Aim: The Section will accept applications for research funding designed to provide assistance for the design of new clinical research (and natural history) studies. The specific goal is to support faculty members as they transition studies from concept to design and then to implementation. Possible uses of the award include consultation services for biostatistics or study design, database development or data analysis. Applications are open to any member of the Section who has a full-time appointment at a university or medical center. Centers that intend to develop collaborative projects may combine their applications and budget requests. In this case, the role of each center should be clearly stated.

Amount: A maximum of four awards in the amount of $2,500 each will be available (for use with direct costs only).

Applications should be in the following format:

1. Cover Page. Please use following page. (PDF of Cover Page)
   
   
2. Project Summary (describe the overall project being proposed; two pages total)
• Specific Aims
• Background and Significance
• Research Plan
• Budget (state what the award amount will be used for and how it will help with the overall project)
  
  
3. PI's Biosketch (two pages; NIH format preferred)

Please combine all three items into one PDF file, and submit the completed application to Nalin Gupta, MD, PhD, FAANS, at guptan@neurosurg.ucsf.edu. Contact Dr. Gupta directly for any questions regarding formatting or application content.

Deadline: July 1, 2012

Applications will be reviewed by the Research Committee of the Section and announced in Fall 2012. Awardees will be expected to present their results at the Section meeting in 2013.