Collaborative Pilot Award

The Center for Human Immunobiology (CHI) is pleased to announce the Collaborative Pilot Award Request for Applications. The goal of the award is to foster collaborative research projects in immunology between CHI members.

Eligible teams of two CHI faculty are invited to present proposals to support the center mission in advancing our understanding and treatment of immune mediated diseases. Proposals involving preclinical in vitro and/or in vivo models that can be translated into future human studies are also encouraged. Funds should be applied to generate preliminary results for grant applications to external funding agencies for more long-term projects.

Maximum funding level: $100,000
Award duration: Sept. 1 – Aug. 31, 2025
RFA issued: April 22
Application deadline: June 21
Application notification: July 19
Earliest start date: Sept. 1

For requests for additional information, contact Kaouther Ajroud, CHI Scientific Research Program Director.

Applications

Applications must include:

A cover letter
- Proposal title
- Applicants names and departments
- Lab addresses
Research plan
- Lay abstract/description of the project (250 words)
- Research Strategy
  - Specific aims (one page)
  - Proposal (two pages with figures)
  - Bibliography (no page limit)
Budget justification for the proposed study
- Funds used to provide salaries should not exceed NIH salary caps.
- No indirect costs are covered.
NIH Biosketches of all faculty within the team.

Applications must be ready to provide IRB and/or IACUC approvals before funding is provided.

Please send all the required documents in one PDF file to immunology@northwestern.edu with subject line: CHI Pilot Award 2024-2025.

Evaluation

Collaborative Projects will be evaluated by the Pilot Award Review Committee composed of members of the CHI Steering Committee and chaired by the CHI director. Proposals will be scored based on scientific merit, impact on immunology as the primary research focus, and likelihood of the project to lead to successful external grant submissions.

Post Award Information & Requirements

Awardees will be asked to present their research project progress orally at the CHI retreat in July 2025.

Awardees must also acknowledge the CHI in publications resulting from the Pilot Award support and will notify the center when such papers have been accepted and the results of grant submission based on pilot data generated as part of the project.