Guidelines

Guidelines and Instructions 

(please note that there are separate instructions if you intend to apply for the SPORE CEP or DRP Programs, see below)

 

2024 Patrick C. Walsh Prostate Cancer Research Awards

GUIDELINES AND INSTRUCTIONS

If you are applying for the CEP or DRP Programs of the SPORE in Prostate Cancer grant, please refer to the guidelines and instructions specific for those applications.

  1. Awards are meant to support pilot projects or team science projects in multi-disciplinary research focused on prostate cancer that aims to develop a new research direction, explore an innovative idea, test an unconventional, but potentially important, new hypothesis, or ascertain the feasibility of a new research approach.
  2. Pilot projects should be aimed at providing preliminary data to be used in a future R01 level grant application. Awards for the team science/multi-PI projects should result in preliminary data that can be used to create and submit a program project grant, for example a P01.
  3. An emphasis will be placed on funding high risk / high reward research with a high priority given to project innovation and potential for clinical impact.
  4. Partnership with a Brady Urological Institute faculty member is highly encouraged.
  5. All faculty of the Johns Hopkins University may apply, whether or not they are members of the James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute or of the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center.  Fellows and residents are not permitted to be principal investigators. A preference will be given to applications submitted by investigators who have not previously received research support through Patrick C. Walsh Prostate Cancer Research Fund. 
  6. Funds (up to $100,000 for single-PI projects or up to $200,000 for multi-PI projects) may be used for the salaries of staff or trainees (graduate students or postdoctoral fellows), equipment, and/or research supplies. Multi-PI projects must demonstrate true collaboration with appropriate funding to support both PIs. PCW funded awards may not support PI salary.
  7. Awards are granted for a 2-year period. Funds not utilized within two years will be returned to the Walsh fund with no option to request a no cost extension. 
  8. Grant applications should be submitted electronically. Please use the Pilot Projects Registration Center, which can be accessed at https://projects.rlogx.com/opportunities.
  9. Applications should be simple and brief and include the following documents in the order indicated below:
    • Page 1 of the application proposal should serve as the Title Page while the Specific Aims, Background, and Experimental Design sections should not exceed five pages, using Arial 11 Font, and ½”margins
    • Application Proposal (all required materials should be merged into one pdf document and uploaded into the application portal)
      • Title Page (Project title, PI/Co-PIs, co-investigators, and department affiliations; not included in the 5-page limit)
      • Specific Aims 
      • Background, including preliminary studies of applicant
      • Experimental Design (Please refer to previous publications of P.I. whenever possible).
      • 250-word project summary written in lay person text. (not included in the 5-page limit)
      • References/works cited (pages for this section are not included in the 5-page limit)
      • Additional materials (see below for requirements; not included in the 5-page limit)
        • Detailed Budget
          • Funds should be for direct costs only (no IDC)
          • Budgets for PCW Awards should not include salary support for faculty
          • Budgets for SPORE CEP and DRP Programs should allocate 15% effort for the PI
        • Budget Justification
        • Letters of Support (if applicable)
        • Biosketch form(s) for PI and co-PIs only (please use the current NIH biosketch format)
        • Current and pending funding for PI and co-PIs only: Carefully indicate reasons for non-overlap if potential overlap exists.
  10. Applications will be judged by a review panel composed of senior faculty members from several Departments at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and/or other appropriate investigators from institutions outside of JHU. Final award selections will be made by the PCW Fund Scientific Advisory Board and the Internal Advisory Board of the SPORE in Prostate Cancer grant.

Post Award Requirements / Guidelines

  1. At the completion of the award, a 2-page technical progress report must be submitted to Brandy Yeater via email (dyeater1@jhmi.edu). In addition to the technical report, an additional 250-word progress summary written in lay person terms must be submitted. 
  2. Awardees will also be expected to present their progress at an annual scientific session, most likely at the Annual Department of Urology Donald S. Coffey Johns Hopkins Urology Research Day.
  3. Publications generated as a result of funding support must acknowledge the Patrick C. Walsh Prostate Cancer Research Fund.

For questions related to eligibility, the application process, or other topics related to the PCW Prostate Cancer Research Fund, please email David "Brandy" Yeater at dyeater1@jhmi.edu.

 

2024 SPORE in Prostate Cancer – Developmental Research Program and Career Enhancement Program

CEP and DRP Program Information

Per PAR-20-305 CEP and DRP Programs are defined as:

Developmental Research Program (DRP): Each SPORE must allocate a significant effort to support pilot projects that take maximum advantage of new research opportunities in the organ site, group of highly related cancers or cross-cutting theme that is the focus of the SPORE. The pilot projects may be collaborative among scientists within one or more SPOREs, or with scientists outside the SPORE community. High-risk/high-payoff pilot projects are especially encouraged. These pilot projects are not required to reach a human endpoint during the project period as do full projects. 

As a required component of a SPORE, a DRP must be maintained throughout the entire term of the grant. The DRP should be structured in a way that the awards run in parallel with the current budget period. With the approval of the SPORE’s External Advisory Board and the assigned NCI Program Director, DRP studies may become full SPORE projects as part of the flexibility option if the DRP study has translational research potential within the SPORE and incorporates a human endpoint within one of the project aims.

 

Career Enhancement Program (CEP)

The SPORE must demonstrate a consistent and substantial commitment to a Career Enhancement Program (CEP) in translational research. As a required element of the SPORE, the CEP must be maintained throughout the entire term of the funding period. The CEP should be structured in a way that the awards run in parallel with the current budget period. Funds from this program may be used to support junior faculty or established investigators who wish to enhance or refocus their careers on translational research. CEP awardees are expected to interact with SPORE-associated translational research advisors to guide the project and monitor progress. This program is not a training program and does not support pre- or post-doctoral fellows, irrespective of whether they are working in the pre-clinical or clinical domain. However, advanced postdoctoral or clinical fellows who provide a letter from an institution stating that the candidate will be joining its faculty within the year are eligible for this program. Investigators supported by NCI career development awards (K series) may also be eligible for support through this program. Similar to DRP projects, CEP may become full projects as part of the flexibility option with the approval of the SPORE’s External Advisory Board and the assigned NCI Program Director.

 

GUIDELINES AND INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Awards are meant to support pilot projects or team science projects in multi-disciplinary research focused on prostate cancer that aims to develop a new research direction, explore an innovative idea, test an unconventional, but potentially important, new hypothesis, or ascertain the feasibility of a new research approach.
  2. Pilot projects should be aimed at providing preliminary data to be used in a future R01 level grant application and/or be capable of being promoted to a full project for the SPORE.
  3. An emphasis will be placed on funding high risk / high reward research with a high priority given to project innovation and potential for clinical impact.
  4. All faculty of the Johns Hopkins University may apply, whether or not they are members of the James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute or of the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center.  Fellows and residents are not permitted to be principal investigators. A preference will be given to applications submitted by investigators who have not previously received research support through Patrick C. Walsh Prostate Cancer Research Fund. 
  5. Funds (CEP and DRP awards are limited to $100,000) may be used for the salaries of staff or trainees (graduate students or postdoctoral fellows), equipment, and/or research supplies. CEP and DRP awards must commit at least 15% effort toward the project and may support PI salary from the award. 
  6. Each CEP and DRP award will receive half of its funding from the SPORE grant and the other half from the Patrick C. Walsh Prostate Cancer Research Fund.
  7. Awards are granted for a 2-year period. Funds awarded from the SPORE grant must be used in the grant year they are funded. Funds from the PCW Cancer Research Fund not utilized within two years will be returned to the Walsh fund with no option to request a no cost extension. 
  8. Recipients of CEP SPORE awards will be permitted to request a second installment of funding upon completion, review, and approval of a progress report by the PCW Scientific Advisory Board and the Internal Advisory Board for the SPORE in Prostate Cancer Grant.
  9. Grant applications should be submitted electronically. Please use the Pilot Projects Registration Center, which can be accessed at https://projects.rlogx.com/opportunities.
  10. Applications should be simple and brief and include the following documents in the order indicated below:
    • Page 1 of the application proposal should serve as the Title Page while the Specific Aims, Background, and Experimental Design sections should not exceed five pages, using Arial 11 Font, and ½”margins
    • Application Proposal (all required materials should be merged into one pdf document and uploaded into the application portal)
      • Cover Letter (1 page) - Applicants applying for the SPORE Career Enhancement Program or Developmental Research Program awards should include a cover letter indicating their interest for one of the programs and how their application aligns with the mission of the, selected program, the SPORE in Prostate Cancer and the mission of the NCI’s Translational Research Program (https://trp.cancer.gov). 
      • Title Page (Project title, PI/Co-PIs, co-investigators, and department affiliations; not included in the 5-page limit)
      • Specific Aims 
      • Background, including preliminary studies of applicant
      • Experimental Design (Please refer to previous publications of P.I. whenever possible).
      • 250-word project summary written in lay person text. (not included in the 5-page limit)
      • References/works cited (pages for this section are not included in the 5-page limit)
      • Additional materials (see below for requirements; not included in the 5-page limit)
        • Detailed Budget
          • Funds should be for direct costs only (no IDC)
          • Budgets for PCW Awards should not include salary support for faculty
          • Budgets for SPORE CEP and DRP Programs should allocate 15% effort for the PI
        • Budget Justification
        • Letters of Support (if applicable)
        • Biosketch form(s) for PI and co-PIs only (please use the current NIH biosketch format)
        • Current and pending funding for PI and co-PIs only: Carefully indicate reasons for non-overlap if potential overlap exists.
  11. Applications will be judged by a review panel composed of senior faculty members from several Departments at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and/or other appropriate investigators from institutions outside of JHU. Final award selections will be made by the PCW Fund Scientific Advisory Board and the Internal Advisory Board of the SPORE in Prostate Cancer grant.

Post Award Requirements / Guidelines

  1. CEP and DRP projects are required to provide an annual progress report to be included with the annual SPORE Progress Report. This report will be due 60 days prior to the end of the current grant year for the SPORE (we currently anticipate this date to be on or around July 1, 2025). Reports should be submitted to the SPORE Administrators: Brandy Yeater (dyeater1@jhmi.edu) and Melissa Turnbull (Mturnbu2@jhmi.edu).
  2. At the completion of the award, a 2-page technical progress report must be submitted to Brandy Yeater via email (dyeater1@jhmi.edu). In addition to the technical report, an additional 250-word progress summary written in lay person terms must be submitted. 
  3. Awardees will also be expected to present their progress at an annual scientific session, most likely at the Annual Department of Urology Donald S. Coffey Johns Hopkins Urology Research Day.
  4. Publications generated as a result of funding support must acknowledge the Patrick C. Walsh Prostate Cancer Research Fund and the SPORE in Prostate Cancer Grant (award ID will be provided).

For questions related to eligibility, the application process, or other topics related to the PCW Prostate Cancer Research Fund, please email David "Brandy" Yeater at dyeater1@jhmi.edu.

For post award questions or issues, please contact the SPORE Administrators: Brandy Yeater (dyeater1@jhmi.edu) and Melissa Turnbull (Mturnbu2@jhmi.edu).

Apply
08/09/2024 09/30/2024
Apply
Have more questions?
Brandy Yeater
dyeater1@jhmi.edu