CU Anschutz SOM Programmatic Incubator for Research (CU ASPIRE) Program

Category 1. School of Medicine oriented applications

• PI must hold a primary appointment in a Department within the School of Medicine.

Category 2. Cross-campus applications

• PI must hold a primary appointment in a Department within one of the CU Anschutz Schools/Colleges (Medicine, Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Dental Medicine, Nursing or Public Health).

General Eligibility Criteria (applies to both Category 1 and 2)

• At least 3 and no more than 5 investigators are required as part of the application, including one Principal Investigator (no multi-PI applications will be accepted).
• At least two investigators (other than the PI) must have a primary appointment at the University of Colorado. This could include CU investigators in CU Anschutz Schools/Colleges (Medicine, Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Dental Medicine, Nursing or Public Health), investigators throughout the CU System, and CU investigators employed by Denver Health, National Jewish Health, and the VAMC.
• Up to two investigators may be included from an institution outside of the University of Colorado.
• Individuals from traditionally under-represented communities are strongly encouraged to apply.

• Research must be focused on an unmet need in basic and translational science or clinical medicine that can only be addressed by a team of investigators. This focused research effort must be built around a scientific hypothesis and is distinct from the SOM Transformational Research Programs, which are much broader in vision and scope.
• The interdisciplinary research group should operate with the goals of:
  • Establishing preliminary findings to support the unifying scientific theme of the program, including joint publications.
  • Developing a plan to programmatically integrate the investigators, projects, and cores.
  • Identifying a funding agency and establish a timeline and plan for grant submission of a program project or center grant (> $1M direct) application in 2-3 years.
• This is a milestone-driven program with continued funding dependent on progress to programmatic research. Progress will be evaluated every 6 months.
• After Year 1 of funding, project teams will present their progress to program leadership and other relevant scientists, outlining overall progress and achievement of milestones, including progress towards submission of a program project grant application. Year 2 of funding will be contingent on progress during Year 1.

A Letter of Intent must be submitted using the InfoReady link provided below by October 30, 2023: 

The Letter of Intent must include the following:

• Names and Primary Appointments of Principal Investigator and Project Lead investigators
• Email Address of Principal Investigator
• ASPIRE Application Title
• Selection of Application Category
• Brief Description of Anticipated Topic (approximately 100-150 words) 

A link to submit the full application will be sent out to those that submitted a Letter of Intent. Applications must be submitted by January 16, 2024.  Applications should use 11-point font; .5-inch margins. Each of the documents listed below must be uploaded separately into designated fields within the InfoReady system. 

• Title page:  including contact information and 200-word abstract focusing on the significance of the unmet need in basic science or clinical medicine.  Please specify whether the application should be considered under Category 1 or 2 or both.
• Specific Aims (1 page): The Specific Aims page should include an overview of the program proposal, overall scientific goal and hypothesis, critical components of the proposal, and how support of this program is expected to lead to external programmatic support.
• Research plan (5 pages): The research plan should emphasize how the program will result in scientific progress that is more than the sum of the parts.  Recommended structure includes the following components:
  • Overall research goal, rationale for the program, and scientific hypothesis
  • Significance of the scientific theme, programmatic integration of the team, potential impact of the research, and innovation
  • Description of anticipated projects and cores
• Investigators (1 page): summarize the role of each investigator, their accomplishments, and evidence of previous collaboration between the investigators.
• Path to external funding (0.5 page): describe how the two years of funding will lead to submission of a program project or center grant application in 2-3 years.
• NIH biosketch for each investigator: combined into a single PDF
• Letters of Support: Up to 3 letters of support may be included, but are not required.
• References: No page limit. 
• Budget and budget justification: Please include your budget plans for funding up to $100,000/year for up to 2 years of support.  Funding may not be used for salary support for investigators, administrative activities, support conferences, or travel (unless specifically approved by the CU ASPIRE Program).  No indirect costs are allowed. 

*Please note - appendices will not be accepted.

 

• Letter of Intent must be submitted using the InfoReady link
• Submissions will only be accepted through the following link:
  • https://cuanschutz.infoready4.com/#manageCompetitionsDetail/1914716
• The Letter of Intent is due by October 30, 2023
• The application due date is January 16, 2024

Reviewers will evaluate applications based on:

• Scientific merit including significance of scientific theme
• Programmatic integration of scientific team
• Prior productivity of scientific team members
• Likelihood of project leading to scientific accomplishments and external funding in 2-3 years
• Applications should demonstrate how the proposed structure of the expected external funding application will enable the scientific goals to be achieved.
• Applications will be evaluated by an ad hoc committee of non-conflicted CU Anschutz Medical campus faculty.

• Posted Date: September 5, 2023
  
• Letter of Intent Forms Due: October 30, 2023
  
• Full Applications Due: January 16, 2024

For questions regarding program and application process:
Jennifer T. Kemp, PhD (jennifer.t.kemp@cuanschutz.edu)
Paul Wood (paul.wood@cuanschutz.edu)

For questions about InfoReady:
Jamie Kutner (jamie.kutner@cuanschutz.edu)

CU ASPIRE Program Director: David Schwartz, MD (david.schwartz@cuanschutz.edu)

CU ASPIRE Program Co-Director; Lori Sussel, PhD (lori.sussel@cuanschutz.edu)

View list of the 2022 ASPIRE Program Team Awards >

View the list of the 2023 ASPIRE Program Team Awards >