University of Missouri

Academic Affairs

Spinal Cord Injuries Research Program

Guidelines for Grant Applications to the Missouri Spinal Cord Injuries Research Program Advisory Board

The SCI Advisory Board invites proposals for the support of research projects in Missouri that promote and advance knowledge in the areas of spinal cord injuries and congenital or acquired diseases affecting the spinal cord.

The objectives of the grants are (1) to bring new investigators, and investigators who are experienced in other areas, into research on spinal cord injuries and diseases, and (2) to enable investigators, particularly junior investigators, to test new ideas on a small scale and then use the pilot data to develop subsequent competitive applications for long term funding from other sources. "Junior investigators" may include persons conducting dissertation projects, as well as postdoctoral research appointments for recent graduates. In addition to studies of traumatic injuries to the spinal cord that lead to paralysis, research focusing on acquired abnormalities such as Friedreich’s ataxia and paralysis due to multiple sclerosis, polio, etc., as well as birth defects affecting the spinal cord are eligible for support.

Grants of up to $50,000 for one year will be awarded. A final report must be submitted to the Advisory Board at the end of the project. Recipients may apply the following year for one additional year of funding. Continuation of funding will depend on the results of the project during the first year and the availability of funds. Investigators must be employees or staff members of public or private educational, health care, voluntary health associations or research institutions. The funds are awarded to the investigator’s administrative unit. Overhead charges are not allowed, and the research must be conducted in Missouri.

Applications will be accepted at any time. The awards will be announced following an expedited review, which normally takes about two or three months. Completed applications should be sent to:

SCI Research Program

521 Clark Hall

University of Missouri

Columbia, MO 65211-4440

Questions concerning the program or the application process may be directed to the program office by telephone at (573) 882-1714, by fax at [573] 882=3722, or by e-mail to KanatzarS@umsystem.edu.

Preparation of Grant Application

The first three pages of the application are available at our website. If the response to any of the eleven numbered sections requires more space than is given on the form, the additional page should follow the page on which the response begins, and be given that page number plus A, B, etc. (e.g., 3A, 3B).

Also available at our web site is a sample grant review form giving the criteria that will be used by the reviewers who will be evaluating your proposed project. You might find it helpful to keep these in mind as you prepare your proposal.

The research proposal itself should consist of the six items below. There is a six page limit for items I through IV. A maximum of five single-spaced pages may be used for items I through III. Item IV, the nontechnical abstract, should be limited to a maximum of 250 words, also single-spaced, and appear on a separate page.

1. Introduction. In one sentence or a a brief paragraph, describe what questions you want to answer with this study, how these questions are related to injuries and diseases of the spinal cord, what your hypothesis is about these questions, how it will be tested, and why the results will be important to individuals with spinal cord injuries.
2. Methods of Procedure. In three pages or less, describe the research design and the experiments that you will use to accomplish the specific aim of the project. Describe how the data will be collected, and what statistical methods you will use to help interpret the results. Describe any new methodology you will use, and its advantages over existing methodologies. Discuss any potential pitfalls you foresee in the design and methodology, and what alternate approaches you would use to achieve your aims. Point out any procedures that may be hazardous to personnel, particularly if human subjects are involved, and what precautions will be taken to ensure their safety.
3. Bibliography
4. Nontechnical Abstract. Be sure to include in this abstract your perception as to how this research project meets the objectives of the SCI Research Program as stated above. Keep in mind that the material in this section may be used in describing your research to the educated, lay public, and use terms, descriptions and explanations that would be appropriate in such a context.
5. Principal Investigator's Curriculum Vita/Resume.
6. Appendices. Include only unpublished material and only if it is essential for the review of the proposal. Do not include reprints of published work. The biographical sketches of coinvestigators may be included here.

Instructions for Submittal: Place all materials in order exactly as indicated, and number each page, with the first page of the research proposal itself (Item I, above) numbered page 4. Send ten complete sets (one original and nine copies; if photographs are used, please include three originals and seven photocopies) to the program office address on the first page of the Guidelines. Fill in your mailing address and enclose the postcard for acknowledgement of the receipt in your proposal.

Proposals from University of Missouri faculty must be submitted through their campus's Office of Research.