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Postdoctoral Interdisciplinary Research in the Life Sciences (PIRLS) Grant

The Postdoctoral Interdisciplinary Research in the Life Sciences (PIRLS) is an RTI initiative to support collaborative and interdisciplinary post-doctoral research in SOLS. Each academic year (one per term), the RTI committee will make two awards of up to $7,500 each. The deadlines for applications are 15 April and 15 October. Note, however, that in the initial cycle (Spring 2008), the deadline is 6 May. Proposals should outline bold new work, and should be initiated by at least two researchers (see below).

RTI has three main goals for PIRLS:

1. Encourage interdisciplinary and collaborative research in the life sciences
2. Enhance post-doctoral research projects in SOLS
3. Extend research capacities of post-doc mentors

All post-docs whose mentor’s indirect costs are at least partly paid to SOLS are eligible to apply. Applicants are strongly encouraged to seek funding outside of SOLS as well.

Proposal Details

Applicants should provide a research proposal to RTI before the published deadlines. In keeping with RTI’s mandate to catalyze bold new initiatives, PIRLS proposals should not seek funding for projects that are already underway in the post-docs’ home labs. Rather, PIRLS proposals should be for projects that are post-doc initiated and must involve a collaboration with at least one other post-doc from another SOLS lab or from a lab outside SOLS.

Completed proposals should include:

1. A three-page (maximum) project description that describes the work, specifies the collaborator(s), and articulates the main goals and outcomes of the project
2. A budget and budget justification
3. Letters of support from the post-doctoral advisors of each collaborator
4. Time-line for completion of the project, including collection, analysis, and write-up
5. Necessary protocols / approvals for animal care, radiation safety, biosafety, etc (as appropriate).

Restrictions and Requirements

To be eligible for a PIRLS grant, at least one of the post-docs on the project must remain at ASU at least through the data-collection stage. Upon completion of the project, successful applicants are required to submit a one-page written report on their project to RTI, and to communicate their results to the SOLS community. Normally this will be by means of a special seminar.

Allowable expenses are as follows:

1. Supplies (itemized)
2. Instrument Charges
3. Hourly wages for undergraduates
4. Research-related travel (i.e. not for attending scientific meetings)

Submission

Proposals, including letters from mentors, should be submitted as a pdf file to Peggy Coulombe.