Faculty Funding Opportunities

NM-INBRE is a competitive career and science development program that emphasizes the maturation of research projects into comprehensive research programs. Eligible faculty have the opportunity to compete for research project funding through NM-INBRE’s Developmental Research Project Program (DRPP) to enhance their scientific advancement, professional growth, student mentoring, and collaborations. NM-INBRE focuses on faculty progress toward establishing independent research programs in order to sustain research activities beyond the INBRE award. The NM-INBRE DRPP therefore expects faculty investigators to take active steps toward securing external funding, and encourages investigators to submit proposals to the NIH and other federal agencies.

NM-INBRE Research Goals

NM-INBRE is a faculty and student‐development program that emphasizes the maturation of research projects into comprehensive research programs providing opportunities for scientific advancement, professional growth, student development, and collaboration across network institutions and beyond. NM-INBRE stresses progress toward establishing independent research programs in order to sustain research activities beyond the NM-INBRE award. The NM-INBRE therefore expects faculty investigators to take active steps toward securing external funding and encourages investigators to submit proposals to the NIH and other federal agencies.

DRPP Thematic Focus Areas

The NM-INBRE invites basic, clinical, translational, and/or community‐based participatory research projects that address important biomedical problems, health disparities, and fit within one or more of the following NM-INBRE research thematic focus areas:

1. Structure and Function of Biomolecules
   • Aims to understand the molecular and structural mechanisms underlying the functions of proteins that mediate critical cellular processes
2. Pathogens
   • Builds on existing knowledge in infectious disease, immunology, and inflammation, strengthening a developing biodefense community
3. Cell and Organism
   • Examines complex physiological processes, such as hypertension, memory, cell division and oogenesis
4. Population-level and Community health research
   • Research involving population-level studies. Especially, includes projects that aim to eliminate health disparities affecting underserved populations, particularly in native communities in New Mexico. Includes research involving investigators and community members using true community‐based participatory research methods. Also includes community health education.

Funding level: $50,000 ‐ $75,000 annual direct costs

Funding duration: depends on application type and justification for multiple-year project, typically 3-5 years

Characteristics of Full DRPP Projects:

• Full‐term study that fits within NM-INBRE thematic research areas
• Can be independent or collaborative
• Aims to develop results for publication and NIH R‐type grant proposal
• Annual renewal of funds dependent on progress toward publications and grants
• Priority will be given to projects that include bioinformatics tools
• Must select a mentor with a track record of independent research funding
• Research Enhancement Plan must address plans for faculty career development and how the investigator will work with chosen mentor
• Must address plans for student involvement, development, and training

Eligibility for Full DRPP Projects:

• Any individual or collaborative team with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research is invited to work with his/her organization to develop an application for support.
• Individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, as well as individuals with disabilities, are always encouraged to apply for NM-INBRE support. Typically, the PI of a NM-INBRE application possesses a Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D. degree. S/he must also have a full‐time faculty appointment at the applicant institution and for those applying for Full projects, eligibility to apply for a NIH R‐type grants (R01, R03, R15, R21, etc.) is required. Faculty appointments may include tenure, clinical, and research‐track positions. Preference for Full or Focus projects will be given to new investigators who have not yet competed successfully for an NIH research grant
• Full research project investigators will be expected to devote at least 50 percent of their professional effort (equivalent to 6.0 person months) to research and career development activities. Institutions must provide release time for project investigators, thus permitting a significant time commitment to the research enterprise. To allow flexibility to investigators who cannot devote 6.0 consecutive months throughout the year, the effort can be distributed over the year to achieve a total of 6 person months (for example, 3.0 person months during academic year and 3.0 person months in summer (up to three months) to account for a yearly 6.0 person months’ effort)
• Individuals who have completed an NM-INBRE-funded FULL research project or who have achieved independent investigator status are not eligible.

Expectations for Full DRPP Project Investigators:

• Respond to NM-INBRE proposal review critiques
• Spend 50% of full-time effort on research and professional development
• Develop and enable a plan to be mentored (formal mentor is required but not monitored)
• Give at least one research presentation at a network institution per year
• Submit at least one external grant application per year in years 3-5