CCaTS-CIM Precision Medicine Award

The Precision Medicine Award, from the Mayo Clinic Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCaTS), and the Center for Individualized Medicine (CIM), offers funds to support research on precision medicine at Mayo Clinic.

The Precision Medicine Award is designed to support projects that will lead to applications for extramural funding.

The scope of projects funded by the Precision Medicine Award should support integrating genomic sequencing and personalized medicine tools with Mayo's wealth of clinical knowledge and expertise to uncover and apply new ways to predict, diagnose and treat disease. Proposals must be aligned to either cancer or noncancer in addition to one or more of the four strategic focus areas:

Beyond DNA: Involves the development of diagnostic tools and therapies informed by the integration of omic information beyond what is described in the human genome. This multi-omic approach encompasses using multiple "omes" to better understand the mechanisms of disease processes, detection, potential prevention and more-focused therapies. Projects aligned to this focus area must include two or more high-throughput omics technologies.

High-Definition Therapeutics (HDT): Includes the development of therapies based on and informed by the molecular basis of human health (such as genomics, proteomics and epigenomics). These treatments are selective and designed based on the unique biological characteristics of a patient's disease or condition. HDT proposals should include either a design prototype, proof-of-concept or pilot and are intended to support programs with immediate to near-term clinical impact.

Genomics in Action: Seeks to reduce barriers (including cost) to genomic testing by simplifying and automating tasks such as patient consenting, test ordering, result interpretation and counseling. Simplified processes enable genomic sequencing to expand into new practice areas more successfully. Genomics in Action proposals will need to address the scaling of genomic testing to large populations of patients and should include either a design prototype (automated interpretation, novel support tools, repurposing of existing tools, improvement in sequencing technology or scalability), proof-of-concept (screening or diagnosis), or pilot (consenting, pre- and post-test counseling, test ordering).

Omics Data Platform (ODP): Serves as an institutional resource to store all omic data generated on Mayo patients in both clinical and research settings. The current deployment is focused on creating easy access to and query of DNA variation across an investigator's samples and studies. Genomic data generated from successful proposals will be loaded into the ODP. Proposals describing existing genomic data sets that can be loaded into the ODP are encouraged. Additionally, projects with existing structured clinical and laboratory covariant data also are encouraged. Successful applications will include support for data loading, project-specific data queries and project-specific ODP interface development.

The use of data from the Tapestry study (must be logged in to the Mayo Clinic network), which has collected clinical-grade whole exome sequencing information from more than 45,000 participants, also is encouraged.

Access the Tapestry - ICD-9/10-CM Codes and Phenotypes Browser (must be logged in to the Mayo Clinic network) to search for persons with diseases of interest enrolled in the study.

Projects must incorporate the use of CIM Programs and Services (must be logged in to the Mayo Clinic network).

Eligibility

All Mayo investigators with an M.D., Ph.D. or other doctoral-level degree are eligible to apply. Eligible positions include:

  • Consultant
  • Senior associate consultant
  • Associate consultant
  • Research fellow
  • Clinical fellow
  • Resident
  • Nurse scientist
  • Research scientist
  • Research associate
  • Allied health staff

Individuals in the process of transitioning from mentored career development awards to independent awards are encouraged to apply.

Funding

CCaTS and CIM anticipate funding up to two awards from this request for applications. Awards provide up to $50,000 a year (direct costs plus indirects) for one year. Extensions are considered only under extenuating circumstances.

Unallowable expenses include capital equipment and computers or laptops.

Recipients of grants or awards supported by CCaTS may be asked to review applications for other CCaTS grants.

Application information

Timeline

Pre-applications (previously called letters of intent) are due by 5:00 p.m. Central time on June 20, 2022. They should be submitted through the START Application Tool (must be logged in to the Mayo Clinic network).

Pre-applications must include the CIM checklist (Word document).

Applicants are invited to submit full applications after review of the pre-applications.

Applications are due by 5:00 p.m. Central time on September 26, 2022. They should be submitted through the START Application Tool (must be logged in to the Mayo Clinic network).

The anticipated award date is December 1, 2022.

Full application requirements

Applicants are required to include the following as attachments with their full applications:

  • Biosketches for faculty team members using the National Institutes of Health's (NIH's) new biographical sketch format
  • Brief budget justification
  • Letter(s) of support (if applicable)
  • CIM checklist

A formal Mayo Integrated Research Information System (MIRIS) budget prepared by the Office of Sponsored Projects Administration (OSPA) is not required at the time of application. If the project is selected for funding, the awardee will work with Susan (Sue) J. Rubow and OSPA to create a MIRIS funding proposal and budget.

Review criteria

CCaTS and CIM apply the following criteria when reviewing applications for the Precision Medicine Award:

  • Scientific merit, with a strong emphasis on impact and innovation
  • Likelihood of future extramural funding
  • Feasibility within the time and budget proposed
  • Qualifications of the investigators

Note: Access to genomic data collected as part of the Tapestry study will require IRB approval of the study aims and proposal.

Reporting

Annual progress reports are required for up to two years beyond the end date of the award.

Publications

The NIH Public Access Policy requires that all publications resulting from NIH funding be uploaded to PubMed Central. Recipients of CCaTS awards, including intramurally funded awards, must follow this policy. The Mayo Clinic Public Access Policy intranet site (must be logged in to the Mayo Clinic network) guides awardees through the process of uploading publications.

Please remember to cite the Mayo Clinic CCaTS in your publication.

Contact

For scientific questions, email Robert J. Pignolo, M.D., Ph.D., or Konstantinos N. Lazaridis, M.D.

For scientific questions about Tapestry study, email Konstantinos N. Lazaridis, M.D.

For questions about the request for applications or the START Application Tool, email Susan (Sue) J. Rubow.