Local funding opportunities: Medical Research Foundation and Collins Medical Trust

In this week’s Funding Alerts, we chose to highlight two local sponsors with funding opportunities for OHSU investigators. Both the Medical Research Foundation and the Collins Medical Trust solicit applications from Oregon-based researchers several times a year. The following opportunities have deadlines coming up this summer:

Medical Research Foundation (MRF)
Deadlines: August 15, 2010; November 15, 2010; February 15, 2010; May 15, 2011

• The MRF Grant provides funding for basic and applied studies that directly relate to human health. Applicant Categories are as follows: a) New Investigator, for physicians and scientists who are new to research and are currently without major funding resources; b) Emergency Interim Support for Established Investigators, to support ongoing research when an investigator is between grants and a hiatus would jeopardize the program. This grant provides a maximum of $40,000. Applicants are expected to be independent scientists. See full announcement for additional eligibility information.
• The Early Clinical Investigator Support Program is intended to further the development of young investigators who interact with human subjects and who are interested in a career in clinical research. This program provides a maximum of $20,000. These grants are made for a period of one year for research conducted in Oregon. To be eligible, The PI must be a post-doctoral trainee or fellow with specific plans for a career in clinical investigation. The award is most appropriate for those who are preparing to apply for national career development funding. Trainees with non-clinical doctoral degrees are eligible but must clearly demonstrate the intent to pursue a career in clinical investigation. Investigators who have faculty appointments at the assistant professor level or above are not eligible. Trainees at earlier stages who are not yet at the stage of planning for independent career development funding are not eligible.

Collins Medical Trust
Due to the OHSU Foundation: August 26, 2010. OHSU Foundation submits on your behalf. Collins Medical Trust has deadlines three times a year: January 1, May 1, and September 1

• The Collins Medical Trust provides funds to aid, further, promote and develop research related to the cause, cure, and treatment of human diseases. The Trust typically provides seed funding for projects that will be eligible for NIH or other substantial funding. Successful proposals will highly the impact of the project on the immediate population served in Oregon, and the potential impact the research could have nationally. Young investigators applying should describe their relationship with a mentor to demonstrate they have guidance in their work. This opportunity provides $30,000 for one year. Both faculty and postdoctoral fellows are eligible. Please note , the OHSU Foundation submits proposals to the Collins Medical Trust on behalf of OHSU. Proposals must be submitted to the OHSU Foundation by the internal deadline of August 26, 2010. Please be aware of the slightly different submission requirements. Applicants must also submit their grants through Research Grants and Contracts (RGC) before the internal deadline.

See the rest of this week’s Funding Alerts.