Hood Major Grants Initative in Child Health - 2020

The Charles H. Hood Foundation Major Grants Initiative in Child Health is available by institutional nomination only. Please note, only ONE application will be accepted from each BWH department (or division within the Department of Medicine) to be considered as the BWH nominee. Please seek approval from your department chair or division chief before submitting your application.

 

Eligible Faculty:  All BWH faculty

Research Focus Areas:  Brain Science and Child Development

Nominations Available to BWH:  1

Funding and Award Period:  Total award amount is $450,000 over two years beginning January 1, 2020 ($225,000 per year, inclusive of 10% indirect costs). Please note, the BRI will provide the remaining 5% to meet the Partners 15% minimum IDC rate.

Program Description:  The Charles H. Hood Foundation 2020 Major Grants Initiative to Advance Child Health supports outstanding investigators conducting innovative and transformative research in child health. The overall goal of the Program remains the funding of translational or clinical research that will improve child health clinical outcomes, or improve health care access, affordability, and quality.

Research Focus:  Two areas of focus will be considered for the 2020 Major Grants Program: Neonatology and Brain Science and Child Development.

  • Neonatology

Although the incidence of prematurity has been declining, recent data shows that 10% of babies born in Massachusetts are premature, 7.7% weigh less than 2.5 kg, and 1.3% weigh less than 1.5 kg. These infants require complex and expensive medical care after birth and are at high risk for pulmonary disease, neurological conditions, developmental delay and other issues. Thus, improvements in neonatal care are likely to result in better health outcomes for the infants, and lower initial and lifetime health care costs.

Please note that research projects that focus on pregnant women and their fetuses will not be considered responsive to this RFA.

New England has long been a leader in neonatology research. Through the funding of the Major Grants Program in this area, the Hood Foundation hopes to continue this tradition of excellence.

  • Brain Science and Child Development

Groundbreaking work, beginning in the late 1990s, has demonstrated that childhood experiences determine important aspects of brain growth and development. There are at least two critical periods of rapid brain growth during childhood: the first three years of life and, again, during adolescence. In parallel with the rapid advance of brain science, a new pediatric subspecialty, Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, has begun to carve out its own research agenda.

Recent clinical and scientific advances in understanding children’s normal and abnormal development have arisen through a variety of approaches: from a basic science understanding of neural development to the epidemiology of the long-term health effects of children’s experiences. New England researchers have led many of these advances in knowledge. Therefore, this focus of the Major Grants Program will support continued innovations that will further the scientific understanding of children’s brain and behavioral development that may inform improvements in the treatment of children’s physical and mental health.

Innovations

The Major Grants are intended to fund innovative work that may be difficult to fund with traditional grant mechanisms. For example, relatively few child health researchers make use of advanced statistical and computational techniques, ranging from computational biology to health services research to geographic information systems. In addition to traditional project-related costs, all projects funded under this Program may include the use of funds to bring new techniques or novel collaborations into child health research.

Collaboration

The Charles H. Hood foundation encourages collaboration between investigators and institutions. If the project would benefit from a collaborative approach, please describe the nature of the collaboration and the scientific benefits. Although collaboration is not required for the 2020 cycle, evidence of meaningful collaboration will be considered in funding decisions.

Note: If the Hood Major Grant funds are intended to augment a currently funded study, clearly describe the additional research to be conducted with Hood funding.

Eligibility Criteria:  BWH faculty at all ranks are invited to apply, however, only one faculty member may serve as the Principal Investigator who will submit the application. Note that the PI, while responsible for the project, may include other investigators on the research team.

Grant Selection Criteria:  The following criteria will guide the Hood Foundation in selecting which candidates to invite back for Full Proposal submissions:

  • Investigators: Qualifications of the Principal Investigator and evidence of exceptional creativity. Where applicable, the qualifications of the entire collaborative research team will be considered
  • Innovation: Research Project is highly innovative in methodology, research hypotheses, or patient population.
  • Impact: Successful proposals must describe research that would likely lead to important improvements in child health, knowledge of child health and disease, or children’s clinical outcomes or health care access, affordability, and quality.

Additional Information:  For questions regarding the internal application process, please contact jtoombs@bwh.harvard.edu.  The full announcement for this request for proposals can be found here.

 

PURPOSE OF AWARD:
The V Foundation seeks to support translational research projects within the scope of adult cancer research. Translational projects should move a novel strategy from the laboratory into a human clinical trial or use specimens from a clinical trial to develop biomarkers or mechanisms. The research should apply in some direct way to human beings within the time frame of less than 3 years. If biomarker research is undertaken, a validation set or independent clinical trial is essential. A plan for biomarker validation, if applicable, must be included in any proposal. The endpoint of the project should be the planning or initiation of a new clinical trial.
The Translational Research Award is a $600,000 grant paid in three annual installments of $200,000. Indirect costs up to 10% are permitted (i.e., over the grant term, a maximum of $60,000 can be utilized for indirect costs leaving $540,000 for direct costs).
PURPOSE OF AWARD:
The V Foundation seeks to support translational research projects within the scope of adult cancer research. Translational projects should move a novel strategy from the laboratory into a human clinical trial or use specimens from a clinical trial to develop biomarkers or mechanisms. The research should apply in some direct way to human beings within the time frame of less than 3 years. If biomarker research is undertaken, a validation set or independent clinical trial is essential. A plan for biomarker validation, if applicable, must be included in any proposal. The endpoint of the project should be the planning or initiation of a new clinical trial.
The Translational Research Award is a $600,000 grant paid in three annual installments of $200,000. Indirect costs up to 10% are permitted (i.e., over the grant term, a maximum of $60,000 can be utilized for indirect costs leaving $540,000 for direct costs).
PURPOSE OF AWARD:
The V Foundation seeks to support translational research projects within the scope of adult cancer research. Translational projects should move a novel strategy from the laboratory into a human clinical trial or use specimens from a clinical trial to develop biomarkers or mechanisms. The research should apply in some direct way to human beings within the time frame of less than 3 years. If biomarker research is undertaken, a validation set or independent clinical trial is essential. A plan for biomarker validation, if applicable, must be included in any proposal. The endpoint of the project should be the planning or initiation of a new clinical trial.
The Translational Research Award is a $600,000 grant paid in three annual installments of $200,000. Indirect costs up to 10% are permitted (i.e., over the grant term, a maximum of $60,000 can be utilized for indirect costs leaving $540,000 for direct costs).PURPOSE OF AWARD:
The V Foundation seeks to support translational research projects within the scope of adult cancer research. Translational projects should move a novel strategy from the laboratory into a human clinical trial or use specimens from a clinical trial to develop biomarkers or mechanisms. The research should apply in some direct way to human beings within the time frame of less than 3 years. If biomarker research is undertaken, a validation set or independent clinical trial is essential. A plan for biomarker validation, if applicable, must be included in any proposal. The endpoint of the project should be the planning or initiation of a new clinical trial.
The Translational Research Award is a $600,000 grant paid in three annual installments of $200,000. Indirect costs up to 10% are permitted (i.e., over the grant term, a maximum of $60,000 can be utilized for indirect costs leaving $540,000 for direct costs).
PURPOSE OF AWARD:
The V Foundation seeks to support translational research projects within the scope of adult cancer research. Translational projects should move a novel strategy from the laboratory into a human clinical trial or use specimens from a clinical trial to develop biomarkers or mechanisms. The research should apply in some direct way to human beings within the time frame of less than 3 years. If biomarker research is undertaken, a validation set or independent clinical trial is essential. A plan for biomarker validation, if applicable, must be included in any proposal. The endpoint of the project should be the planning or initiation of a new clinical trial.
The Translational Research Award is a $600,000 grant paid in three annual installments of $200,000. Indirect costs up to 10% are permitted (i.e., over the grant term, a maximum of $60,000 can be utilized for indirect costs leaving $540,000 for direct costs).
asdfasdfasdfasdfasdfasdfasdfSFDAwgfe$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$PURPOSE OF AWARD:
 
The V Scholar Award supports early tenure-track faculty by funding a range of projects from 
laboratory- based fundamental research through bench to bedside research. The total amount of the 
grant is
 
$200,000, paid in two annual installments of $100,000.  Only direct costs of the research are 
supported by this award.
 
SPECIAL FOCUS AREA:  ANY area of adult cancer research.  This call for applications is specifically 
for adult cancer research.
 
WHO MAY APPLY?
 
•     Each invited institution may submit one nominee to apply for this call.
 
•     As in 2018, we continue to raise funds to support the Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer Research 
Fund.  While not required, we also encourage applications from early investigators from a minority 
ethnic group who is underrepresented in science to be supported by this Fund.  For the purposes of 
this application: African American, Hispanic American (non-European) or Native American and/or an 
Alaskan Native would be included in minority groups eligible for Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer 
research funding.  Among our highly ranked finalists for the 2019 V Scholar Award, we will 
designate at least one of the highest ranked applications from a minority applicant as the 
recipient of a 2019 Stuart Scott Memorial Fund V Scholar Award.
 
INSTITUTION ELIGIBILITY:
 
•     Only research institutions that received this invitation may submit a nominee for 
consideration. Other affiliates of the institution that did not receive the email are not eligible 
to nominate an applicant.  Please do not distribute outside of your institution.
 
•     Institutions must be non-profit research institutions in the US or Canada.
 
APPLICANT ELIGIBILITY:
 
Inclusion:  Nominees must be all of the following:
 
•     Nominated by their Cancer Center Director or similar high ranking research official.
 
•     Employed at a non-profit research institution (e.g., 501c3, Section 170).
 
•     Either a US Citizen or a permanent legal resident in the US.  Not applicable to Canadian 
institutions.
 
•     Possess at least 2 years post-doctoral (MD or PhD) fellowship training.  For MDs, a minimum 
of one year is acceptable if only one year is required for their specialty.
 
 
•     Clinical scientists are eligible if the research institution can demonstrate that it will 
fully support the research applicant (e.g., dedicated lab space, committed research time, start-up 
funds).
 
•     By the Due Date of the Application, applicants must:
 
o  Hold a tenure-track faculty position as an assistant professor at their cancer research 
institution.  Non-promotable, adjunct, affiliated, temporary, part-time or acting faculty positions 
are not eligible.
 
o  Have been appointed to their first full-time Assistant Professor position within the last 5 
years, and not yet been promoted to Associate Professor.
 
Exclusion:  By the due date of the application, nominees must:
 
•     NOT already hold an RO1 or RO1-equivalent grants as a PI or co-leader.
 
•     NOT be a co-leader on projects such as SPORE or NIH grant mechanisms like U01, DP1, DP2, R37, 
and R23.
 
Note:  The V Scholar award is intended to support research to leverage these larger awards; so,
 
the nominee should not have already received such awards.
 
OF AWARD:
 
The V Scholar Award supports early tenure-track faculty by funding a range of projects from 
laboratory- based fundamental research through bench to bedside research. The total amount of the 
grant is
 
$200,000, paid in two annual installments of $100,000.  Only direct costs of the research are 
supported by this award.
 
SPECIAL FOCUS AREA:  ANY area of adult cancer research.  This call for applications is specifically 
for adult cancer research.
 
WHO MAY APPLY?
 
•     Each invited institution may submit one nominee to apply for this call.
 
•     As in 2018, we continue to raise funds to support the Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer Research 
Fund.  While not required, we also encourage applications from early investigators from a minority 
ethnic group who is underrepresented in science to be supported by this Fund.  For the purposes of 
this application: African American, Hispanic American (non-European) or Native American and/or an 
Alaskan Native would be included in minority groups eligible for Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer 
research funding.  Among our highly ranked finalists for the 2019 V Scholar Award, we will 
designate at least one of the highest ranked applications from a minority applicant as the 
recipient of a 2019 Stuart Scott Memorial Fund V Scholar Award.
 
INSTITUTION ELIGIBILITY:
 
•     Only research institutions that received this invitation may submit a nominee for 
consideration. Other affiliates of the institution that did not receive the email are not eligible 
to nominate an applicant.  Please do not distribute outside of your institution.
 
•     Institutions must be non-profit research institutions in the US or Canada.
 
APPLICANT ELIGIBILITY:
 
Inclusion:  Nominees must be all of the following:
 
•     Nominated by their Cancer Center Director or similar high ranking research official.
 
•     Employed at a non-profit research institution (e.g., 501c3, Section 170).
 
•     Either a US Citizen or a permanent legal resident in the US.  Not applicable to Canadian 
institutions.
 
•     Possess at least 2 years post-doctoral (MD or PhD) fellowship training.  For MDs, a minimum 
of one year is acceptable if only one year is required for their specialty.
 
 
•     Clinical scientists are eligible if the research institution can demonstrate that it will 
fully support the research applicant (e.g., dedicated lab space, committed research time, start-up 
funds).
 
•     By the Due Date of the Application, applicants must:
 
o  Hold a tenure-track faculty position as an assistant professor at their cancer research 
institution.  Non-promotable, adjunct, affiliated, temporary, part-time or acting faculty positions 
are not eligible.
 
o  Have been appointed to their first full-time Assistant Professor position within the last 5 
years, and not yet been promoted to Associate Professor.
 
Exclusion:  By the due date of the application, nominees must:
 
•     NOT already hold an RO1 or RO1-equivalent grants as a PI or co-leader.
 
•     NOT be a co-leader on projects such as SPORE or NIH grant mechanisms like U01, DP1, DP2, R37, 
and R23.
 
Note:  The V Scholar award is intended to support research to leverage these larger awards; so,
 
the nominee should not have already received such awards.
 
PURPOSE OF AWARD:
The V Scholar Award supports early tenure-track faculty by funding a range of projects from laboratory-based fundamental research through bench to bedside research. The total amount of the grant is $200,000, paid in two annual installments of $100,000. Only direct costs of the research are supported by this award.
SPECIAL FOCUS AREA: ANY area of adult cancer research. This call for applications is specifically for adult cancer research.
WHO MAY APPLY?
 Each invited institution may submit one nominee to apply for this call.
 As in 2018, we continue to raise funds to support the Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer Research Fund. While not required, we also encourage applications from early investigators from a minority ethnic group who is underrepresented in science to be supported by this Fund. For the purposes of this application: African American, Hispanic American (non-European) or Native American and/or an Alaskan Native would be included in minority groups eligible for Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer research funding. Among our highly ranked finalists for the 2019 V Scholar Award, we will designate at least one of the highest ranked applications from a minority applicant as the recipient of a 2019 Stuart Scott Memorial Fund V Scholar Award.
INSTITUTION ELIGIBILITY:
 Only research institutions that received this invitation may submit a nominee for consideration. Other affiliates of the institution that did not receive the email are not eligible to nominate an applicant. Please do not distribute outside of your institution.
 Institutions must be non-profit research institutions in the US or Canada.
APPLICANT ELIGIBILITY:
Inclusion: Nominees must be all of the following:
 Nominated by their Cancer Center Director or similar high ranking research official.
 Employed at a non-profit research institution (e.g., 501c3, Section 170).
 Either a US Citizen or a permanent legal resident in the US. Not applicable to Canadian institutions.
 Possess at least 2 years post-doctoral (MD or PhD) fellowship training. For MDs, a minimum of one year is acceptable if only one year is required for their specialty.
 Clinical scientists are eligible if the research institution can demonstrate that it will fully support the research applicant (e.g., dedicated lab space, committed research time, start-up funds).
 By the Due Date of the Application, applicants must:
o Hold a tenure-track faculty position as an assistant professor at their cancer research institution. Non-promotable, adjunct, affiliated, temporary, part-time or acting faculty positions are not eligible.
o Have been appointed to their first full-time Assistant Professor position within the last 5 years, and not yet been promoted to Associate Professor.
Exclusion: By the due date of the application, nominees must:
 NOT already hold an RO1 or RO1-equivalent grants as a PI or co-leader.
 NOT be a co-leader on projects such as SPORE or NIH grant mechanisms like U01, DP1, DP2, R37, and R23.
Note: The V Scholar award is intended to support research to leverage these larger awards; so, the nominee should not have already received such awards.PURPOSE OF AWARD:
The V Scholar Award supports early tenure-track faculty by funding a range of projects from laboratory-based fundamental research through bench to bedside research. The total amount of the grant is $200,000, paid in two annual installments of $100,000. Only direct costs of the research are supported by this award.
SPECIAL FOCUS AREA: ANY area of adult cancer research. This call for applications is specifically for adult cancer research.
WHO MAY APPLY?
 Each invited institution may submit one nominee to apply for this call.
 As in 2018, we continue to raise funds to support the Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer Research Fund. While not required, we also encourage applications from early investigators from a minority ethnic group who is underrepresented in science to be supported by this Fund. For the purposes of this application: African American, Hispanic American (non-European) or Native American and/or an Alaskan Native would be included in minority groups eligible for Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer research funding. Among our highly ranked finalists for the 2019 V Scholar Award, we will designate at least one of the highest ranked applications from a minority applicant as the recipient of a 2019 Stuart Scott Memorial Fund V Scholar Award.
INSTITUTION ELIGIBILITY:
 Only research institutions that received this invitation may submit a nominee for consideration. Other affiliates of the institution that did not receive the email are not eligible to nominate an applicant. Please do not distribute outside of your institution.
 Institutions must be non-profit research institutions in the US or Canada.
APPLICANT ELIGIBILITY:
Inclusion: Nominees must be all of the following:
 Nominated by their Cancer Center Director or similar high ranking research official.
 Employed at a non-profit research institution (e.g., 501c3, Section 170).
 Either a US Citizen or a permanent legal resident in the US. Not applicable to Canadian institutions.
 Possess at least 2 years post-doctoral (MD or PhD) fellowship training. For MDs, a minimum of one year is acceptable if only one year is required for their specialty.
 Clinical scientists are eligible if the research institution can demonstrate that it will fully support the research applicant (e.g., dedicated lab space, committed research time, start-up funds).
 By the Due Date of the Application, applicants must:
o Hold a tenure-track faculty position as an assistant professor at their cancer research institution. Non-promotable, adjunct, affiliated, temporary, part-time or acting faculty positions are not eligible.
o Have been appointed to their first full-time Assistant Professor position within the last 5 years, and not yet been promoted to Associate Professor.
Exclusion: By the due date of the application, nominees must:
 NOT already hold an RO1 or RO1-equivalent grants as a PI or co-leader.
 NOT be a co-leader on projects such as SPORE or NIH grant mechanisms like U01, DP1, DP2, R37, and R23.
Note: The V Scholar award is intended to support research to leverage these larger awards; so, the nominee should not have already received such awards.
PURPOSE OF AWARD:
The V Scholar Award supports early tenure-track faculty by funding a range of projects from laboratory-based fundamental research through bench to bedside research. The total amount of the grant is $200,000, paid in two annual installments of $100,000. Only direct costs of the research are supported by this award.
SPECIAL FOCUS AREA: ANY area of adult cancer research. This call for applications is specifically for adult cancer research.
WHO MAY APPLY?
 Each invited institution may submit one nominee to apply for this call.
 As in 2018, we continue to raise funds to support the Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer Research Fund. While not required, we also encourage applications from early investigators from a minority ethnic group who is underrepresented in science to be supported by this Fund. For the purposes of this application: African American, Hispanic American (non-European) or Native American and/or an Alaskan Native would be included in minority groups eligible for Stuart Scott Memorial Cancer research funding. Among our highly ranked finalists for the 2019 V Scholar Award, we will designate at least one of the highest ranked applications from a minority applicant as the recipient of a 2019 Stuart Scott Memorial Fund V Scholar Award.
INSTITUTION ELIGIBILITY:
 Only research institutions that received this invitation may submit a nominee for consideration. Other affiliates of the institution that did not receive the email are not eligible to nominate an applicant. Please do not distribute outside of your institution.
 Institutions must be non-profit research institutions in the US or Canada.
APPLICANT ELIGIBILITY:
Inclusion: Nominees must be all of the following:
 Nominated by their Cancer Center Director or similar high ranking research official.
 Employed at a non-profit research institution (e.g., 501c3, Section 170).
 Either a US Citizen or a permanent legal resident in the US. Not applicable to Canadian institutions.
 Possess at least 2 years post-doctoral (MD or PhD) fellowship training. For MDs, a minimum of one year is acceptable if only one year is required for their specialty.
 Clinical scientists are eligible if the research institution can demonstrate that it will fully support the research applicant (e.g., dedicated lab space, committed research time, start-up funds).
 By the Due Date of the Application, applicants must:
o Hold a tenure-track faculty position as an assistant professor at their cancer research institution. Non-promotable, adjunct, affiliated, temporary, part-time or acting faculty positions are not eligible.
o Have been appointed to their first full-time Assistant Professor position within the last 5 years, and not yet been promoted to Associate Professor.
Exclusion: By the due date of the application, nominees must:
 NOT already hold an RO1 or RO1-equivalent grants as a PI or co-leader.
 NOT be a co-leader on projects such as SPORE or NIH grant mechanisms like U01, DP1, DP2, R37, and R23.
Note: The V Scholar award is intended to support research to leverage these larger awards; so, the nominee should not have already received such awards.
1.  Applicants must be an assistant professor (possibly instructor, see note below).
 
2.  Applicants must have received an MD or MD/PhD degree(s), completed his/her subspecialty training and be board-eligible.
 
3.  Applicants must be within the first four years of assistant professor appointment (cut-off July 1, 2015).
 
4.  Applicants must apply in conjunction with a mentor who is established in the field of clinical translational cancer research or cancer prevention and epidemiology and can provide critical guidance during the period of the award.
 
5. Applicants must commit 80% time to research.
 
6.  Applicants may not concurrently hold another physician-scientist career development award from a private source. See foundation website for examples. Candidates holding or awarded an R01 at the time of application are not eligible to apply.
 
7.  Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
 
8.  Applicant must hold a valid, active U.S. medical license at the time of application
 
Instructors: The Damon Runyon Foundation indicates that ideally the nominee should be tenure track, but realizes that the level at which tenure track positions begin may vary from institution to institution. The Foundation is most interested in funding young, promising investigators who have recently completed clinical training. For HMS junior faculty, this often describes an Instructor level position. Nevertheless, the Damon Runyon Foundation indicates that although Instructors are eligible to apply, they may be at a competitive disadvantage in the national selection process.


The Foundation defines Clinical Research as:The Clinical Investigator Award program supports early career physician-scientists conducting clinical research. The goal of this innovative program is to support the best young physician scientists doing work aimed at improving the practice of cancer medicine.
Patient-oriented research: research conducted with human subjects
Epidemiologic and behavioral studies
Outcomes research and health services research
 
NOTE:  Excluded from this definition are in vitro studies that utilize human tissues but do not deal directly with patients. This award is designed to support physicians who adhere to "The Handshake Rule," meaning that he/she will meet each patient in his/her research studies
The Clinical Investigator Award program supports early career physician-scientists conducting clinical research. The goal of this innovative program is to support the best young physician scientists doing work aimed at improving the practice of cancer medicine.
The Foundation defines Clinical Research as:
 
Patient-oriented research: research conducted with human subjects
Epidemiologic and behavioral studies
Outcomes research and health services research
 
NOTE:  Excluded from this definition are in vitro studies that utilize human tissues but do not deal directly with patients. This award is designed to support physicians who adhere to "The Handshake Rule," meaning that he/she will meet each patient in his/her research studiesThe Clinical Investigator Award program supports early career physician-scientists conducting clinical research. The goal of this innovative program is to support the best young physician scientists doing work aimed at improving the practice of cancer medicine.
The Foundation defines Clinical Research as:
 
Patient-oriented research: research conducted with human subjects
Epidemiologic and behavioral studies
Outcomes research and health services research
 
NOTE:  Excluded from this definition are in vitro studies that utilize human tissues but do not deal directly with patients. This award is designed to support physicians who adhere to "The Handshake Rule," meaning that he/she will meet each patient in his/her research studies
The Foundation defines Clinical Research as:
 
Patient-oriented research: research conducted with human subjects
Epidemiologic and behavioral studies
Outcomes research and health services research
 
NOTE:  Excluded from this definition are in vitro studies that utilize human tissues but do not deal directly with patients. This award is designed to support physicians who adhere to "The Handshake Rule," meaning that he/she will meet each patient in his/her research studies
Applications accepted from 04/02/2019 9AM to 05/06/2019 11PM.