KBRIN Distinguished New Investigator Awards

Purpose

The purpose of the KBRIN Distinguished New Investigator Award program is to enhance the State’s biomedical research capacity by facilitating the recruitment of exceptionally well-qualified research faculty to Kentucky colleges and universities.

Eligibility:

• All Kentucky Colleges and Universities eligible for NIH R15 funding may apply.
• The recruited position must be a tenure-track position in any discipline or research area that is potentially fundable by the NIH.
• The recruited candidate must have exceptional research qualifications including post-doctoral training in state-of-the art research techniques, significant publications, and an active research agenda that has a high probability of attracting NIH support.

Conditions:

• Institutions must provide the newly recruited assistant professor with sufficient research space and release time from teaching (at least 50%).
• The recruited candidate must attend the KBRIN NIH R15 Proposal Development Workshop at the annual Kentucky Academy of Science meeting.
• The recruited candidate must submit an NIH-Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA, R15; http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-10-070.html ) grant proposal within the first year of receiving initial support.
• Applicants are expected to involve undergraduate students in their research and to publish a minimum of one research manuscript per year.

Awards:

• The research award may be used to cover typical research expenses including supplies, equipment, use of core facilities, travel costs, summer salary, and undergraduate research assistants.
• The New Investigator Award will be limited to a maximum of $75,000 per year for two-years, contingent upon satisfactory progress.
• The institution may also request an additional $25,000 through the KBRIN Start-Up Grant program (see http://louisville.edu/research/kbrin/kbrin-core/research-core/start-up-awards.html).
• A facilities and administrative (F&A) cost will be allowable in addition to direct costs.
• All funds must be expended within the KBRIN fiscal year between May 1st and the following April 30th.

Applications:

Requests for New Investigator support may be sent via e-mail at any time to Dr. Nigel Cooper. The requests should include:

1. the candidate’s CV;
2. a statement of candidate’s research interests or agenda;
3. letters of recommendation for the position; and
4. a support letter from the appropriate Chair, Dean, or other authorized university official that must include the institutional commitment to the mandatory cost-share requirements.

The request will be reviewed by the KBRIN Steering committee and a decision should be available within 4-7 business days.