The ADA Pathways to Stop Diabetes 2019 call for applications is closed. The previous call is below for your reference only.  This call for applications is scheduled to be update in 2020 and the deadline is anticipated to be in March/April of 2020. Please check the ECOR website and your emails from MGH Research News for updates. Click here to sign up to receive MGH Research News.

American Diabetes Association Pathways to Stop Diabetes 2024

MGH Letter of Intent Deadline
Thursday, May 9, 2024 – 5:00 PM

 

DESCRIPTION OF THE AWARD


"The Pathway to Stop Diabetes Program intends to attract brilliant scientists at the peak of their creativity to diabetes research, and to accelerate their research progress by providing the necessary resources and support for conducting transformative science." 

This call for nominations is prioritizing exceptional investigators that aim to advance existing knowledge and discovery gained from the basic sciences to its eventual translation into patient and population benefit. The ideal applicant will propose innovative translational research that will be an important step towards the eventual goal of improving the lives of people at risk of diabetes or living with the disease - and the pathway to this impact is clear. 

"Nominations are welcomed from all areas of diabetes translational research and span prevention, management and cure of all diabetes types (type 1, type 2 and gestational), diabetes-related disease states (obesity, prediabetes, and other insulin resistant states) and complications. The program intends to attract a broad range of expertise to the field of diabetes from various fields of science and technology, including medicine, biology, chemistry, engineering, mathematics, and physics."

Applicants may submit in one of two award types: Initiator or Accelerator.

Starting in 2024, ADA will accept up to two (2) nominations from MGH with one (1) nomination spanning basic through preclinical research and one (1) nomination spanning clinical through public health research.

Examples of basic through preclinical research studies (for nomination #1) include:

• Innovative mechanistic studies on fundamental or new aspects of biology

• Novel insights derived from data science using AI/Machine Learning

• Development of new technologies, devices, and/or experimental approaches

• Identification and validation of novel and unique therapeutic targets

Examples of clinical through public health research (for nomination #2) include:

• Clinical experimental medicine studies

• Identification and validation of novel biomarkers

• Health services research

• Behavioral research

• Population epidemiology

• Health economics research

• Patient preference / Quality of Life

• Dissemination and implementation science

• Health Care system-based interventions

MGH Letters of Intent will be reviewed and assessed by a panel of senior MGH faculty members.  

 

AWARD AMOUNT

“For Accelerator awards, applicants may request up to five (5) years of funding support. The proposed project budget should not exceed $325,000 USD per year (including 30% indirect costs) for a maximum total budget up to $1,625,000 USD over five (5) years.”  

“Initiator awards will provide two (2) distinct phases of research support. Applicants may request up to seven (7) years of combined funding support for phases one and two. The proposed project budget should not exceed the maximum total budget up to $1,625,000 USD.”

During Phase One, the ADA will cover 10% in indirect costs

During Phase Two, the ADA will cover 30% in in indirect costs.

See below for additional information pertaining to Phase One and Phase Two.

This funding opportunity is not exempt from the 20% indirect cost (IDC) floor minimum. However, ECOR policy states that for MGH investigators selected through a competitive process as the institutional nominee, in which the grant will bring in less than 20% indirect cost (IDC), ECOR will cover the IDC gap up to a maximum of $50,000 per year.

 

DEADLINES    

Letters of intent deadline:  Thursday, May 9, 2024, 5:00 p.m.
Notification to nominee:  Mid-May 2024
Sponsor deadline: Wednesday, July 17, 2024, 5:00 p.m. (EST)
 
 
ELIGIBILITY
  • Applicants must have a full-time primary appointment at MGH.
  • Applicants must hold a MD, PhD, DMD, DO, PharmD, DVM or an equivalent health- or science-related degree.
  • Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S. or U.S. possessions either as a U.S. citizen or permanent resident or with appropriate work visas/permits.
  • Each award type requires the awardee to devote a minimum percent effort to each project.  This percentage includes time dedicated to the Association-funded grant in addition to grants supported by other funding agencies. Specifically, applicants are required to devote at least 75% of total time and effort towards research during the period of Association funding.  
  • See ‘Award Types” below, for additional eligibility requirements.
 
AWARD TYPES
 
MGH is allowed a maximum of two nominations: one (1) nomination spanning basic through preclinical research and one (1) nomination spanning clinical through public health research.The nomination(s) can be in one of the two available Pathway award types:
 
  • Initiator: This two-phased award is designed to support the transition of scientists from mentored training to independent research faculty. Eligible applicants must currently be in research training positions (post-doctoral fellow, research fellowship) and have no more than seven years of research training following terminal doctoral degree. Applicants cannot concurrently hold an NIH K99/R00 grant. Candidates must be identified through institutional nomination; applications will be accepted only from individuals with the appropriate institution support. Awards provide two distinct phases of research support: Phase 1 provides up to two years of support for mentored training at a maximum of $100,000 per year (including 10% indirect costs), Phase 2 provides up to five years of support for independent research at a maximum of $325,000 per year (including 30% indirect costs). Maximum combined support for Phase 1 and Phase 2 is $1,625,000.
  • Accelerator: This award is designed to support exceptional, independent early-career researchers who have distinguished themselves as promising investigators and are in the beginning stages of establishing successful, sustainable diabetes research programs. Awards are available to early-career diabetes investigators proposing innovative and ambitious diabetes-related research programs. Applicants must hold faculty positions and have demonstrated independent productivity in diabetes research. Applicants may currently hold independent NIH funding (K, U or R awards, including an initial R01/U01) but must not have applied for (regardless of outcome), or received, an R01/U01 renewal or a second R01/U01 award. Candidates must be identified through institutional nomination; applications will be accepted only from individuals with the appropriate institution support. Awards provide five years of research support at a maximum of $325,000 per year (including 30% indirect costs), for a total of $1,625,000.
 
REVIEW CRITERIA
 
"Scientific excellence is the primary benchmark to be evaluated for all Pathway applications, with an emphasis on the investigator’s potential to significantly transform diabetes through translational research (‘moving the needle’) to improve the lives of people with diabetes. The proposed research strategy serves as a reflection of the individual’s capacity for innovation, creativity and collaboration." The review will include the following components: 
        • Principal Investigator
                − Proven ability to establish independent research program
                − Proven ability for creativity, collaboration and innovation
                − Institutional commitment
        • Research Strategy
                − Innovation and creativity
                − Potential impact for understanding/treatment of diabetes
               −  Clarity of thought and approach
                

 

MGH LETTER OF INTENT REQUIREMENTS

The MGH Letter of Intent must include the following 4 items:  

  1. Project Title
  2. Award Type: Initiator or Accelerator (Choose one)
  3. Letter of Intent (maximum of 1-2 pages)
  4. Principal Investigator's NIH Biosketch. Use the current NIH biosketch format. Click here for a sample NIH biosketch.  

FORMAT GUIDELINES

  • Use margins of one inch or greater on all four sides.
  • Use Arial 11pt font size.
  • Upload PDF documents only.  Limit characters to A-Z, a-z and 0-9 when naming PDF documents.  Do not use periods, commas or dashes in the file name.

HOW TO APPLY
 

ECOR accepts all applications online via the MGRI Online Grant Management Portal.  The system has been designed to allow users to:

  • Create a personal profile, which will auto-populate your future ECOR applications
  • Assign a delegate to submit applications on your behalf (optional)
  • View current calls and apply to open opportunities 
  • Save and edit current applications in progress
  • Submit completed applications.

Instructions for Applying Online:

  1. Create your account: Log in using your Partners credentials and fill-out the profile information.
  2. Complete the application: Once your profile is complete, you will automatically progress through the online application. If you cannot complete the application at one time, “save” the application and return to it at a later time to finish. Before submitting your application, you will have the ability to make changes to the application.
  3. Submit your application: Once you have completed the application click on the “submit” button at the bottom of the page. Once you submit it, you will not be able to make further changes unless you send a request to ECOR (note that once the deadline passes, requests to make changes will not be accepted).

Useful tips:

  • To avoid losing your work, remember to save frequently
  • You can only upload PDF documents
  • If you previously created a profile, please ensure your information is current prior to submitting an application.

Click 'Apply' below to begin the application.

QUESTIONS
If you have any questions, please email ECOR.

Click here to visit the American Diabetes Association website.