News

Funding opportunity from the Innovative Science Accelerator Program (ISAC)

Oct 8, 2021

Announcing the New Funding Program from the Innovative Science Accelerator Program (ISAC)

The ISAC Program supports truly innovative, disruptive, risky research to accelerate breakthrough discoveries.

ISAC provides:

• Funding for small high-risk/high reward projects via a streamlined process to support cutting-edge research and accelerate true innovation in scientific areas of interest to the Kidney-Urologic-Hematologic (KUH) research communities.
• Collaboration and Events for researchers and trainees to efficiently exchange ideas and resources to accelerate innovation.

What is the ISAC Award?

The ISAC Award provides seed funding for exceptionally innovative, disruptive (high-risk/high-reward) research relevant to KUH communities that has the potential to lead to groundbreaking or paradigm-shifting results that will change the field. ISAC awards are NOT Pilot & Feasibility projects for the generation of more preliminary data for traditional NIH applications (e.g., R01).

Three-page applications are accepted on a rolling basis and reviewed three times a year. Investigators may request up to $100,000 (direct + indirect costs) total costs for one year.

Is your research concept a good fit for ISAC?

Your concept is likely a good fit for ISAC if you answer YES to all the following 4 questions:

1. Will your project support the mission of the Kidney-Urologic-Hematologic (KUH) research communities?

2. Is the project highly innovative and have the potential to lead to groundbreaking or paradigm-shifting results that will change the field?

3. Does the proposal represent a fundamentally new and distinct direction for your current research?

4. Is your application too risky for more traditional grant programs (e.g., NIH R01)?

Who is eligible to apply?

Qualities common to many highly innovative people include an interest in, and the ability to integrate, diverse sources of information; an inclination to challenge paradigms and take intellectual risks; persistence in the face of failure; an ability to attract the right collaborators; and the energy and concentration necessary to plan and execute effective strategies for accomplishing goals.

Individuals with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research are invited to work with their institution to develop an application for support. Individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups as well as individuals with disabilities are always encouraged to apply for NIH support. New investigators are encouraged to apply, but they must have a full-time faculty position or an equivalent position at non-academic institutions.

Applications are accepted from domestic (US) institutions/ organizations.

Non‐domestic (non‐U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) are **NOT **eligible to apply.

What funds are available for ISAC Award Projects?

Applicants may request up to $100,000 (direct + indirect costs) Total Costs for one year. The number of awards will depend upon the number, quality, and cost of the applications received. Awards will be made as subcontracts from the ISAC Coordinating Unit (CU) at Augusta University and NOT directly by the NIH.

How often will applications be reviewed?

Applications can be submitted to the ISAC web portal at any time. The review of submitted applications will occur three times a year and provide a quick turnaround from review to award.

1. Application Final Submission: April 15, Aug 15, Dec 15

2. Peer Review: May, Sept, Jan

3. Notification of Award: June, Oct, Feb

Contact Information

For more detailed information, please go to https://www.dkisac.org/shared/fundingPrograms.aspx

Address questions regarding the ISAC Award:

Richard A. McIndoe, Ph.D. (Director)

ISAC Coordinating Unit

Augusta University

Phone: 706-721-3542

Fax: 706-721-3688

Email: rmcindoe@augusta.edu