Robbers New Investigator Award

Funding Opportunity Number

PICR-ROB-FY2024-01

Funding Opportunity Title

Jim and Diann Robbers Cancer Research Grant for New Investigators

Key Dates

	Cycle 1	Cycle 2
Announcement	September 28, 2023	January 17, 2024
Due	October 30, 2023	February 26, 2024

Administrative Contact

Kim Sagendorf (ksagendorf@purdue.edu)

Funding Opportunity Description

The Purdue University Institute for Cancer Research (PICR) invites applications for one-year, cancer-focused research grants from junior faculty for the Jim and Diann Robbers Cancer Research Grant for New Investigators. This program is supported by an endowment made possible by Jim and Diann Robbers. The awards are restricted to junior faculty within six years of their appointment whose research programs are not currently supported through national competitive research grants (i.e. R01 or equivalent) and who must be, at the time of the application, a member of the Institute for Cancer Research. The award amount is $30,000.

CLICK HERE to submit your electronic application by 5 pm on the cycle due date. No exceptions. The electronic submission system will not allow applications beyond the deadline. Once here you can enter your Purdue e-mail and password.

Qualifications/Restrictions: Applicants must be members of the Purdue University Institute for Cancer Research. Only one application per institute member is allowed. No exceptions.

Cost share: This announcement does not require cost sharing.

Funds Available and Anticipated Number of Awards: The number of awards is contingent upon PICR endowments, gifts and other funds and the submission of meritorious applications.

Award Budget: The proposal will be funded at a level appropriate for the proposed work but will not exceed $30,000 (Not to be included in three-page limit).

Award Project Period: Work should commence within less than two (2) months of the date of award. A project period of twelve (12) months or less is suggested.

Award Restrictions: The budget cannot be used for equipment greater than $1,500, PI salary support, clerical staff support, or travel.

Award Requirements: Acceptance of this award indicates that you agree to participate in the following programs:

Your participation in the NIH visitation program coordinated by the Office of Research’s Perry Kirkham which we recommended you for and will support your travel (required).
Participation in the one-day Office of Research grant writing workshop by the GWSW, which is currently scheduled for annually in November. Registration for the event will be available in late September to early October (required).
A. Apply for the Grant Writers Seminars and Workshop (GWSW) program and complete it if accepted into the program.
If you are not accepted into this program then alternatively, Perry Kirkham has approved your participation in the Purdue Office of Research sponsored Enrichment Program he runs in the Spring semester. This semester-long program is designed to guide you through writing a successful grant application. One of these options is required.

If participation in the above has occurred recently, then please contact Doug Cuttell (dcuttell@purdue.edu).

Required publication acknowledgement: “The authors gratefully acknowledge the <insert shared resource name/funding mechanism> and support from the Purdue University Institute for Cancer Research, P30CA023168”

No Cost Extension (NCE): No cost extensions are discouraged. An exception might be considered on a case-by-case basis. Requests must be made to the administration of the PICR.

Regulatory: Please note the award is contingent upon obtaining all of the necessary regulatory approvals (e.g., IRB, IACUC, PACUC) or a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) pertaining to the work that has pending approvals.

Reporting: Responding to periodic request of progress is required. Triage of future applications may occur if reporting requests are ignored.

Proposal Guidelines:

Proposal Length: The proposal should be single-spaced and a maximum of three pages in length (Arial, 11pt) with no less than 0.5 inch margins.
Required Proposal Structure:
1. Specific Aims, Innovation and Significance: This section should emphasize the novel, creative and/or innovative aspects, cancer relevance, and the relevant expertise of the PI(s).
2. Approach: In addition to describing the scientific plan, describe the collaborative nature of the project (or plan for collaboration), if applicable. Letters of support from your collaborator(s) are encouraged (not included in page limit) but not required.
3. Environment: Describe the shared resource(s) that will be used to add value to the science proposed in the application, if applicable. This is just the names of the facilities and does not need to describe them.
4. Timeline and Specific Outcomes: Describe the expected outcomes and evidence that it will be ready to start within two (2) months. Please describe or outline your plan and expected outcomes/results for collecting the preliminary data necessary for attracting peer-reviewed funding and publications. Include any information on recent scored applications, if appropriate.
For the electronic submission, the items to upload should include:
1. Three-page proposal
2. Cited literature (not included in page limit)
3. NIH Biosketch (including collaborators, if applicable)
4. Current and Pending Funding
5. Letters of Support (if applicable)

Review Criteria:

The primary review criteria will be:
1. Novelty / Innovative / Creativity
2. Significance / Scientific Merit / Cancer Relevance
3. Feasibility
4. Integration of Collaborative Science, if applicable
5. Potential to Attract Peer-Review Funding and Peer-Review Publications
The appropriateness of the budget requested for supplies, where applicable.
Productivity from previous internal awards will be assessed and weighted appropriately, if applicable.

Reviewers could consist of senior/program leaders, members or external experts.

Announcement History and Updates

Funding Opportunity Number	Summary of Change
PICR-ROB-FY2023-01	Initiation of Announcement