Stay tuned for details to apply for the next (2023) round of funding
About
Hope Center Pilot Project Awards advance the translational neuroscience goals of the Hope Center, by providing up to $100,000 for collaborative and innovative two-year projects that further the Hope Center mission:
To improve the lives of people living with neurological disorders, through collaborative research that aims to discover fundamental mechanisms of neurodegeneration and repair, and translate that new understanding into cures and treatments.
Hope Center Pilot Projects – 2022 Application Instructions
Eligibility
The Project PI must be a Hope Center faculty member as of June 30, 2022; collaborators and co-investigators are not required to be Hope Center faculty members. Each collaborating investigator should have a significant role in the project, and funds must be shared by at least two collaborating labs. Proposed projects must be in a pilot phase (not continuation of an existing project).
LOI Deadline; Invitations for Full Submissions
To submit a Letter of Intent (LOI), please complete the LOI application form. LOIs are due by 5:00pm CST on Wednesday August 31, as a single pdf to the Hope Center, hopecenter@email.wustl.edu.
In early October, the Hope Center will follow up with applicants by to advise if there is an invitation to submit a full proposal. Full pilot project submissions will be due Tuesday November 22. (Full proposals will include a research proposal (5 pages maximum, single spaced, Arial 11 font), references (separate from the 5-page limit), proposed budget and justification.) Decisions on funding will be made in early January, 2023.
Review
A Review Committee of faculty members will consider scientific merit, innovation, importance for future application to human nervous system disease, potential for external funding, and ability to advance the overall goals of the Hope Center. Final decisions on funding will be made by the Hope Center Steering Committee based on recommendations from the Review Committee as well as programmatic considerations. Decisions on funding will be made by mid-December.
2022 Hope Center Pilot Program – Timeline Summary
- August 31: LOIs due by 5:00p CST
- Early October: Applicants will be informed if they are invited to submit full proposals
- November 22: Full pilot submissions due
- January 1: Start date for new awards
- January 1, 2023 – December 31, 2024: Award period
Note, for those projects selected for awards, the following materials will be required before release of funds:
- Animal and/or IRB approvals, if applicable (note that the Hope Center cannot release funds until appropriate approvals are in-place).
- A one-paragraph description of the project and its importance, in language appropriate for the lay public.
- Progress reports at 12 and 24 months, including scientific findings, publications, funding, and intellectual property arising from the project.
Additionally, award recipients commit to serving on a review committee for Hope Center pilot awards at least once within three years of the award.
Acknowledging Pilot Support
For publications arising from research supported by a Hope Center Pilot Project Award, please acknowledge this support. Here is suggested language:
“This work was supported by a Pilot Project Award from the Hope Center for Neurological Disorders at Washington University.”
Questions?
For any questions about the Hope Center Pilot Project Program, contact the Hope Center.