Program for the Promotion of Interdisciplinary Team Science (POINTS)

The YSM Office of Team Science will support teams of investigators to address major questions in basic, clinical, and translational science and partner with them on grant submissions to obtain federal funding for sustainable support for these projects. To nucleate new projects, we will provide $50,000 to $200,000 to groups of two to five investigators, led by a YSM faculty member, in support of research projects having the potential to achieve program project or center funding (i.e., U01, U54, P01, P30, P50, comparable large grants from other federal and non-federal agencies).

Letter Of Intent Submission Deadline:

• May 1, 2023 (next LOI deadline: November 1, 2023)

Full Application Deadline:

• July 15, 2023 (next application deadline: January 15, 2024)

Project Start Date:

• September 1, 2023 (next project start date: March 1, 2024)

Award Amount:

• From $50,000 up to a maximum total award of $200,000 for a project period of one to two years

Purpose:

• To provide seed money to teams of investigators within the YSM community to generate preliminary data and evidence of collaboration sufficient to obtain extramural funding, such as multi-investigator U01, U54, P01, P30, or P50 grants.

Eligibility:

• Teams of scientists led by a YSM faculty member may apply. Non-YSM investigators are allowed to participate as project leaders, collaborators, etc.
  

Requirements:

• PIs and all project leaders must agree to abide by the grant guidelines detailed below.

1. Descriptive proposal title
2. PI name and contact information
3. Names of key personnel
4. Statement addressing the overall objective of the project describing the potential to (a) advance an interdisciplinary approach to address an important question in basic, clinical, and/or translational science and (b) result in the submission of a multi-project grant application such as a U01, U54, P01, P30, or P50 (1 page)
5. Specific Aims (2-3 pages)
6. List of collaborative publications and/or joint grants among POINTS team members (if applicable)

1. Face page to include
   1. application title
   2. PI name, title, department, and contact information
   3. project titles
   4. project leader name(s), title(s), and department(s)
2. Table of contents
3. Abstract (500-word maximum) of overall project
4. Description (500-word maximum) of how the proposed program will facilitate (a) an interdisciplinary approach to address an important question in basic, clinical, and/or translational science and (b) the submission of a multi-project grant application such as a U01, U54, P01, P30, or P50.
5. Description (2 pages) of overall aims, background, and significance
6. Consolidated budget incorporating all proposed projects, signed by PI’s business office (faculty effort and cost-share not required; OSP approval not required).
7. Detailed timeline for specific aims and milestones during the project period and timeline for submission of a full proposal to NIH (or other funding agency).
8. NIH biosketch for lead PI (and MPIs, if applicable)
9. If applicable, describe any discussions with NIH program officer(s) to gauge the level of enthusiasm for a full proposal.

1. Face page to include
   1. project title
   2. project leader name(s), department(s), and contact information
   3. project personnel name(s), department(s), and contact information
2. Abstract (300-word maximum) for the project
3. Specific Aims (1 page) for each project
4. Research Strategy including background and significance, preliminary data, and experimental design and methods (3 pages)
5. Budget for each project (in PHS 398 format) signed by project leader’s business office
6. NIH biosketches for project leader and all collaborating faculty
7. Status of human subject protocols, including protocol number, approval date, approval period, and title (if applicable)
8. Status of vertebrate animal protocols, including protocol number, approval date, approval period, and title (if applicable)
9. Letters of collaboration

Expenditures Allowed

• Salary and fringe for research project personnel (maximum 25% effort each)
• Personnel support for biostatistical analysis (maximum 25% effort)
• Laboratory supplies and expenses, including animal costs
• User fees for core facilities
• Costs related to tissue collection and analysis
• Equipment costs (up to $2,500). Title to equipment shall be vested in the Institution.

Expenditures NOT Allowed:

• Faculty salary support (faculty effort% not required)
• Secretarial/administrative personnel
• Office equipment and supplies
• Office or lab furniture
• Tuition
• Publication costs, including reprints
• Registration fees for scientific meetings
• Purchasing or binding of periodicals and books
• Dues and membership fees in scientific societies
• Travel expenses
• Subcontracts (External collaborators may be included in the proposal, but no funds will be distributed outside Yale unless the partnering institution waives indirect costs.)

• Actual awards may be less than the requested amount.
• POINTS award applications do not need to be sent to the Office of Sponsored Projects for approval.
• Protocols need not obtain IRB/IACUC approval prior to submission, but funding may be contingent upon approval.
• NIH format restrictions apply (Arial 11 font; margins one-half inch all around). Figures are included in the page limit; references are not included in the page limit.
• Award acceptance indicates agreement to abide by the guidelines below. Failure to abide by these guidelines may jeopardize future eligibility.

Major review criteria for this award are scientific excellence and likelihood that the proposed program will result in (1) the advancement of an interdisciplinary approach to address an important question in biomedical translational science and (2) the submission of a multi-project grant application such as a U01, U54, P01, P30, or P50.

Applications will undergo a two-step review process: (1) Letters of intent will be solicited to confirm project alignment with POINTS objectives and (2) a limited number of proposals will be invited to submit a full application for review by a panel appointed by the Dean of YSM.

NOTE: Resubmissions will be allowed on a case-by-case basis. A new letter of intent is not needed, but a review studio will be required prior to resubmission.

• A 1-page progress report will be requested quarterly and a more extensive report at the end of the project period; final report to include
  • Any grants submitted or planned
  • Publications resulting from POINTS research (manuscripts submitted, planned, or currently in preparation)
  • Other collaborative interactions among POINTS team members (e.g., joint lab meetings, seminars, etc.)
  • Progress in identifying an appropriate funding announcement for a full grant submission
  • Time frame for grant submission
  • Description of any challenges or other issues affecting project progress
  • Description of progress (2-3 pages).
• Expenditures: Funds shall be expended in full during the one- to two-year duration of the grant. Spending will be monitored, and unspent funds may be reclaimed if spending lags significantly. Use of funds shall be restricted to those allowable expenses outlined above.
• Given the intent of this funding mechanism to result in an application for external funding within one to two years, cost extensions are not encouraged; however, a single extension of up to six months with no additional funds will be considered on a case-by-case basis upon written request with justification from the PI. All such requests must be received no less than 30 days before the original end date of the grant and will be contingent upon reported progress.