Community Outreach and Engagement Pilot Research Projects

The Community Outreach and Engagement (COE) Office is tasked with implementing bi-directional, community-engaged research in the MUSC Hollings Cancer Center catchment area. To achieve this goal, Hollings has established the COE Pilot Research Projects (COE PRP), which are designed to:

• Facilitate innovative, meaningful community-engaged cancer research across basic, population and translational sciences, leading to additional extramural funding for further in-depth investigations.
• Actively promote an interactive and collaborative research culture between Hollings researchers and community members in South Carolina.

Overview | Eligibility | Evaluation

Overview

Hollings will fund one 1-year project with a budget of $25,000. All proposed projects must be based on hypothesis-driven experimental research in basic, clinical or population sciences involving humans or human samples, with a focus on engaging community members in the design and implementation of the proposed study. Sources of funding for the award include the Hollings Cancer Center Support Grant (P30 CA138313), fundraising from the LOWVELO bike ride and other Hollings philanthropy/foundation accounts.

A final progress report is required upon project completion, including an outline of project results and grant applications submitted and/or planned for submission. Any no-cost extensions will require prior approval. PIs are expected to obtain regulatory approvals (e.g., IACUC and IRB) within three months of the award decision. Please note that funding cannot be released until required approvals have been obtained for any human and animal subject protocols and copies have been sent to Raegan Whiteside (whitesir@musc.edu). For more information or questions regarding the Hollings COE PRP Award, eligibility or the application process, please contact Renee Steffen (steffenr@musc.edu).

Eligibility

• Proposed research must be cancer relevant.
• MUSC faculty members are eligible to apply.
• The project must include consultation with the COE Office.
• All awarded PIs are encouraged to participate as a registered rider in the annual LOWVELO bike ride event.

Evaluation

Each application will be assigned to internal reviewers with substantial expertise in evaluating cancer research projects.

Review criteria include:

• Standard NIH criteria (significance, innovation, approach and investigative team).
• Likelihood that preliminary results will lead to external peer-reviewed funding.
• Participation in Hollings programs (e.g., attend program meetings, participate in grant review panels, participate in annual research symposia).
• The Future Funding Plan (see instructions) must describe how the funds will provide data that is critical to future extramural grant application(s).
• The project must be based on hypothesis-driven experimental research in basic, clinical or population sciences involving humans or human samples, focusing on engaging community members in the design and implementation of the proposed study.
• The project must include a collaborative, synergistic team of MUSC faculty researchers, members of the COE Office and community members.
• The project must describe a plan for disseminating the study results to community members.