The Institute for Systems Genomics offers seed grant opportunities to UConn faculty. This seed grant mechanism is intended to facilitate the development and submission of external grant applications by providing genomics data generated from one of the ISG core facilities: the Center for Genome Innovation (CGI), the Computational Biology Core (CBC), and the Single Cell Genomics Center (SCGC). These funds can be used to collect pilot data based on new or commonly used technologies, purchase user time on instruments, analyze sequencing data, obtain expert consultation on novel methodological approaches/techniques, pay for sample or data processing, or to develop key partnerships with industry or foundation partners.

The purpose of the funds must be clearly identified along with a research plan for future funding opportunities.

ISG seed grants provide up to $20,000 in seed funding to facilitate the initiation, completion, or advancement of research projects using the CGI, CBC, or SCGC.

Key Dates:  Past applications were due December 15, 2018 and September 16, 2019. Future dates TBD.

Eligibility:

• The principal investigator must be faculty whose primary appointment is at UConn or UConn Health, and a member of the Institute for Systems Genomics.
• Recipients from the last deadline are not eligible to apply for the sequential deadline.
• The Core(s) must receive 100% of all awarded funds. This can be in the form of: sequencing and sample processing services, data analysis, instrument time, sequencing kits (for self-guided experiments) that will use core instrument time.
• Applicants must consult with the director(s) of their designate core(s) prior to application submission. CBC: Vijender Singh (vijender.singh@uconn.edu), CGI: Bo Reese (bo.reese@uconn.edu), SCGC: Elise Courtois (elise.courtois@jax.org)

Award Conditions:

• Any resulting publications must acknowledge ISG support and the relevant core facility. If a Core scientist provides substantive theoretical, design, or analysis support, they must be included as an author.
• A final report describing progress towards external funding and the resulting research products is required.

Review Criteria:

Each proposal will be peer reviewed by a committee consisting of members of the ISG Executive Committee and/or the ISG Scientific Committee.

• Potential for external funding
• Scientific merit
• Financial need

Application:

Application for funds must be submitted using the ISG Seed Grant Form.
Completed application, with 2-page CV, should be emailed as a single PDF file to Jessica Williamson at jessica.williamson@uconn.edu.