KU Center for Genomics Seed Grants Program
The KU Center for Genomics Seed Grants program is designed to build upon the strengths in genomics at KU and to stimulate the submission of external research proposals. Seed grants will provide funds for the generation of preliminary data for submission of a proposal, broadly involving genomics, to an external research funding agency. This year, we encourage proposals that enable new genomic approaches with new technologies that can be shared across several investigators. These proposals may require slightly higher budgets.
- Any member of the KU-Lawrence research community (research faculty and staff) may submit a proposal
- Proposal must indicate a planned submission to an externally-sponsored funding opportunity
- Proposed project duration is 12 months
- Budget requests of $5,000-10,000 will be considered, with up to $5,000 extra for use of a genomics-related university core research laboratory
- Incomplete or late applications may not receive full review and consideration
Proposals must be submitted as a single PDF via email to kucg@ku.edu by Jan. 15
All proposals must be completed in Arial, font size 11, with single spacing and 1-inch margins for each page.
The proposal must include:
A one-page cover page with the following information:
- Title of the proposal
- Name and detailed contact information for the lead applicant (title, mailing address, email address, phone number)
- Funding amount requested
- External funding opportunity to be sought in conjunction with this proposal (agency, RFA code, submission date)
- Narrative: (1 page)
Provide an overview of the scope of work, including:
- What is the proposed work, including questions asked and potential of the work to advance understanding in the area?
- How does this proposal support the application to an externally-funded sponsored research proposal?
- PI CV (2 pages)
- Demonstrate current research strength and capacity to carry out the proposed work and for a successful proposal submission. Include professional preparation, appointments, a list of up to give (5) most recent publications closely related to the proposed area, a list of externally funded sponsored awards that are currently awarded or pending award (including sponsor, duration, budget amount and role of individual), collaborative research activities, and other relevant research achievements. Note, Biosketch format (NSF or NIH) is acceptable.
- Budget summary (1 page): Briefly describe the anticipated use of the funds. Budgets may include funds to cover:
- Equipment
- Supplies
- Core lab usage (please be specific about which labs and plans to use KU – Lawrence cores)
- External market research services
- Budgets may not include
- Salaries, fringe, or tuition
- Subrecipient agreements
- Indirect costs
- Cost share
- Equipment
All proposals will be reviewed by a committee of internal KU researchers appointed by the KUCG Advisory Committee. Review criteria include:
- Merit of proposed work
- Evidence that the project will be completed relatively soon after funding
- External funding opportunity that will be pursued
- PIs must submit a final report within 90 days of end date to the KUCG advisory committee (kucg@ku.edu). The report must:
- Summarize the extent to which original proposal goals and objectives have been achieved
- Detail application/submission timeline for the external opportunity/opportunities pursued, including proposals already submitted
- All KU Office of Research policies and procedures, including research compliances, must be followed
- No extensions of end dates will be approved
Previous Award Winners
2022
- Robin Orozco, assistant professor, molecular biosciences – Pro-autoimmune allele of PTPN22 influences immune cell functions during virus infection
- Jae Choi, assistant professor, ecology & evolutionary biology – Recombination rate variation and evolutionary mechanisms of adaptive radiation
- Rafe Brown, Curator-in-Charge, Herpetology Division, Natural History Museum and Biodiversity Institute, and Professor of anthropology – KUgenoTypes: democratizing access to the University of Kansas’ globally and historically significant herpetological collection with museum genomics
2021
- Kristi Neufeld, Frank B. Tyler Professor of Cancer Research, molecular biosciences – Nuclear Adenomatous polyposis coli as transcriptional driver influences microbial composition of mouse gut
- Maggie Wagner, assistant professor, ecology & evolutionary biology; and Nichole Guinan – Mining Bacterial Genomes for Genetic Factors Involved in Microbial Drought Adaptation and Microbially-mediated Drought Tolerance in Plants
- Dennis O’Rourke, Foundation Distinguished Professor, anthropology – Genomic Assessment of Inuit Prehistory and Adaptation