Application Guidelines

For a Word file application contact Connie.Bair@ucdenver.edu

Applications which do not adhere to the following strict page format will not be considered. Applications must have at least one-inch margins. Font size must be not less than 12 point and must not exceed an average of 12 characters per inch.

Face Page (Form Page 1)

Indicate whether the application is for a Research Project, a Fellowship, or a Collaborative Translational Pilot Project, and also whether the grant relates to one of the areas of Special Emphasis (Aging). Provide the name of the Principal Investigator or Faculty Sponsor, including academic position, school, department, contact information and UCCC membership status. If the application is for a fellowship, include the name of the fellow where indicated.

Summary - (Form Page 1)

Applications must include a summary of the project not to exceed one-half page of single-spaced type. It should consist of a brief description of the objectives, rationale, methods, and expected results.

Budget (Form Page 2)

• A detailed, categorical budget request for the project must be provided.
• A copy of the ACS Budget Guidelines is included for guidance on ACS IRG budgets.
• Only direct costs are allowed. Salaries and fringe benefits for technical support, fellows or students may be included. UCCC funds will also allow partial salaries for junior faculty members, including principal investigators.
• Justification should be included for all costs. Requests for travel funds or for items of major equipment (cost per item exceeding $1,000) will require detailed justification.
• Funds will not be provided to pay for clinical services or other expenses that are otherwise a reimbursable cost.
• Research awards will not exceed $20,000; fellowship awards will not exceed $10,000; and collaborative translational pilot awards will not exceed $50,000.
• The use of UCCC core facilities to support each research effort is strongly encouraged. For UCCC Seed Grants, the core facility request must be >50% of the budget request (maximum total $20,000). If no core facility use is proposed, the budget justification must include a strong rationale for this.

Cancer Relevance Information (Form Page 3)

Self-explanatory. If the application is related to aging and cancer, that relationship should be specifically defined. Aging-relatedness is not simply due to the fact that cancer risk increases with age. The study must be somehow designed to specifically examine that relationship.

Biographical Sketch (Form Page 4 or NIH Form 398)

A biographical sketch (Form Page 4) should be included for the Principal Investigator(s) or Faculty Sponsor and Fellow, and any other key personnel (collaborators, Co-PIs, co-sponsors, etc). NIH Form 398 may be substituted for Form Page 4. Do not exceed 2 pages.

Other Support (Form Page 5)

For each PI or Faculty Sponsor and all key personnel for whom a biosketch is included, provide a complete list of all current and pending research support, including Agency, project title, award amount (annual direct costs and total project direct costs), period of award and Principal Investigator. Overlap with the present application must be defined and justified. NIH Other Support sheets may be substituted for Form Page 5.

Description of Research Proposed (Form Page 5)

A complete but concise description of the project must be included. This portion of the application should contain:

• Specific Aims (no more than 1/2 page)
• Rationale and Background (limited to 1 page)
• Preliminary Studies (limited to 1-1/2 pages)
• Experimental Design and Methods (limited to 3 pages)
• any other information required to fully describe the proposed work.

The Project Plan should be no more than a total of 6 typed pages, including figures, tables and other relevant data. (Do not send more than 1 preprint/reprint. Do not send an appendix.)

• Research Applications and Collaborative Translational Pilot Applications must meet these same requirements.
• Fellowship applications must be written by the fellow.

Significance

The importance of the proposed work, its relevance to cancer, its translational impact, the potential for further research and the potential for securing future funding for the project must be clearly and concisely stated (limited to 1/2 page). Additional elements may be required for Special Emphasis grants as indicated in page 3 of these instructions.

References

References should be limited to two pages.

Other Factors and Assurances

Applicants may include a concise description of any other factors that should be considered in evaluation of the proposal, for example, specialized resources or equipment available to the study, collaborative arrangements (verified by letter of agreement), etc. A letter of support from the mentor is required for fellowship applications, and it should describe the extent to which the grant proposal was written by the fellow. For Assistant Professors and Instructors, a letter of support from the chair or division head is required, stating the independence of the applicant and the unit’s commitment to the applicant (e.g., research space, salary, etc).

If the study involves human subjects, vertebrate animals, or recombinant DNA research, the Principal Investigator must certify that, if a grant is awarded, he/she will adhere to appropriate regulations, including approval of the study by the properly constituted Institutional Review Board, Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, and/or Biosafety Committee. Funds may not be expended until documentation of the required approval(s) is provided.

Research Promotion Form (Form Page 6)

Self-explanatory.

PUBLICATIONS

All publications, abstracts, or similar communications resulting from work supported by ACS IRG funds must acknowledge this support by inclusion of the statement: "Supported (in part) by a research grant from the American Cancer Society."

All publications, abstracts, or similar communications resulting from work supported by UCCC funds must acknowledge this support by inclusion of the statement: "Supported (in part) by a grant from the University of Colorado Cancer Center."

FINAL REPORT

Recipients must submit a final report summarizing the results of their studies supported by the grant, including plans for, or results of, attempts to secure additional funding for the project, and copies of all publications resulting from the work. Final reports will be requested at the conclusion of the grant period. Annual updates are required for four years (These are critical for successful ACS IRG and UCCC core grant renewal). Failure to submit a final report could jeopardize future funding to the individual and/or the institution.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Applications must be submitted electronically in PDF format (Adobe Acrobat). The electronic copy must include all letters and other attachments in the order specified on the preceding pages as this copy will be provided to the reviewers.

The PDF file should be submitted to connie.bair@ucdenver.edu followed by one exact hard copy of the complete application delivered in person or by mail.

Both copies must be received in the Cancer Center no later than 5:00 p.m. Monday, December 1, 2008 .

Mailing Address:
Univ. of Colorado Cancer Center
Mailstop F-434 Building 500, Room C6004P
13001 East 17th Place
P.O. Box 6508
Aurora, CO 80045-0511

Hand Delivery Address:
University of Colorado Cancer Center
Building 500, Room C6004
13001 East 17th Place
Aurora, CO 80010-7163
Do not mail applications to Dr. Kane as this may delay their arrival at the UCCC Office.

QUESTIONS/CONCERNS: Contact: Dr. Madeleine Kane
Telephone: 720-848-0354
Pager: 303-266-5584
E-mail: Madeleine.Kane@ucdenver.edu