CCaTS-CBD Pilot Awards for Team Science

2025 request for applications

Through the Dean's Fund for Team Science, the Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCaTS) and the Center for Biomedical Discovery (CBD) jointly request applications for pilot projects to enhance team science at Mayo Clinic.

The goal of this request for applications is to help develop clinical-basic science partnerships in projects that have the potential to impact clinical practice at Mayo Clinic.

For 2025, CCaTS and CBD are seeking applications focused on understanding the biology and treatment of pain. All meritorious proposals will be considered for funding of $75,000 in direct costs for one year.

Eligibility

All Mayo investigators with an M.D., Ph.D., or other doctoral-level degree are eligible to apply. Eligible positions include:

  • Consultant.
  • Senior associate consultant.
  • Associate consultant.
  • Research fellow.
  • Clinical fellow.
  • Resident.
  • Nurse scientist.
  • Research scientist.
  • Research associate.
  • Allied health staff.

Other eligibility criteria include:

  • Each proposal must have at least two coprincipal investigators: one basic scientist and one active clinician. The proposal work plan should reflect approximately equal involvement and contribution of each coprincipal investigator. The contact principal investigator should be listed as the principal investigator in the application tool.
  • The proposal should describe the disease relevance of the study and the potential for translation and application to clinical practice.
  • Preliminary data is not required but can be included.
  • Multicampus Mayo Clinic participation is encouraged, but subcontracts with other institutions are not allowed.
  • Each proposal should address how these pilot funds will be leveraged to apply for more substantive intramural or extramural funding, with a continued emphasis on team science.
  • Recipients of CCaTS-supported grant awards should expect to be asked to serve as reviewers for other grant applications from the funding body.

Application deadlines

Letters of intent are due no later than Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, at 8 a.m. Central time. After reviewing the letters of intent, Mayo Clinic will extend invitations for full applications. Full applications are due on Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, at 8 a.m. Central time.

Timeline

  • Full application deadline: Oct. 31, 2024, 8 a.m. Central time.
  • Award activation period: Jan. 1, 2025, to Dec. 31, 2025.

Funding

  • Awards of up to $75,000 in direct costs for study-related expenses — no indirect costs apply.
  • Anticipated start date is Jan. 1, 2025. End date is Dec. 31, 2025.
  • Funds must be spent within the one-year award period — no extensions are granted.
  • Allowable costs include items such as personnel, core facilities and supplies. Unallowable costs include capital equipment, computers, other general-purpose equipment and subawards to institutions outside Mayo Clinic.

Full application requirements

Applications are due no later than Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, at 8 a.m. Central time.

Applicants must submit complete application packets through the START application tool. Log in to the Mayo Clinic network to access.

In the Additional Uploads section, applicants are required to include the following as a PDF format:

  • National Institutes of Health (NIH)-formatted biosketches for faculty team members using the new biographical sketch format.
  • Applicants may attach up to two PDFs of relevant articles published by the team.
  • Brief budget justification.

A formal Mayo Integrated Research Information System (MIRIS) budget prepared by Office Sponsored Project Association (OSPA) is not required at the time of application. If the project is selected for funding, the awardee will work with Sue J. Rubow and OSPA to create a MIRIS funding proposal and budget.

Review criteria

  • Innovation and originality of the proposed study.
  • Feasibility.
  • Translation potential.
  • How well the members of the team complement each other.
  • Quality of the plan for project management.
  • Quality of the plan for making decisions on scientific direction within the team.
  • How well the team plans to engage anticipated stakeholders of the research. Stakeholders may include practitioners, patients, regulatory agencies, the public and others.

Reporting

A final report is required at the end of the funding period and for one to three years annually after the funding period to track publications and grants resulting from the award.

Publications

The NIH Public Access Policy requires that all publications resulting from NIH funding be uploaded to PubMed Central. Recipients of CCaTS awards, including intramurally funded awards, must follow this policy. The Mayo Clinic Public Access Policy intranet site (must be logged in to the Mayo Clinic network) guides awardees through the process of uploading publications.

Please remember to cite the Mayo Clinic CCaTS grant in your publication.

Contact

For questions about the application process, contact:

Sue J. Rubow

For scientific questions, contact:

Robert J. Pignolo, M.D., Ph.D.

Mark A. McNiven, Ph.D.