Priority will be given both to investigators who are perceived to have a high likelihood of funding success and to junior faculty who have limited resources available to support data generation. 

The AFL grant application must include the tentative specific aims of the proposed R01-type grant and should identify gaps in preliminary data that need to be filled before finalizing the submission. If the grant is a resubmission, the relevant reviewer comments can also be provided. In addition to the above, applications must be accompanied by a Biosketch of the applicant and by a letter from the applicant documenting the importance of the work and the challenges inherent in generating the relevant preliminary data. The applicant must also include a “current support” page that lists current sources of funding, and a letter from the unit head confirming ongoing salary and infrastructure support for the applicant and his/her research program.

Guidelines for application content:

• Letter from unit head specifying ongoing salary and infrastructure support for applicant and proposed research (~1 page)
• NIH formatted biosketch of applicant(s) (5 pages max)
• Specific aims for the proposed R01-type submission. (1 page)
  • Copy of reviewer comments if a resubmission
• Letter outlining: (1) importance of the work and, for established investigators, how it represents a new research direction, (2) gaps in preliminary data that need to be filled in before finalizing the R01-type submission, (3) challenges inherent in generating the relevant preliminary data (~2 pages)
• A budget outline and justification for the funds requested towards generating the preliminary data (~1 page)
• A list indicating duration and amount of current/pending grant and award support for research in the lab of the investigator(s) (~1 page)

Grants will be for up to a max of $100K and the budget requests must be reasonably tailored to generate the needed preliminary data. Funds must be spent during the funding year and any unspent funds will be returned to the SOM. Funds cannot be used to support faculty salary. The deliverable is the submission of the grant. 

We anticipate funding 2-3 grants per cycle depending on available funds.