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. In addition to larger-scale projects, the Institute will explicitly review requests for smaller awards (<$25K). The Research Incubator Award 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 2013-2014 Awards

The deadline for submitting a letter of intent for the 2012-2013 awards is December 10, 2012, with feedback provided by December 21, 2012. In general, the letters of intent give an overview of the questions you intend to address, an indication of the significance of what you will learn, and an overview of your interdisciplinary research working group and why those co-investigators are necessary and what they will provide (as far as expertise) for the project. 1-2 pages is definitely sufficient—most people get across the right level of information with one page.

The proposal deadline for new awards for 2013-2014 is February 18, 2013. Click here for information about the application.

See the announcement of the 2012-2013 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.

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 2013 is May 3. To submit a renewal, click here. For instructions on the renewal application, click here.

Duke Institute for Brain Sciences