SUBJECT:

Call for Innovative Multi-Disciplinary Research Grant Proposals

UC San Diego Center for Healthy Aging has pilot funding for the support of innovative interdisciplinary research and education projects during 2016-17.

The Center for Healthy Aging solicits proposals for the support of innovative interdisciplinary research and education projects during 2016-17. The Center is an integrated, multi-disciplinary, cross-campus approach 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. The purpose of the pilot funding is to foster research and education focused on ideas that are related to study and promotion of healthy aging. Proposals must encompass 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. Proposals may range up to a maximum of $25,000. 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 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. Proposals may range up to a maximum of $25,000. 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 is leading a cross-campus Initiative for Promoting Healthy Aging. Our work includes innovative projects in cross-campus, multi-professional, collaborative research, education, and partnerships with the community, industry, and state and county agencies. Our goal is to help transform aging into an exciting and thriving phase of life.

Deadline for electronic receipt of written proposals is 5:00 p.m. on August 31, 2016. Proposals should be single spaced with a maximum of 3 pages (excluding the application form cover sheet, references, and letters of collaboration). Any UC San Diego faculty member can apply for Education Pilots funds. However, the Lead PI on the Research Pilot funds should be a junior faculty member affiliated with UC San Diego. Both Research and Education projects should be a collaboration between two or more different units (Schools or Divisions) of the campus, and should 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 Center for Healthy Aging Research and Education Workgroup, similar to an NIH study section. Award announcements will be made in late September and the budget period will be from October 1, 2016 to September 30, 2017.

Healthy Aging Pilot funds are supported by the following UC San Diego campus components: School of Medicine, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Division of Arts and Humanities, Division of Biological Sciences, Institute of Engineering in Medicine, The Kavli Institute for Brain & Mind, Stein Institute for Research on Aging, and the Qualcomm Institute.

More detailed information, including past pilot projects, can be found at: http://aging.ucsd.edu/events/pilot-funding

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. Senior Associate Dean for Healthy Aging and Senior Care Director Center for Healthy Aging