Date Posted: April 18, 2008
Deadline for internal competition: May 15, 2008
Agency deadline for LOI (NOT required): July 1, 2008
Agency deadline for Full Proposal: August 1, 2008
Sponsor: National Institutes of Health
Limit on number of proposals: An institution may submit only one application as the applicant institution. Because both basic and clinical research components are required, it is strongly encouraged that the KU-Lawrence and KUMC campuses should collaborate as one institution for this initiative.

The NIH invite applications for the Autoimmunity Centers of Excellence (ACE) program. This cooperative research program seeks to: support integrated basic, pre-clinical and clinical research centers conducting cooperative clinical trials and mechanistic studies of immunologic therapies for autoimmune diseases; accelerate translation of basic research findings into clinical applications; facilitate the use of clinical samples for basic research studies; enhance the exchange of information among basic scientists and clinicians involved in treating autoimmune diseases; and establish a collaborative approach to clinical and basic research among institutions. An applicant may request a project period for up to five years and a budget for direct costs up to $450K per year.

URL: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-AI-08-010.html

URL for "Limited submission proposals procedure":
http://www.rgs.ku.edu/depts/rgs/lsp/lsp_2007-03-16.shtml

If you plan to submit a pre-proposal, please alert Barbara Earl (864-7781, bearl@ku.edu) one week prior to the internal deadline. This information will assist RGS in organizing the review committee.

The pre-proposal should include (1) a three-page narrative (describing the proposed research, including key personnel and partnerships, addressing any special components requested in the agency's solicitation [p.3-Research Objectives; p.5-ACE Program Components; p.26-Review and Selection Process], and a generalized yearly budget) and (2) a short vita for the PI and all co-investigators, including funding history and current and pending support. Investigators may include suggestions of faculty members whom they believe are especially well qualified to evaluate pre-proposals for this initiative. Please submit this material electronically to Barbara Earl, manager of Proposal Services, by 5 p.m. on May 15, 2008 (bearl@ku.edu, 864-7781).

If the number of pre-proposals exceeds the mandated limit, an internal review committee will be formed to review all pre-proposals (comprised of research administrators from KU-Lawrence and KUMC). The committee's intent is to select a proposer by May 27, 2008, thereby giving the proposer three weeks to prepare for the optional LOI, and an additional month for the proposal submission.

If you have any questions about the solicitation or the process described above, please contact Barbara Earl.

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Questions? Please contact:
Barbara Earl
785-864-7781 | bearl@ku.edu
Manager | Proposal Services