SREI Research Grant

SREI Research Grant

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PURPOSE

The SREI Research Grant ($40,000) application cycle opens September 1, 2023. The primary purpose of the SREI Research Grant Program is to provide funds for new investigators to establish independent research programs. New investigators are those who have completed their training within the past three years and have independent faculty appointments at the commencement of the research. Projects can involve physiological, psychological, biochemical, pharmacological, genetic, environmental, clinical, sociocultural, or pathological investigations. Grants considered will focus on diversity, equity and inclusion related to 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 quality reproductive care for underrepresented populations including costs, practical IVF, and socio-cultural barriers

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, 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.
  • Investigators should hold an independent position as faculty of an accredited medical school or university program (public/state or private), research institute or other non-profit or for-profit organization within the United States focusing on research and/or care of patients with reproductive problems.
  • Applicants should have completed their research and/or clinical training within the past three years prior to submitting the application and actively working in the areas related to reproductive medicine.
  • Funds may be used for support of a new or ongoing research/clinical investigation project.
  • Applicants must be an active or associate member of SREI to be considered.

We invite investigators, who demonstrate strong career goals within the field of Reproductive Medicine and meet eligibility criteria to apply. Awardees must maintain an active membership, with both ASRM and SREI, until the project is completed and has been presented at an ASRM annual Scientific Congress.

AWARD

An award, not to exceed $40,000, 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 post application deadline. Please note: Letters outside the required department head or program chair 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 and sponsoring institution
    4. Contact information including mailing address, telephone number, and email
    5. 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 (no more than three pages)
    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 for the project
    2. 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
    3. NO clinical care costs will be covered by this funding opportunity
    4. Funds may NOT be used towards degree seeking courses
    5. Funds are available for project expenses, technical assistance, patient expenses, research supplies and durable laboratory equipment, analysis software, national registries, survey licenses, etc.
    6. Recipients of an SREI Research Grant may also have other grants contributing to the funding of their project, however, the additional funding amounts must be noted on the grant application.
  8. Formatting
    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: SREI Research Grant Application by 4pm EST on December 1, 2023.
  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.

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 report including financials must be submitted to the ASRM Research Institute within 60 days of project completion.

SELECTION PROCESS

An ASRM Research Institute Grant Review Group (GRG) will review the proposals and awardees determined. To avoid a potential conflict of interest, members of the GRG will recuse themselves from review of any proposal that involves their institutions of employment. Award notifications will be made in February 2024 and funding will be dispersed March 2024.