SCTR Translational Science Challenge Pilot Project Grant

The Translational Science Innovation Pilot Project RFA provides support for new and innovative projects relevant to translational science. Projects must focus on understanding a scientific or operational principle underlying a step of the translational process with the goal of developing generalizable principles to accelerate translational research.

Translational Science Innovation projects are intended to: (1) explore possible innovative new leads or new directions for established investigators; (2) stimulate investigators from other areas to lend their expertise in research in clinical and translational science (CTS); and (3) provide initial support to establish proof of concept.

Projects must include investigators from at least two different disciplines, be feasible within the proposed one-year timeframe, have high methodological and scientific quality, and answer important scientific questions.

Examples of translational science innovation pilot project activities that may be supported:

• Development of new research methodology and/or new technologies/tools/resources that will advance CTS and thus increase the efficiency and effectiveness of translation
• Early-stage development of new therapy/technology with generalizable application to an identified translational roadblock
• Demonstration in (a) particular use case(s) that the new methodology or technology advances translational science by successfully making one or more steps of the translational process more effective or efficient
• Dissemination of effective tools, methods, processes, and training paradigms
• Feasibility/proof of concept studies to support future CTS projects
• Secondary analysis of existing data (e.g., projects using the National COVID Cohort Collaborative (N3C) Data Enclave) 

Up to $25,000 direct costs for a 12-month period from the date a Notice of Award is issued

Stay tuned for updates!

All applications will be submitted online using the InfoReady application portal. The Application Instructions & FAQs (PDF) contains detailed instructions on the steps and processes for applying.

1) Obtain a Study ID for the proposed project through SPARCRequest (https://sparc.musc.edu)

• If you have existing study in SPARC that is directly related to the proposed study, you will need to add the Translational Science Challenge funding opportunity to your existing study.
• If your study is NOT already in SPARC, you will need to create a study to obtain a Study ID for your proposed study.
  • Note: in step 2, select “Pending Funding” under Proposal Funding Status and select “Internally Funded Pilot Project” as the Potential Funding Source, and indicate “SCTR” when asked for Sponsor Name.
• Detailed information about the steps to obtain a SPARC Study ID can be found in the "How to Obtain a SPARC ID accordion on this page.

For additional assistance with SPARCRequest, contact the SCTR SUCCESS Center at success@musc.edu

No application materials should be uploaded in the SPARCRequest system.

2) Complete the InfoReady application, upload all required documents where indicated, check your application for errors and omissions, and SUBMIT your proposal in InfoReady.

How to obtain a new SRID: 

• Go to https://sparc.musc.edu/ and log in with your MUSC net ID and password
• Select  ‘South Carolina Clinical and Translational Research Institute (SCTR)’ from the menu on the left
• Select ‘Funding Opportunities’ from the drop-down menu (towards the middle of the page)
• Select ‘SCTR Translational Science Challenge Grants’ from the Funding Opportunities page (towards the top of the page)
• Select ‘+’ to put the service in your cart
• Choose Yes/No for the popup question ‘Is this a new request?’
• Select ‘save and continue’ (on your right)
• Log in with your MUSC net ID and password, add your request as directed (i.e. new request or adding it to your already existing request (SRID) using ‘Visit Your Dashboard’) and then process accordingly.
• If it is new request, then select ‘Save and Continue’
  • Select ‘Start a New Study’
  • Complete all of the starred (*) fields and then click ‘Save’
  • Select ‘Pending Funding’ for the ‘Proposal Funding Status’ question
  • Select ‘Internal Funded Pilot Project’ for the ‘Potential Funding Source’
  • Indicate as ‘SCTR’ for the ‘Please Specify’ and ‘Sponsor Name’
  • Select ‘Save’
  • Add estimated ‘Start Date’ and ‘End Date’ fields (For example: 9/1/2022 to 8/31/2023)
  • Then click ‘Save and continue’ (at the bottom of the page, to your right).
  • Steps 3 and 4 listed on top of the page are not required. Move directly to ‘Step 5’ by clicking the arrow.
  • Review your request and click ‘Submit Request’. This step must be completed to add the funding opportunity and receive a confirmation.
  • ‘Request-ID’ (without -0001, which is your request SPARC ID, should be added to your InfoReady application form where it is indicated to add the SPARC ID.

Adding a funding opportunity to an existing SRID:

• Go to https://sparc.musc.edu/dashboard and log in with your MUSC net ID and password
• Select the appropriate Protocol ID from the list on your dashboard
• Then click on ‘Add/Modify Request’ (middle of the page, towards your left)
• From the ‘Browse Service Catalog’ (menu on the left) select ‘South Carolina Clinical and Translational Research Institute (SCTR)’
• Then select ‘Funding Opportunities’ from the drop-down menu (towards the middle of the page)
• Select ‘SCTR Translational Science Challenge Grants’ from the Funding Opportunities page (towards the top of the page)
• Choose ‘No’ when you receive the ‘New or Existing' popup.
• Click the ‘Step 5’ arrow on top of the page to review and submit the request.
• ‘Submit’ your request. This step must be completed to add the funding opportunity to the existing SRID.

All questions (for application process and translational science) should be sent to the Office of Science Development.