The UK Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) in Translational Chemical Biology (CTCB) is currently seeking applications for new COBRE projects. CTCB, an affiliate of the College of Pharmacy’s Center for Pharmaceutical Research and Innovation (CPRI), is a comprehensive multidisciplinary center focused on advancing translational chemical biology. The overarching goals of CTCB are to support junior faculty career development, advance impactful translational chemical biology research/tools, and stimulate transdisciplinary collaboration, research innovation and early translation. Within this context, the CTCB supports up to four COBRE research projects each year with an annual maximum budget per project of $175K (direct costs). For more general COBRE information, see the NIGMS COBRE program.
PI Eligibility
COBRE project leaders must be tenure track or equivalent UK faculty with no current or prior major extramural research project grant funding. COBRE PIs are required to commit 50% effort to the COBRE project during their appointment.
Project Eligibility
Research projects must align with the theme of translational chemical biology - the nexus of chemical biology (the application of chemical biology principles to develop validated probe/models to advance our understanding of biology) and pharmaceutical science (the application of pharmaceutical principles to advance leads/materials/devices that address unmet clinical needs). Research projects must also articulate the need/use of at least one of the two CPRI/CTCB cores (Computational and Translational). Prospective applicants are encouraged to contact Tonya Vance (tonya.vance@uky.edu) with any questions.
Project Budget and Duration
Project leaders/projects will be supported by the COBRE for a maximum of three years, with annual renewal of funding dependent on annual progress evaluations. The annual maximum budget request per project is $175K (direct costs). COBRE-supported investigators will be expected to acknowledge COBRE support (NIH P20 GM130456) on all publications, presentations and/or disclosures.
COBRE Project Application Process
Phase 1 (pre-application). Applicants should submit an application packet that includes: i) a current NIH-style biosketch and ii) a research project specific aims page containing title of project to Tonya Vance (tonya.vance@uky.edu) by August 23, 2021. Application materials should be combined and submitted as a single pdf file.
Phase 2 (interview). The CTCB Executive Committee (EC) will review applications and select a subset of applicants to advance to a brief interview with the EC and 1-2 additional peer reviewers with suitable scientific expertise (additional details will be provided to selected applicants).
Phase 3 (full application). Applicants selected to advance based on the interview will be invited to submit a full NIH-format 3-YR grant application (additional details will be provided to selected applicants) to be evaluated by the CTCB External Advisory Committee (EAC). Applications selected by the EAC will be advanced to the CTCB Internal Advisory Committee (IAC) and NIGMS for final review prior to funding.
Important Dates:
Phase 1 Pre-application deadline: August 23, 2021
Phase 2 Interviews: mid-to-late September 2021 (by invitation only)
Phase 3 Full application deadline: October 29, 2021 (by invitation only)
Anticipated award start date: February 1, 2022
Contacts: COBRE Project Coordinator, Tonya Vance (tonya.vance@uky.edu); COBRE PI, Jon Thorson (jsthorson@uky.edu)