Center for Modeling Complex Interactions

Request for White Papers

The Center for Modeling Complex Interactions (CMCI) requests white papers outlining ideas for research projects related to our mission.  CMCI fosters interdisciplinary biomedical research by bringing together modelers and empirical scientists to address problems across all levels of biological organization, from biophysical to ecological. Learn more about CMCI here.

First consideration of white papers will begin on May 25, 2018 and white papers will be accepted until June 4, 2018.

The white papers will be used to invite full proposals for the following:

Project Grants (up to 3 years)

Year-5 Projects for the current NIH COBRE grant (1 to 2 grants)

Selected projects will be funded at $100K to $150K direct costs per year

Renewal Projects for the NIH COBRE grant (2 to 4 grants)

Selected projects will be funded at $100K to $200K direct costs per year

Pilot Grants (1 to 2 grants; 1 year)

Selected projects will be funded at up to $80K direct costs

Eligibility criteria:

Project Grants: PIs should be tenure-track faculty members.  Collaborators / co-investigators from UI are permitted but co-PIs are not allowed.

Preference will be given to early career faculty, defined for this purpose as faculty who do not have (and have not previously had) external, peer-reviewed Research Project Grant (RPG) or Program Project Grant (PPG) support from either Federal or non-Federal sources for which the individual is named as the PD/PI.  Early Career Faculty will need to devote 6 mo / yr to the Project Grant.  In the renewal, one or more established investigators can be included to facilitate the growth and independence of CMCI.

Pilot grants:  Both tenure track and non-tenure track faculty of any rank are invited to apply.

Other criteria:

  • Proposals must be focused on modeling (e.g., mathematical, computational, statistical, molecular).
  • Ties to empirical data are strongly encouraged and empirical work that compliments the modeling can be included in the proposal.
  • Proposals must be for NIH-fundable research. Use the keyword search feature of NIH Reporter (projectreporter.nih.gov) to see if NIH funds work similar to what you would propose.
  • Full proposals will be written this summer.

Format:

The application should consist of a single PDF emailed to CMCI Director Holly Wichman at hwichman@uidaho.edu with the subject line “CMCI WHITE PAPER” and include:

Project narrative (maximum 2 pages).  The title, PI, and up to 2 collaborators should be clearly indicated at the top of the first page. No abstract is required.  Font size should 11-point or larger and margins should be 1”.   The narrative should include the context, overarching goal, central hypothesis, specific aims, significance, and an overview of the planned approach.  Use of figures is encouraged.

Bibliography/references (maximum 1 page). The white paper may include up to 10 full citations.

CVs for PI and Collaborators (maximum 2 pages each).  This should include educational and employment background, current position, a list of up to 10 relevant publications, and current support.  The CV should include a statement of whether the PI has ever been a PI/PD on an external, peer-reviewed Research Project Grant (RPG) or Program Project Grant (PPG) from either Federal or non-Federal sources.

No budget is required at this time.