ASRM P&E Grant

ASRM Pilot & Exploratory Research Grant

PURPOSE

The ASRM Research Institute Pilot & Exploratory Grant (up to $50,000) application cycle opens September 3, 2024. The purpose of these awards is to support mid-career researchers by providing grants that allow for preliminary studies in new areas of research conducted by the investigator. Projects can involve physiological, psychological, biochemical, pharmacological, genetic, environmental, clinical, sociocultural, or pathological investigations. Funds may be used for support of a new or ongoing research or clinical investigation project. Grants considered will focus on one of the below-listed priority areas

  • New discoveries in the basic or translational sciences that impact the treatment and understanding of in vitro fertilization
  • Insights into causes, diagnosis, management, or parthenogenesis of recurrent pregnancy loss
  • The impact of precision medicine on clinical reproductive care
  • Access to reproductive care for underrepresented populations including costs, practical IVF, and sociocultural barriers

To be considered for review, applications must fall within one of these four priority areas. Applicants are encouraged to review the research currently funded page to gain insight into the topical areas of interest and research currently funded by ASRM.

APPLICANT ELIGIBILITY

Investigators, meeting eligibility, with expertise in reproductive health and science, including endocrinology, biology, urology, epidemiology, embryology, and andrology, are encouraged to apply. Physicians or scientists with track records in basic, clinical, or translational research in reproductive medicine are encouraged to apply. Eligible applicants include:

  • Investigators should have a doctorate degree (MD, MD/PhD, PhD, DO, ScD, or equivalent) and have sufficient expertise, commitment of effort, organizational structure, and operational effectiveness to successfully implement the plan for the proposed research. (Clinical and research students, residents, fellows, and postdoctoral trainees are not eligible as the PI.)
  • Be an independent investigator serving as a full-time clinician/physician-scientist (academic, private practice, other non-profit or for-profit organizations).
  • Applicants should have completed their research and/or clinical training for at least three years prior to submitting the application and actively working in the areas related to reproductive medicine.

Applicants need not be ASRM members at the time of the application but will be required to become members prior to the initiation and throughout the duration of funding. Awardees must maintain an active membership until the project is completed and has been presented at an ASRM Annual Scientific Congress.

AWARD

An award of up to $50,000 will be made for a TWO (2) year study period.

APPLICATION

An application must include the following information in order as described below. Additionally, all letters must be included in your application package and cannot be sent separately or after the application deadline. Please note: Letters outside the required department head or program chair letters are not required but you may submit up to 2 additional letters of support should you choose.

  1. Title page
    1. Title of the project (not to exceed 200 characters including spaces)
    2. Applicant’s name and credentials
    3. Applicant’s department affiliation, sponsoring institution, and contact information
    4. ASRM membership status (provide member number if applicable)
    5. Research priority area (from the list above)
    6. Total funding amount requested
  2. Letters
    1. Applicant letter stating career goals and plans for achieving these goals, including a lay statement of 2-3 sentences describing the relevance of the proposed research
    2. Chairman letter (no more than two pages) acknowledging the applicant’s project and grant proposal, endorsing the applicant’s research, and confirming the institution’s commitment to provide time and support to the applicant
  3.  Abstract (One-page maximum)
    1. Scientific Abstract (500 words) describing the research proposal including the potential immediate impact of the anticipated results on the practice of reproductive medicine
    2. Lay-person Abstract (200 words) describing the project in general terms
  4. Specific Aims of the research proposal presented in NIH format (One-page maximum)
  5. A research proposal should include the following sections (Three-pages maximum)
    1. Background and Significance
    2. Resources and Environment (can be attached as appendix)
    3. Research Plan (methodology and statistical analysis plan must be clearly described)
    4. Timeline for project start-up, implementation, and completion
    5. Innovation and Potential Impact
    6. References/citations are required but will not count against the total number of pages for the application. You may also include them as an appendix.
  6. NIH-style Biosketch
    1. A biosketch for each primary or co-investigator should be provided. Each Biosketch should include a specific description of the role of each investigator in the proposed project and should not exceed FIVE pages (including the current funding)
  7. Budget
    1. A detailed yearly and cumulative budget and budget justification in USD for the project
    2. No clinical care costs will be covered by this funding opportunity
    3. Funds are available for project expenses, technical assistance, patient expenses, research supplies and durable laboratory equipment, analysis software, national registries, survey licenses, etc.
    4. Funds may not be used toward degree-seeking courses
    5. Indirect costs to the sponsoring institution, conference travel and/or registration expenses, investigator’s salary and/or benefits are allowed but must not exceed 10% of the grant distribution
  8. Formatting & Due Date
    1. The proposal must be typed in Calibri 12 pt. type with page margins no less than .5 inches and no more than 1 inch
    2. Pagination should be included at the bottom of each page (excluding the Title page)
    3. The entire application must be submitted as ONE PDF FILE to research@asrm.org Subject Line: ASRM Pilot & Exploratory Grant Application by 4pm EST on December 2, 2024.
  9. Regulatory Requirements
    1. Human and/or animal use must be approved by the Institutional Review Board or Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, or their equivalent and documented before funds are released, but pre-approval is not required for application.
    2. It is required that any research involving human embryos will comply with applicable federal and state laws and will be in line with the ASRM’s guidance document on the ethics of human embryo research. No research will proceed without all relevant Institutional Board(s) and Committee(s) reviews and approval.

SELECTION PROCESS

ASRM Research Institute Grant Review Groups (GRGs) will review the proposals and awardees determined. To avoid a potential conflict of interest, members of the GRGs will recuse themselves from reviewing any proposal that involves their institutions of employment. Award notifications will be made in February 2025, and funding will be dispersed in April 2025.

REPORTING

Annual progress and financial reports are required and should be sent to research@asrm.org. ASRM Research Institute will review and provide a confirmation of progress report acceptance via email. Continued funding will depend on demonstrated progress and productivity as well as compliance with progress report timelines and any regulatory requirements. A final progress and financial report is required and should be submitted to ASRM within 90 days of project completion