Kansas State University Ecological Genomics Institute:

Competitive Seed Grants

Supported by Targeted Excellence

 

Request for Proposals 2007-2008

 

 

The KSU Ecological Genomics Institute invites research proposals from scientists at Kansas State University for seed grants ranging up to $75,000 over a two-year period.  Ecological Genomics seeks to understand the genetic mechanisms that underlie responses of organisms to their natural environment.  This initiative will support interdisciplinary research that combines genomic and ecological approaches.  Priority for funding will be given to those applications that show promise of attracting extramural funds.  Potential applicants should visit the KSU Ecological Genomics website, http://www.ksu.edu/ecogen, to gain a better understanding of the scope of the program.  Proposals that do not fall within the focus of the program will not be considered for funding.  These grants may fund research by new and established KSU faculty.  Investigators are ineligible to apply for concurrent funding of research proposals from the Ecological Genomics Institute.  Funding for these seed grants has been made possible through support from Targeted Excellence. 

 

 

Key points:

 

Proposals are due by 5:00 p.m., Thursday, January 31, 2008.

 

Please note that these proposals are not to be routed through Pre-Award Services.

 

Proposals are limited to 5 numbered pages, plus cover page, summary, C.V.(s), references, budget, budget justification, suggested reviewers and current and pending support.

 

Proposals will be reviewed by the Ecological Genomics Seed Grants Committee and by referees external to KSU.

 

Award recipients will be notified by April 4, 2008.

 

Awards will begin May 1, 2008.

 

 

 

Please send a PDF file of the proposal and one signed, hard copy of the cover page to:

 

Doris Merrill, Program Coordinator

Division of Biology, 104 Ackert Hall

(785) 532-3482

dmerrill@ksu.edu

Office: 318 Ackert Hall

 

If you have questions related to this RFP, please contact a member of the committee:

            Michael Herman, Chair                Karen Garrett

            Loretta Johnson                          Srini Kambhampati

            Giridara-Kumar Surabhi               Mark Ungerer

            Steve Welch

           


 KSU Ecological Genomics Institute Seed Grant Program Request for Proposals

 

The intent of the Ecological Genomics initiative is to further advance interdisciplinary research that melds the fields of genomics and ecology to address questions that lie at the interface of these disciplines. Examples of types of questions the program hopes to address are:

  • What is the genetic basis for an ecological response to the environment?
  • What are the genetic and regulatory mechanisms involved in organismal responses to environmental changes? 
  • What is the ecological context necessary to understand gene expression?

 

Successful seed grants are expected to attract additional extramural funds from government and/or industry.  Thus, a criterion for review will be the probability of success within the time allotted.  However, high-risk research that is likely to lead to sustained funding from other, nationally-competitive sources, is encouraged as well.  This initiative is not intended to be a long-term source of support on a single project for any one scientist or group of scientists. 

 

Project duration can be for up to 24 months.  Multi-year requests are funded one year at a time, and continuation depends upon continued satisfactory progress and availability of funds.  Salary, supplies, travel, publication, and equipment (including equipment upgrade) are considered, but use of existing equipment is encouraged. 

 

Due to source of funds and fiscal year limitations, budgets assigned to a given year must be spent within that fiscal year. 

 

Format of proposal (components should be organized in the order listed below). 

 

A.      Cover page.  Use form provided at www.ksu.edu/ecogen/EGI-Grant.html.

B.       Summary page, with a technical summary not to exceed 300 words.

C.      Research proposed, limited to 5 numbered pages, single-spaced, 11 point or larger type (not more than 16 characters/inch), at least 1-inch margins.  Sections of the proposal should include Specific Aims, Background and Significance, Preliminary Data (if any), Research Plan,  Time Line, and Plans for Continued Support.

D.      List of references cited in the proposal.

E.       Names, addresses, and E-mail addresses of 6 persons outside Kansas State University who would be qualified to serve as external reviewers for your proposal.  Suggested reviewers should not be collaborators.

F.       C.V.(s) of each investigator, 2-page, NSF style.  Instructions provided at www.ksu.edu/ecogen/EGI-Grant.html.  Please include an abstract of submitted manuscripts that are relevant to Ecological Genomics and not yet in print.

G.      Current and pending funding for each investigator, from all sources.  Use form provided at www.ksu.edu/ecogen/EGI-Grant.html.

H.      Budget page.  Use forms provided at www.ksu.edu/ecogen/EGI-Grant.html.

I.        Budget Justification, one page limit.

Proposal Reviewer Guidelines

 

Proposals will be reviewed by the Ecological Genomics Seed Grant Proposal Review Committee.  Those deemed relevant to the intent of this initiative will be set to reviewers external to KSU to be evaluated for scientific merit.  Reviewers will consider the scientific merit of the proposal by responding to the following questions:

 

 

What factors contribute to or detract from the conceptual soundness of the hypothesis or research question addressed in the proposal?

 

 

What are the major strengths and weaknesses of the proposal?

 

 

Are the research objectives clearly delineated and is the time allotted to achieve them feasible?

 

 

How well are the methods to achieve the goals described?  Are the described methods feasible?

 

 

What attributes, if any, make the personnel listed in the proposal qualified to carry out the proposed research?

 

 

Are the facilities listed adequate?

 

 

What is the probability that accomplishment of the project goals will lead to future extramural funding (preliminary data is encouraged but not required)?

 

 

 

Proposals that are primarily to fund equipment purchases or upgrades, or to enhance applicant training, will be evaluated on the following criteria:

 

 

How is the proposal consistent with the goals of the Ecological Genomics Program?

 

 

How will the proposed activities enhance the ecological genomics research capabilities and competitiveness of the applicant and/or the program?

 

 

Does the applicant have sufficient experience and background to achieve the goals?

 

 

 

Reviewers are asked to rate this proposal relative to other similar projects and state whether or not funding is recommended.  Each item above is to be rated based on a 1 to 4 scale with 1 = excellent, 2 = very good, 3 = good, and 4 = fair.