The overall goal of the BADERC Pilot/Feasibility Program (PFP) is to stimulate innovative research relevant to Diabetes and its complications. This program is one mechanism through which this Center will facilitate the development of new investigators (generally BADERC Associate Investigators) focused on areas relevant to the scientific mission of the BADERC and will encourage basic investigators to extend their studies into Diabetes, often in collaboration with members of the Center directly focused on this disorder. An important parallel goal is to foster the growth of young investigators, in the expectation of increasing the number of workers studying Diabetes and its complications. It should be emphasized that PFP awards will not be made for "bridge funding" for investigators "between grants" or to support projects with pending support from outside funding agencies. A major goal of the PFP is for recipients to succeed in obtaining long-term BADERC research funding by external peer-reviewed agencies. Three categories of PFP applications will be considered for funding:

(1) New investigators, without current or past independent NIH support, establishing research programs relevant to diabetes mellitus and its complications. Applicants for this type of award generally hold an initial faculty appointment; senior post-doctoral fellows may also apply if there is a documented commitment by their department to a faculty appointment within the PFP support period.

(2) Established investigators with no previous work in diabetes research who will extend their studies to encompass issues of direct importance to understanding diabetes.

(3) Diabetes researchers who propose testing innovative ideas that clearly depart from their established research program.

All members of the BADERC will be eligible to receive funding through the PFP. In addition, other investigators within the MGH or Boston or Harvard institutions may apply for support through this program. However, it is anticipated that new investigators submitting proposals, sufficiently programmatically relevant to be approved, will necessarily be appropriate to join the BADERC, i.e., it is expected that PFP recipients will participate in the activities of the Center. They are expected to Attend BADERC seminars, interact with other Center investigators and present their findings to the members of the BADERC in addition to formal reporting to the Executive Steering Committee (ESC) as described below. Whereas the goals of the PFP encompasses the three types of applications noted above, those from category 1 will have particular consideration and it is expected that the majority of awards will be of this type. Further, it is anticipated that most PFP projects will benefit from the resources of one or more of the BADERC Biomedical Cores. An investigator may not receive more than one PFP award during the BADERC grant period.

It is anticipated that up to four meritorious applications will be funded up to the amount of $25,000

 Letters of Intent due December 12, 2007

If proposal accepted,

Applications due by January 11, 2008

If you qualify based on one of the three criteria listed above, send a one-page letter briefly stating why and what your research program will encompass.  If such is deemed compatible with the goals of the BADERC, instructions for the preparation of a five-page application for a Pilot and Feasibility Research Grant Award will be forwarded to you.  The deadline for the Grant application will be January 11, 2008.  Funding will be effective May 1, 2008.

 Please send Letters of Intent (fax or email) to:

Joel Habener, M.D.                               Email: jhabener@partners.org
Director, Boston Area Diabetes            cc: mmunro@partners.org
Endocrinology Research Center           cc: prendable@molbio.mgh.harvard.edu
Wellman 320                     
50 Blossom St, Thier 320                     Tel. (617) 726-5190
Boston, MA 02114                               Fax. (617) 726-6954