2023 Brody Brothers Endowment Grants

Published Aug 30, 2022 by
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Call for Proposals for Research Funding:

Brody Brothers Endowment Seed/Bridge Grant Program

Objective:  The Brody Brothers Endowment Seed/Bridge Grant Program will provide grants to assist faculty in generating data for a new extramural funding application or resubmission of an extramural funding application. Projects should focus on the areas of cancer, diabetes and obesity, cardiovascular disease or other prevalent health problems found in eastern North Carolina.  

  • All Principal Investigators or Co-PIs must have a full-time primary faculty appointment in BSOM.
  • Interdisciplinary collaborative projects involving investigators from different departments are encouraged, but not required.
  • Projects should be in the areas of cancer, diabetes and obesity, cardiovascular disease or other prevalent health problems found in eastern North Carolina.
  • Application submission deadline is noon on October 17th 2022.
  • All applications should be submitted as a single PDF document to the Office of Research & Graduate Studies via email to BSOM-Research@ecu.edu
  • The application should describe how the Brody Brothers Award will lead to larger federal funding.
  • The term of the project shall be for 12 months. No-cost extensions are generally not allowed except under extenuating circumstances. Any request must be approved by the Stewardship Committee of the Brody Brothers Endowment Fund.

Proposals will be reviewed initially by a faculty review committee, and a prioritized list of proposals will be provided to the Stewardship Committee of the Brody Brothers Endowment Fund for final consideration. Proposals should include the medical/scientific significance of the proposed research, the specific aims of the project, the feasibility of collecting sufficient data samples to complete t he research within the specific grant term, the potential for future research grants/projects and a proposed budget and justification. Additional information may be required after initial review.

About the Brody Brothers Endowment Fund

Purpose: In conjunction with the support and leadership provided by the Dean of the Brody School of Medicine, the purposes of the Brody Brothers Endowment are as follows: The fund was established to assist with research projects being conducted by the medical school in the areas of cancer, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and other prevalent health problems found in eastern North Carolina. The fund provides supplemental research funding to enhance the medical school’s various initiatives in medicine, related to BSOM’s established mission and vision (for example BSOM’s initiatives in new technology and research). However, the Endowment’s principal and income shall not be used to supplant in whole or in part the medical school or ECU state operating budget with regard to equipment, staff and faculty salaries or supplements, and other items that are typically funded by operating budgets.

Since 2005 the Brody Brothers Endowment Fund has provided ~$2M funding for seed grants.

Grants ranged from a low of $7,500 to a high of $90,000, with the average grant amount being approximately $35,000. 

Application Guidelines: 

  • All PIs or Co-PIs must have a full-time primary academic appointment in BSOM.   
  • A relationship between the proposed work and key elements of a future grant application (specific aims, significance, innovation, etc.) is expected. 
  • Applications will be evaluated by the BSOM Research Committee with particular emphasis on the likelihood the project will lead to a competitive extramural application. 
  • Proposals that demonstrate interdisciplinary, meaningful collaboration, and that have strong translational focus are likely to be more competitive.  
  • Funds for successful proposals will be set aside in individual PI subaccounts managed through the Medical & Health Sciences Foundation and ECU ORA.  PIs will have 12 months to expend the funds. 
  • Depending on the circumstances, some level of matching support from the appropriate Department Chairperson may be required, the nature of which (cash, release time, etc) will be negotiated at the time of award. 
  • Funds may only be used for patient/subject costs, student summer stipends/hourly wages, laboratory supplies, animal purchase/husbandry or core laboratory fees directly associated with the project.   
  • IACUC/IRB approvals must be in place by the start date of the award, which is typically the first month of the calendar year.  
  • Many faculty members have a GAP to support their extramural funding application. If a grant advisory panel (GAP) has not been established to support the development of the extramural grant applications, the PI must agree to establish one as a condition of award.  If needed, BSOM/RGS will assist with identifying GAP members.     
  • If the proposed work is supporting a resubmission, study section comments (“pink sheets” and scores) must accompany the application, or the application will not be considered.   
  • Follow the indicated proposal format, including page limits. 
  • For any applications in which a conflict of interest or perceived conflict of interest in the review process exists, the PI or others involved will be excluded from the review process of the specific application.  

      All applications should be submitted as a single pdf file to BSOM-Research@ecu.edu by 12pm (NOON) on October 17, 2022.

      BSOM PIs are encouraged to see prior email communications for a complete grant proposal packet, including coversheet & chair signature pages.