SUBJECT:

Call for Innovative Multidisciplinary Research Grant Proposals

UC San Diego Healthy Aging Initiative has pilot funding for the support of innovative interdisciplinary research and education projects during 2015-16.

The Healthy Aging Initiative (HAI) solicits proposals for the support of innovative interdisciplinary research and education projects during 2015-16. The HAI is an integrated, multi-disciplinary, cross-campus initiative that aims to advance and promote positive health and well-being in later life through research, education, and community outreach. It is jointly sponsored by major components of UC San Diego campus including various Schools, Divisions, and Organized Research Units. It is administered by UC San Diego Center for Healthy Aging. The purpose of the HAI Seed Grant Program is to foster research and education focused on ideas that are related to study and promotion of healthy aging. Preference will be given to proposals encompassing several disciplines or laboratories and for projects that catalyze new collaborative research. Extensions of ongoing research programs are not likely to be favorably considered.

RESEARCH PILOT FUNDS: A goal of the Research Pilot program is to stimulate research and testing of hypotheses in Healthy Aging for which no standard funding stream is available The minimum award that will be considered is $10,000 and may range up to a maximum of $30,000. Purposes for which funds may be spent include purchase of equipment, supplies, salary support, and usage of facilities. Examples include support for a graduate student or partial support for a postdoctoral fellow, payment for fMRI scanner time, and purchase of gene chips for specific experiments.

EDUCATION PILOT FUNDS: The purpose of the HAI Interdisciplinary Education Grant Program is to support creative educational activities aimed at increasing the knowledge and competency of undergraduate students at UC San Diego in understanding and promoting healthy aging. The minimum award that will be considered is $10,000 and may range up to a maximum of $30,000. Purposes for which funds may be spent include purchase of supplies, salary support, and expenses related to activities in the community. Examples include support for a part-time coordinator and costs of organizing meetings.

UC San Diego Center for Healthy Aging has launched a new cross-campus Initiative for Promoting Healthy Aging. This Initiative will include innovative projects in cross-campus, multi-professional, collaborative research, education, and partnerships with the community, industry, and state and county agencies. The Initiative will be research-focused, education-centered, and service-oriented, consistent with the mission of a public university. Furthermore, it will be consonant with the research themes identified in UC San Diego’s Strategic Plan, specifically 1) enriching human life and society, 2) exploring the basis of human knowledge, learning and creativity, and 3) understanding cultures and addressing disparities in society. Our goal is to help transform aging into an exciting and thriving phase of life.

The deadline for electronic receipt of written proposals is 5:00 p.m. on August 14, 2015. Proposals should be single spaced with a maximum of 3 pages (excluding the application form cover sheet, references, and letters of collaboration). The Lead PI should be a junior faculty member affiliated with UC San Diego and is the individual with primary responsibility for overseeing the project supported by the grant. However, the project should be a collaboration between two or more different units (Schools or Divisions) of the campus, and may have one or two Co-PIs or Co-Investigators from these other components. Postdoctoral fellows and individuals with pending junior faculty appointments must include a letter of support from a faculty mentor. All proposals will be reviewed by the Healthy Aging Initiative Research Workgroup, similar to an NIH study section. The budget period will be from October 1, 2015 to September 30, 2016.

More detailed information can be found at:
http://aging.ucsd.edu/research-education-grants.php

We look forward to receiving your proposals. Please contact the UC San Diego Center for Healthy Aging with any questions:

Dilip Jeste, MD (djeste@ucsd.edu), Director, or Danielle Glorioso, LCSW (dglorioso@ucsd.edu), Executive Director

Dilip Jeste, M.D. Associate Dean for Health Aging and Senior Care Director, UC San Diego Center for Healthy Aging