get the approval from UCLA as well.
    • Send the final proposal directly to CCB or via email to .
    • Please send us three hard copies of the full proposal (NIH-1; CCB office-1; UCLA Contract and Grant Office-1, for the subaward set-up). The institutional signature is needed for the Face Page.
    • UCLA should be listed as the sponsor, not NIH, like a regular subcontract submission, the primary site (i.e. UCLA) is your sponsor, not NIH.
• Timeline:

December 10, 2009	December 25, 2009	January 01, 2010	September 01, 2010 (approx.)
Submission of 3-page preproposals	(By invitation only!) Submission deadline for full proposals	Final CCB DBP Selection and Announcement of 3-4 new DBPs	Start Date for new DBPs

• The criteria for selection will will include:
  • Scientific merit
  • Relevance of the proposal to the aims of the CCB
  • Approach & Innovation
  • PI & Environment
  • Plans to obtain support for the DBPs research after August 31, 2012.
    

• DBP application review committee includes the CCB Principals with feedback from the CCB NIH Science/Program Officers.

• For More Information contact

Arthur W. Toga, Ph.D.
Center for Computational Biology
Laboratory of Neuro Imaging
David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
635 Charles Young Drive South, Suite 225
Los Angeles, CA 90095-7334. USA
http://www.ccb.ucla.edu
Tel (310) 206-2101
Fax (310) 206-5518
Email toga@loni.ucla.edu