The application window for this funding opportunity is closed. We do not expect to open another round of funding until 2024.

We are please to provide funding for microbiome research through the 2022 Microbiome Research Program. Check for the FAQ page for additional info, and see the list of awardees from previous cycles.

Overview

The Benioff Center for Microbiome Medicine (BCMM) seeks to advance the field of microbiome research at UCSF by funding proposals that develop novel tools, promote understanding of microbial-host interactions, and foster translational research.

Applications will be funded by three independent mechanisms:
 

Funds will be awarded to innovative proposals intended to:

• Explore novel concepts or hypotheses
• Expand or integrate microbiota data into a pre-existing study
• Analyze publicly available data to address a critical hypothesis
• Develop a new tool (analytical/computational)
• Development or expansion of center resources (e.g., molecular characterization of strain collection/protocol development)
• Support analyses of microbial strains/cellular interactions of interest to the field

Computational and bench-based proposals from all areas of interest are encouraged to apply. Studies proposing microbial genomic, metabolomic, or gnotobiotic mouse data generation are encouraged to leverage the BCMM technology hubs as part of their proposal. View Technology Hubs.

Proposals specifically related to prostate cancer will be considered for co-funding by the UCSF Benioff Initiative for Prostate Cancer Research.

Eligibility

• All applicants must submit an application for BCMM membership before submitting their proposal. Become a BCMM member.
• Applicants for Trainee/Staff Pilot Awards must provide a signed statement of eligibility from their PI/mentor confirming the applicant’s appointment extends through the award timeline
• Applicants for Faculty Pilot/Project Awards must have a faculty or professional reasearcher appointment at UCSF

Submission Process

Only proposals submitted online by 11:59pm PDT on September 14, 2022 will be reviewed.

Proposal Instructions

All documents should use Arial 11 font; 0.5-inch margins:

• Online application form: Required information includes name of award mechanism, title of proposal, amount of funding requested, and contact information. View application form.
   
• Supporting contributions to diversity. We are prioritizing the funding of researchers that enhance the diversity of our community and have significant past and planned contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Provide the following in the application form:
  • Disclose if the primary applicant (all applications) or any faculty collaborators (faculty pilot only) self-identify as belonging to groups shown to be underrepresented in health-related sciences. See the FAQ page for a list of groups we are prioritizing for support.
  • Primary applicant (all applications) or Co-PI (faculty pilot only) should describe past and planned experience, activities and future plans to advance diversity, equity and inclusion (200-word limit). See guidance on types of activities.
     
• Quotes from each BCMM technology hub to be used in the project: Follow these instructions to request a quote in iLab.
  • Create an iLab account using your UCSF credentials. For trainees and staff, your PI or lab manager will receive a notification to approve your request.
  • Submit a service request for each facility you want to leverage via iLab.
    • View Gnotobiotic Mouse Facility iLab page
    • View Microbial Genomics iLab page
    • View Quantitative Metabolite Analysis Center iLab page
    • View Microbial Culturing iLab page
    • Sign up for a 25-minute consultation with the Director of each facility you want to leverage. Consultations are optional but strongly recommended.
  • After each consultation, the Director will send you a completed quote that you will include in your application.
  • IMPORTANT: CoLab consultations will only be offered if they are scheduled by August 24th (actual meeting can take place after that, although no slots will be available 7 days before deadline). No CoLab quotes will be provided if requested after September 7th. All submitted projects that don’t include an iLab generated quote will be rejected without review.

• Budget form: All applications should use the provided budget forms. Start date should be January 1, 2023. View and download budget forms.
   
• Budget justification (2-page limit): A budget justification is required. View the FAQ page for examples.
   
• Biosketch (5-page limit): Include for primary applicant and Co-PI (if applicable). View and download biosketch form, sample, and instructions.
   
• Statement confirming eligibility from applicant’s mentor (only required for Trainee/Staff Pilot): All applications for Trainee/Staff Pilot Awards should include a short statement signed by the applicant’s PI/supervisor confirming the applicant’s appointment extends through the award period.
   
• Project Description (1 page for Trainee/Staff Pilot, 2 pages for Faculty Pilot/Project): The Project Description should include the following sections: Background/Rationale; Specific Aim(s); Approach (including planned use of BCMM technology hubs, if applicable); and Impact and Sustainability. Preliminary data are not required; applicants are advised to select only key data for inclusion. Articulate if samples/data required for the project are already available, in process, or would will be prospectively collected during the course of the study. Figures must be included within the page limit. Bibliography does not count towards the page limit. Applications for a Trainee/Staff Pilot should describe how the project will further their career goals.
• Uploading Project Description: Once you submit your online application form, which includes all other documents, you will be automatically redirected to a secure Box link to upload your Project Description. Include the primary applicant’s last name in the document’s file name. View Box link.

Review Criteria

A review panel of faculty and trainees will score proposals based on the review criteria outlined below. Additional ad hoc reviewers with specific expertise may also review applications as necessary. View rubric reviewers will use to score proposals.

• Intellectual Merit (40%): Contribution to advancing knowledge and understanding within the field of study or across fields. Qualifications of the applicant/team and how well conceived and well organized the proposed work is.
• Innovation & Interdisciplinarity (20%): The extent to which the project will contribute to novel thinking and/or new technology in its field; does the proposal include contributors from multiple disciplines? Do they present a novel approach to the research question?
• Impact (20%): The contribution to realizing important goals and its potential to provide useful outcomes to society locally and globally.
• Sustainability (10%): The likelihood that the project will lead to sustainable results: develops new tools or resources for community use, establishes new research directions, initiates new collaborations or generates extramural funding. Extramural funding that may be targeted should be specifically identified in the proposal.
• Contributions to Diversity (10%): Contribution to enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion through demonstration of past activities or experience and articulation of planned efforts.

Selection Process

The following proposals will be prioritized for funding:

• The highest scored proposals, based on reviewer scores.
• Proposals led by researchers that self-identify to belong to groups under-represented in health-related sciences. See the FAQ page for a list of these groups.
• Proposals that expand the breadth of microbiome research supported by BCMM funds.
• A maximum of one proposal per lab will be funded through the trainee/staff category per award cycle.

Key Dates

• Proposal Submission Deadline: September 14
• Announcement of Awards: late November
• Approximate Funding Start Date: January 1

Program Contact

For questions, please contact BCMM Assistant Director, Dr. Kristin Dolan: [email protected].