Research Incubator Awards

The purpose of the DIBS Research Incubator Awards is to provide seed funding to support interdisciplinary and collaborative brain science research within Duke for projects of exceptional innovation and broad significance to the field. The projects must engage at least two faculty representing multiple fields or levels of analysis and bring together investigators whose individual programs of research are not already connected from across the University. Proposed projects that include investigators from multiple schools within the University (e.g., School of Medicine, Arts and Sciences, Pratt School of Engineering, etc.) are encouraged. By supporting interdisciplinary research teams, DIBS hopes to encourage innovative approaches to problems that transcend the boundaries of traditional disciplines, integrating the brain sciences with the social sciences, physical sciences, gene sciences, humanities, law, business, public policy, mathematics, computer science and engineering.

Amount of Support

The Institute plans to fund each approved Working Group (new or renewal) at a maximum level of $150,000 for one fiscal year. This support is intended to provide a basis for project development and pilot research ultimately leading to external funding for the ongoing collaborative work.

Deadlines for 2010-2011 Awards

The deadline for submitting a letter of intent for the 2010-2011 awards is December 4, 2009.

Feedback on the letters of intent will be provided by December 18, 2009.

The proposal deadline for new awards for 2010-2011 is February 19, 2010. Proposals must be submitted electronically.

See the announcement of the 2009-2010 awards.

The call for applications occurs once annually.

Selection Process for New Awards

The proposals will reviewed by an ad hoc review committee consisting of faculty with a broad range of expertise in fundamental and translational brain sciences. The reviewing committee’s goal is to identify the proposals that best meet the objectives of the DIBS Research Incubator Awards: interdisciplinary collaborative research projects that will make long-term, significant and original contributions in the brain sciences. The review committee is asked to consider: (1) the significance and potential impact of the research program; (2) the degree of innovation; (3) the scope of the interdisciplinary collaboration and relevance for the goals of the research program; (4) feasibility of the research project; and (5) likelihood of development into a project that would attract external support.

The review committee is not asked to provide extensive written feedback on the applications. Thus, we will not be able to provide the detailed responses from reviewers that are customary in NIH or NSF summary statements. However, informal summaries of the committee’s deliberations can be provided, if requested.

Selection Process for Renewing Awards

Renewals are reviewed by an Incubator Award Renewal Committee comprised of Duke faculty with a broad range of expertise in the brain sciences. Continued funding depends on progress made on the overall goals of the collaborative project, the merits of the research plan, the specific goals for the next period of support, and the likelihood that the project is advancing toward external support. Advances that could not have been achieved with purely individual efforts must be clearly articulated, and the effective functioning of the collaborative project team must be made clear. The renewal deadline for 2010 is May 1.

Duke Institute for Brain Sciences