Pilots

New ICTR RFA offers Funding and Collaboration Opportunities

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UW ICTR is releasing a Request for Applications (RFA) for a new competitive funding opportunity that aims to advance the commercialization of innovations to improve healthcare outcomes. The Evidence to Implementation Award is part of the ICTR commitment to supporting the integration of effective research into clinical practice to benefit health in Wisconsin and beyond.

Each award includes up to $40,000 in direct costs and substantial in-kind consultation and resources, through investigator collaboration with the new ICTR Dissemination & Implementation (D&I) Launchpad Program, for up to 18 months.

Melody Bockenfeld, ICTR D&I Launchpad Program Manager, comments:Melody Bockenfeld, MPH, BSN

We are excited to roll out this new award and look forward to forging strong partnerships with investigators to bring successful and effective health solutions to the public. This will also be the first opportunity for investigators to take advantage of the new suite of services we have developed under the D&I Launchpad Program.

This award is for researchers at UW-Madison or Marshfield Clinic Research Institute who are interested in seeing their innovations successfully implemented in healthcare settings where they will have direct, positive impacts on communities. The award is unique due to the partnership with the D&I Launchpad team, which will work in collaboration with the awardee, offering substantial in-kind support to the project.

Available services from the Launchpad team include business consultation, translation and packaging services, communication strategies, evaluation services, and implementation science guidance.

Chris Sorkness, ICTR Senior Associate Executive Director, notes:

This RFA is a big step forward in the long-term ICTR goal of offering implementation support for high-demand research inside and outside of Wisconsin’s borders. Through our unique D&I Launchpad Program, researchers will receive the comprehensive support and resources needed to see their healthcare advances make a successful, sustained leap from research to practice.

Proposed research for this RFA must include a successful intervention, care model, device, or other innovation that meets a specific demand and has potential for significant impact on healthcare or the community. Researchers must also be committed to disseminating and implementing their work broadly in practice and be open to publicly marketing their implementation materials.

The RFA is available online. A pre-proposal is due February 5, 2018. Projects chosen to proceed to the second round selection process will meet with the Launchpad team in early Spring 2018. Awards will be announced in May 2018.

Applicants are encouraged to contact Melody Bockenfeld with any questions or requests for more information.

New RFA for Collaborative Health Equity Research

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UW ICTR is releasing a Request for Applications (RFA) for new community-engaged health disparities research projects, the Collaborative Health Equity Research (CHER) Pilot Award. This novel award reflects ICTR’s commitment to mentoring the next generation of health equity researchers by supporting promising new research, training in best practices for engaging communities and patients, and facilitating the formation of interdisciplinary teams. Each award includes $50,000 maximum in direct costs for no longer than 12 months.

This pilot award is for early stage investigators focused on health disparities and health equity, and requires a senior mentor. The program is designed to provide researchers with experience in clinical and translational research necessary for their future career development, and to provide preliminary data for subsequent funding applications.

Chris Sorkness, Senior Associate Executive Director, explains,

Through this RFA we hope to “stack the deck” in support of early stage investigators seeking to conduct high quality research to address health disparities and health inequities in the state of Wisconsin. In addition to the many ICTR resources available to support community-engaged health equity research, this RFA recognizes that junior-senior collaborations can make all the difference in accelerating advancements in health. We strongly encourage interdisciplinary applications from broad campus investigators, since social determinants of health and health disparities/inequities often go hand-in-hand.

Proposed research for this RFA must address health disparities or health inequities and must be translational in nature. Applications must cite published evidence that the health disparity/inequity is recognized by state/federal agencies as significant and warranting intervention. Awards will prioritize support of assistant professors taking a collaborative, interdisciplinary approach to research, including those who genuinely engage community partners & stakeholders.

The new RFA, application forms & instructions are available online. A mandatory letter of intent is due October 2, 2017 and complete applications are due Nov 1, 2017. Applicants are encouraged to contact Caitlin Scott, Health Equity Outreach Specialist, with any questions about preparing an application.