American SIDS Institute: Request for Research Grant Letter of Intent

The American SIDS Institute invites qualified investigators to submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) for a research grant related to Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID). Applicants must have a faculty appointment or the equivalent at a United States-based university, hospital, research institution, or medical examiner office, with one exception. Graduate students enrolled in a postdoctoral program may also apply as the PI, BUT the faculty advisor must be a Co-Investigator, with a biosketch and letter of support included. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, pathology, physiology, neonatology, cardiology, and epidemiology. The intent of this funding opportunity is to support innovative research leading to subsequent extramural grant funding regarding SUID or related causes of sudden unexpected death.

Priority will be given to research proposals related to one of the top ten United States research priorities identified by the Global Action and Prioritization of Sudden Infant Death (GAPS) Project. 

These include:

1. Physiological mechanisms leading to death and how they interact with behavioral risk factors (e.g., prone [front]-sleeping).
2. The role of genetic factors in SUID.
3. Social and cultural factors affecting parental choices in sleep practices and responses to risk-reduction campaigns.
4. The role of abnormal or immature brain anatomy and physiology.
5. Systematic collection and sharing of death scene data from SUID and non-SUID deaths to allow better case control studies.
6. How infants control oxygen desaturation and arousal to allow a better understanding of SUID mechanisms.
7. Mechanisms for SUID at different ages.
8. Developing and evaluating new ways to make safe sleep campaigns more effective.
9. Identifying specific biomarkers to differentiate between natural causes, accidental asphyxia, and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
10. Better understanding of the risks of sharing any sleep surface with an infant, notably how it interacts with other factors, including feeding practices, to make it more or less risky.
     

Proposals related to the study of sudden unexpected intrauterine death, sudden death in children, or sudden death in epilepsy may also be responsive. However, applicants will need to clearly explain how their proposal will advance the understanding of SUID. Although priority will be given to human studies, animal studies may be responsive if justified and related to an animal model relevant to the research priorities listed above. Proposals for the development of new physiologic monitoring equipment or devices to facilitate safe sleep position or reduction of other sleep environment-related risks will not be responsive.

These grant awards are intended to be self-contained studies with a well-defined targeted hypothesis. Budgets may include technical salary support, but principal investigator salary support and indirect costs may not be requested. Awards will be for two years and limited to a total of $80,000.

REQUIREMENTS FOR LOI PROPOSAL

The proposal is limited to two pages. Preliminary data strengthen the proposal but are not required. Each proposal should include the following:

1. Title of LOI proposal and name of P.I.
2. Scientific rationale, specific aim(s) and hypotheses.
3. Approach (Methods).
4. Anticipated outcomes; how this research will advance the knowledge base of SUID.
    

IN ADDITION TO 2-PAGE PROPOSAL

Biosketch using the National Institutes of Health (NIH) format for PI and all Co-Investigators and other Key Personnel.

When completing the personal statement section of the biosketch, please name and describe the roles of any mentors who will support you in the work.
SUBMISSION

The LOI including the proposal and other required items, should be submitted as a single PDF email attachment to the American SIDS Institute at: research@sids.org.

REVIEW PROCESS

Submitted LOIs will be evaluated by the American SIDS Institute Research Advisory Council. In addition to scientific merit, reviewers will also consider:

1. Responsiveness to requirements in this announcement.
2. The potential for results leading to subsequent extramural research funding.
3. The potential for subsequent peer-review publication.
   Applicants with well-defined, high-priority LOI proposals will be invited to submit a complete research grant application.
    

AMERICAN SIDS INSTITUTE CONTACT

We encourage inquiries and welcome the opportunity to answer questions from potential applicants. Contact Betty McEntire at bmcentire@sids.org.