Request for Proposals

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Microbiome Sample Analysis Support

Part of the mission of the UCI Microbiome Initiative is to support new microbiome research on campus. As part of this effort, we are pleased to announce a call for pilot project proposals. Awards will provide in-kind support to analyze microbiomes from various types of samples. Staff working for the Microbiome Initiative will conduct sample preparation and molecular analysis of identified samples. They can also provide advice on the experimental design, sampling protocol, type of molecular analysis, and bioinformatic analysis. We will prioritize proposals that will lead to preliminary data to support external funding applications.

Eligibility

UCI students, postdoctoral researchers, research staff, and faculty are eligible to submit a proposal. However, every proposal must identify a UCI faculty member that is overseeing the project and priority will be given to projects that are likely to lead to external funding. In addition, it is essential to identify the particular researcher that will be in charge of shepherding the samples from collection through statistical analysis.

Timing

Once the samples are available, we aim to provide sequence data within two months. This timing cannot be guaranteed, because some samples may need troubleshooting or because of conflicting project schedules.

Review Process

The proposals will be selected by an ad hoc review committee in consultation with the Faculty Advisory Board of the UCI Microbiome Initiative. Awards will be announced in early December.

Milestones and Reporting

Before the awards are finalized, the awardee (and, if applicable, faculty advisor) will meet with Microbiome Initiative staff to set specific milestones to gauge project progression.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: December 4, 2019 at 5pm PST

Application Components

Please provide the following information in a Word or PDF file with the following numbered sections.

  1. Pilot project title.
  2. Primary contact. Name, title, department, and email address.
  3. Faculty advisor. If not the primary contact, name, title, department, and email.
  4. Additional collaborators. Name, title, department, and email.
  5. Person that will be performing the data analysis. Name, title, department, and email.
  6. Short project summary for a broad audience (max 150 words). If the project is selected, this summary would be posted on the UCI Microbiome Initiative website.
  7. Project description (max 500 words). A description of the pilot project goals and hypotheses and if relevant, how the inclusion of microbiome data will contribute to the goals of a larger project.
  8. Regulatory approval. Indicate whether any required regulatory approval is necessary and whether it has been received.
  9. Sample description. Provide detailed information about the samples, including what material will be provided, how will it be collected and stored, and how many samples need to be processed. We expect that most projects will request the processing of 50-200 samples.
  10. Microbiome analysis requested. Describe the exact request for sample analysis. Most projects will request 16S amplicon sequencing for bacteria and/or ITS amplicon sequencing for fungi, although other types of analysis will be considered.
  11. Bioinformatic analysis needs. Generally, describe the need for help with the follow up data analysis.
  12. Target(s) for external funding. Be as specific as possible.
  13. Include when the samples will be available, when the data will be analyzed, and the target deadline for an external funding proposal. Please schedule at least two months for sample analysis.

Email your application to microbiome@uci.edu by December 4, 2019 at 5 pm PST.

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Questions?

We highly encourage potential applicants to reach out before submission to discuss the project needs. Please attend the Microbiome Consulting Hour or email microbiome@uci.edu with questions or to schedule an appointment.