Application Process

Proposal submission involves two rounds: an initial LOI followed by an invitation from AR³T to submit a full proposal.

Round 1 Letter of Intent:

1. The applicant will first need to register with the competition site by listing the project name, a short description (200 character limit), and a project summary (300 word limit); and investigator names and contact information.
2. The applicant will then upload a Letter of Intent (LOI; 1 page maximum) that lists the title, investigative team (names of PI and collaborators, institutional affiliations, and email addresses), a short description of the project, and a project summary.

The LOI should be submitted by May 1, 2024. Selected proposals will be invited to participate in the Round 2 application process, starting on June 1, 2024.

Round 2 Full Proposal: 

1. Cover letter from PI(s) including a statement of the relevance of the proposed work to the field of Regenerative Rehabilitation.
2. Research Plan: The research proposal will generally follow an R03 format and should include:
   1. A one-page specific aims
   2. Brief background, preliminary studies, methods, timeline (limited to a total of 4 pages).
   3. List of resources available to support the proposed work.
      1. If the applicant proposes to borrow equipment for a portion of the proposed study, please include a letter of support from the equipment’s owner.
   4. References
   5. For collaborative projects including an AR³T laboratory, the applicant will also submit:
      1. A statement describing the unique skills, methods and/or technologies offered at the AR³T laboratory site (no more than 200 words).
      2. A letter confirming the support of the AR³T laboratory.
      3. A communication plan (no more than 150 words) describing data sharing and dissemination of findings between the participating laboratories during the time of funding, and a plan for continuing interactions beyond the duration of the pilot project.
3. Budget & Budget Justification: Please note that:
   1. The budget must include both direct and indirect costs.
   2. PI salary support must be limited to 15% of direct costs.
   3. The budget cannot cover conference travel.
   4. Inclusion of capital equipment will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
4. Address Compliance Issues
   1. Human studies must include a human subjects section (not in the page limit) and a draft consent form.
   2. Animal studies must include a Vertebrate Animals section.
      1. Concise description of procedures involving animals, identifying species, strains, ages, sex and total number to be used by species.
      2. Justification for the appropriateness of the species for the proposed research; and an explanation for the use of proposed species versus alternative models.
      3. Interventions to minimize discomfort, pain, distress and injury.
      4. Justification for the euthanasia method if not consistent with the AVMA Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Animals.
   3. Assurance of IACUC, hSCRO and/or IRB approval and of completion of NIH-mandated responsible conduct or research training, where indicated, must be furnished after Award notice and before funds can be released.
5. Investigator Biosketches: Biosketches are limited to four pages.

The Round 2 application deadline is August 1, 2024.  Award Notifications will be sent out by September 1, 2024.

NOTE: The applicant will automatically receive an email confirmation that their proposal has been successfully uploaded into the system.

Project completion dates will be within 12 months of the date of funding.

Apply Here

Additional Information

Please see review criteria for more information.

For questions and/or assistance with proposal development, contact us at  ar3t@pitt.edu.