University Times

Applications for grant support from the Competitive Medical Research Fund (CMRF) are being sought. The deadlines for submission are March 15 (award effective July 1, 1999) and Sept. 15 (award effective Jan. 1, 2000).

CMRF was established to provide support for physicians and other medical scientists in conducting new and worthy research in its early stages. The goal is to provide funding for clearly delineated research projects to develop preliminary data so that the research will obtain competitive, external, peer-reviewed grant support.

This year CMRF will include interim support awards, which provide support to faculty whose funding recently has lapsed. CMRF also includes a collaborative proposal category, which funds collaborative, multidisci-plinary translational research. The new inv estigator category includes post-doctoral scientists in clinical and basic research, who are expected to progress to a junior faculty position.

In addition to scientific priority, applications will be assessed by need potential of the work to contend for extramural funding. Individuals not currently receiving funds from other sources will receive priority.

For an application, contact Iris Lowe, CMRF coordinator, 692-2759, or by e-mail: loweie@msx.upmc.edu. Application materials are available at http://www.ofres-hs.upmc.edu/fundopps/fundopps.htm.

Restructured categories/requirements

New Investigator Category

* Eligibility: post-doc; assistant/associate professor.

* $25,000/2 years.

* Letter of support from department or division head for post-doc applicants, indicating intention for future faculty position.

* M.D.s and M.D./Ph.D.s encouraged to apply.

* Previous awardees ineligible.

Interim Funding Category

* Eligibility: assistant/associate/full professor.

* $30,000/1 year.

* Letter of support from department or division head.

* Two-page summary from recent extramural application.

* Two-page response to critique preceding research plan.

Collaborative Category

Eligibility: assistant/associate/full professor.

* $30,000/2 years.

* Must be submitted by one clinical and one basic scientist.

* Demonstrate how combined efforts result in collaborative, multidisciplinary translational research.