| AWARD
MECHANISMS
Please note the significant changes for 2009 (see
Program Changes). Contact
TRDRP Research Administrators
if you have questions.
California
Research Awards
This is a new TRDRP award mechanism. Research
projects that address questions specific to tobacco-related
disease or tobacco control issues in California. To be competitive,
proposals must present a compelling justification, including
evidence if available, supporting the California-specific
criterion. The proposal should be fully developed, scientifically
rigorous, and include sound background information, hypothesis,
and promising preliminary studies or preliminary data.
Maximum Annual Award: Average annual direct
costs of $140,000; $170,000 per year for research involving
human subjects. Full indirect costs are paid to eligible institutions.
See section on indirect costs.
Maximum Duration: 3 years.
The following are examples of previously-funded TRDRP grants
that addressed California-specific research questions. In
other words, had they applied for California Research Project
Awards, they would have been judged eligible.
• Economic impact of secondhand smoke for
communities of color. Develop models of the costs
attributable to secondhand smoke exposure for African Americans,
Hispanics, Asian/Pacific Islanders, American Indian/Alaska
Natives, and others in California.
• Use of existing data to develop tobacco
control strategies. Identify population trends
and influences on tobacco-use behavior from analyses of
responses to the California Tobacco Survey.
• Pathways of how socioeconomic context affects
teen smoking. Study how the socioeconomic characteristics
of California neighborhoods, cities/places and counties
are influential to adolescent tobacco use.
• Effect of outlet/ad density on teen smoking
and brand choice. Test the hypothesis that adolescents
from California high school environments with high tobacco
outlet density are more likely to smoke than those with
low outlet density.
• Supply and demand for tobacco dependence
treatment coverage. Estimate the current supply
and demand for employer-sponsored health insurance coverage
for effective smoking cessation treatments in California.
• Nonsmokers helping smokers and the role
of culture. Identify ways that nonsmokers who phone
the California Smokers’ Helpline for information about
helping smokers quit can help their family members quit
smoking, particularly in Asian minority groups.
• Diabetes & tobacco exposure in So CA
American Indians. Study tobacco use patterns with
California Indian tribal members and tribal tobacco control
policies.
• Environmental contexts of smoking for Southeast
Asians. Investigate the relationship between the
social environment and smoking among Southeast Asians in
California urban areas.
• The geography of tobacco related disease
in California. Describe the spatial distribution
of hospital admitted tobacco-related disease prevalence
rates and smoking prevalence in California.
Exploratory/Developmental
Research Awards
This is a new TRDRP award mechanism. The
purpose of these grants is to gather preliminary data or demonstrate
proof-of-principle (i.e., pilot projects), or to conduct a
research project within the specified limits of money and
time. The ultimate goal of these awards is to provide the
foundation for proposals for fully-developed research project
awards from other funding programs. Although Principal Investigators
may submit as many proposals for these awards as they wish
for separate projects in 2009, no more than one Exploratory/Developmental
Research Award will be made to any individual PI. Only proposals
that address a Primary research area will be eligible and
will undergo peer review. Exploratory/Developmental Research
Awards are for new projects only; that is, competing renewal
applications will not be accepted.
Maximum Award
Total direct costs of $250,000 for the entire project duration.
Indirect costs are paid to eligible institutions. See section
on indirect costs above.
Maximum Duration: 2 years.
Primary Research Areas
TRDRP’s seven Primary research areas are listed below
and the Scientific Advisory Committee reviewed and endorsed
them for the current cycle. The seven have equal priority.
If Principal Investigators believe their project addresses
a Primary area, they must provide a justification in the application.
TRDRP will use this justification and the research plan to
make the final decision as to whether a project is eligible
for an Exploratory/Developmental Research Award.
| The Primary
research areas are: |
Cardiovascular and
Cerebrovascular Disease
Mechanisms by which tobacco use promotes development or
complications of cardiovascular disease and stroke, especially
by pathologic effects on vascular function, inflammation,
oxidation, thrombosis, or metabolism.
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Chronic Obstructive
Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
Inception and pathogenesis of chronic bronchitis and emphysema
(collectively “chronic obstructive pulmonary disease”);
the molecular genetic mechanisms underlying differences
in COPD susceptibility and progression, including differences
between genders; research on more effective diagnostic
and therapeutic options.
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Development of Nicotine Dependence Treatments
Disrupting the nicotine reward mechanism; understanding
and developing treatments that can block the uptake of
nicotine, either through desensitizing or “vaccinating”
tobacco users; and animal or human studies to elucidate
interventions that can break the causal chain in nicotine
addiction and lead to more effective treatments for nicotine
addiction and smoking cessation.
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Lung Cancer
Etiology and pathogenesis; molecular markers of susceptibility,
inception, and progression; state-of-the-art methods for
early detection and screening; novel and innovative treatments,
particularly molecular-targeted therapies and pharmacogenomics;
chemoprevention.
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Prevention and Cessation of Tobacco Use and
Tobacco-Related Health Disparities in California’s
Diverse Populations
Prevention and cessation of tobacco use in racial and
ethnic groups, youth and young adults, women and girls,
low SES, rural populations, the LGBT community, and populations
with co-addictions or mental disorders; detection, diagnosis,
and treatment of tobacco-related disease in these understudied
populations; the differential distribution of tobacco-related
cardiovascular, pulmonary disease and cancer in these
populations; traditions, habits and patterns of tobacco
use in these populations; relevant environmental or genetic
variables in these populations.
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Public Policy and Economics of
Tobacco Use
The effectiveness of public policies and programs for
tobacco control, including their economic impact, especially
among California’s diverse populations; the role
of anti-and pro-tobacco forces and activities in shaping
and affecting California’s tobacco control policies,
including new strategies employed by the tobacco industry
to maintain its political and commercial influence in
California; and, studies of approaches to enhance the
effectiveness of tobacco control efforts in California.
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Secondhand Smoke and Outdoor Tobacco
Smoke
Assessment of exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS) and outdoor
tobacco smoke (OTS), especially measures or models of
exposure to SHS/OTS in non-laboratory settings (e.g.,
residences such as apartments or houses, outdoor dining
areas, and building entrances and ventilation areas);
the
relationship of exposure to SHS/OTS and tobacco-related
disease or reproductive health effects; and, program interventions,
public policy, and economic studies designed to minimize
or eliminate SHS/OTS
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Career
Development Awards
New Investigator
Awards
These are awards for investigators who have a doctoral degree,
have not yet served as a principal investigator of a research
project grant (e.g., an NIH R01-type grant), and have had
no more than five years experience as an independent investigator,
i.e., no more than five years since completing formal postdoctoral
training, or since the doctoral degree if no postdoctoral
training. New investigators must commit to a minimum of 50
percent time to the research project for the award duration.
Current or past new investigator awardees from TRDRP, other
UC Special Research Programs, or other agencies (for example,
current or past recipients of NIH K-series career development
awards) are not eligible.
This award mechanism is specifically designed to enable new
investigators to initiate an independent research program
in a tobacco-related field.
Maximum Award
Direct costs of $90,000 per year averaged over the duration
of the award. The indirect cost rate is capped at 8% for eligible
institutions.
Maximum Duration: 3 years.
Postdoctoral
Fellowship Awards
Maximum amount and duration of these awards have been
increased. These are awards for individuals to obtain
postdoctoral research training under a designated mentor.
The application must be prepared and submitted exclusively
by the fellow and must outline an original research project
(separate from the project of a mentor). Letters of support
addressing the candidate’s training, potential, and
the commitment of the mentor and the department to the candidate’s
career development are essential. To be eligible, the candidate
must be recognized by the applicant institution as a postdoctoral
fellow no later than July 1, 2009. U.S. citizenship is not
a requirement. The fellow must commit a minimum of 75 percent
time to the research project.
Maximum Award
Direct costs of $45,000 per year averaged over the duration
of the award. No indirect costs are allowed.
Maximum Duration: 3 years.
Dissertation
Research Awards
This award is intended to support the dissertation research
of a doctoral candidate pursuing tobacco-related research.
Applications in all relevant research areas are welcomed,
but applications in the social/behavioral sciences and in
public policy are encouraged. The award is designed for students
advanced to candidacy no later than July 1, 2009, and initiating
their dissertation research. The applicant and principal mentor
must be affiliated with an academic research institution.
U.S. citizenship is not a requirement. The candidate must
commit a minimum of 80 percent time to the research project.
Maximum Award
Maximum of $20,000 annual direct costs averaged over the duration
of the award for stipend, supplies, and domestic travel. This
award also provides an additional maximum of $10,000 per year
for tuition/enrollment fee remission, fringe benefits, and
health insurance. No equipment purchases are allowed. No indirect
costs are allowed.
Maximum Duration: 2 years.
Participatory
Research Awards: CARA/SARA
The purpose of the Community Academic Research Awards (CARA)
and the School Academic Research Awards (SARA)
is to stimulate and support collaborations between community-based
organizations/ schools with academic investigators. These
awards are for a collaborative partnership to perform scientifically
rigorous research into tobacco control issues that are identified
as important and meaningful
to specific communities/schools in the state.
The applicant partners must demonstrate the use of methods
that are relevant, culturally sensitive, and appropriate in
terms defined and accepted by the participating communities/schools.
The expectations for each of the partners must be clear. Establishing
a high level of contact and communication between community
or school staff and the researchers is imperative and must
be described. Both partners must be involved in each stage
of the project, i.e., identifying the problem, formulating
the research questions, designing the intervention, writing
the grant application, carrying out the research, and, interpreting
the results. There should also be a systematic plan developed
by the partners for disseminating results to the scientific
community, other community/school programs engaged in similar
work, and most importantly, to the target population. Although
it is advantageous for the researcher to have a history of
involvement with the specific community or school, lack of
such experience is not a disqualifying factor.
Applicants are encouraged to consider the Primary research
areas listed under Exploratory/Developmental
Research Awards and the TEROC recommended research
strategies that lend themselves to a participatory
research approach.
Community is broadly defined as any group
of individuals sharing a common characteristic, such as culture,
language, race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation,
or other attribute that might impact the effectiveness of
tobacco control programs.
Schools can be public and private elementary,
middle and high schools, continuation high schools, alternative,
juvenile court or community schools.
Supplemental Funding by means of a contract
from the California Department of Education (CDE) is available
as part of a SARA for schools that are operated by a district
or county office of education that has a valid County-District-School
Code in the California Public School Directory. Additionally,
to be eligible for these contracted supplemental funds, the
applicant agency must be certified by CDE as having met tobacco-free
school district criteria on or before July 1, 2009. School
districts and county offices of education are eligible to
apply for these supplemental funds on behalf of schools under
their jurisdiction that they select for this research. For
each SARA-related application, either the school district
or the county office of education must be the fiscal agent
for the CDE funds. CDE’s funding amount is inclusive
of indirect costs.
CDE has identified 3 specific areas that they are interested
in researchers and school tobacco control advocates to investigate:
• Prevention and cessation strategies and programs
in non-traditional school settings (e.g., court schools,
independent study, community day schools and continuation
schools);
• High school smoking prevention programs and strategies;
and
• School-based youth tobacco cessation programs and
practices.
CARA/SARA
Pilot Awards
Maximum amount and duration
of these awards have been increased. A pilot
award supports the initial phases of a CARA or SARA project,
including solidifying the collaborations, identifying
research questions, negotiating roles and responsibilities,
detailing the research plan and methods, and collecting
pilot data.
Maximum Award
• A pilot CARA provides total direct costs of
$250,000 for the entire project duration.. Indirect
costs are allowed in accordance with TRDRP policy.
• A pilot SARA provides total direct costs of
$250,000 for the entire project duration, plus, for
eligible school partners, an additional $15,000 per
year is provided by CDE. Indirect costs for the TRDRP
portion are allowed in accordance with TRDRP policy.
Maximum Duration: 2 years
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CARA/SARA Full Awards
These awards are to support fully developed CARA and SARA
projects.
Maximum Award
• Average annual direct costs for a CARA are $170,000.
Indirect costs are allowed in accordance with TRDRP
policy.
• Average annual direct costs for a SARA are $170,000
plus, for eligible school partners, an additional $50,000
per year is provided by CDE. Indirect costs for the
TRDRP portion are allowed in accordance with TRDRP policy.
Maximum Duration: 3 years
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Unsolicited Proposals
TRDRP will consider unsolicited requests to support research-related
activities that build research infrastructure, disseminate
research findings, or stimulate new research directions.
In order to qualify for funding, the planned activities must
be directly related to one or more of TRDRP's Priority research
areas (see Exploratory/Developmental Awards above). The activity
must primarily take place in California, involve California
investigators, and include, where applicable, discussants
and speakers funded by TRDRP.
Support can be requested for scientific conferences to assess
tobacco's impact on California's population; or to allow tobacco
investigators to evaluate, in a timely manner, new and breaking
trends in tobacco control or tobacco-related disease research.
Unsolicited requests may be submitted at any time. Requests
will be evaluated expeditiously by ad-hoc peer review when
appropriate.
The TRDRP Scientific Advisory Committee will make recommendations
regarding funding. These opportunities will be limited in
number, scope, cost, and duration. Please contact a TRDRP
research administrator regarding
the appropriateness of your proposal prior to submission.
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