New Chemistries for Un-drugged Targets through A Specialized Platform for Innovative Research Exploration (ASPIRE) Collaborative Research Program (UG3/UH3 Clinical Trials Not Allowed)

Funding Agency:
National Institutes of Health

The purpose of the ASPIRE Collaborative Research Program is to facilitate translational and clinical research between NCATS intramural scientists and the extramural community to develop approaches that will enhance the ability to discover and develop new chemistries towards previously undrugged biological targets (i.e., biological targets with no known drugs to modulate their function) across many human diseases and conditions. NCATS intramural scientists have established an integrated NCATS ASPIRE platform consisting of physical and virtual modules for automated synthetic chemistry, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), engineering, informatics, and biological testing. The FOA will support intramural - extramural collaborations to develop additional physical modules that will enhance the platform’s capabilities. The anticipated outcome includes identification, design, synthesis, and validation of new chemical entities as starting points for drug development of novel targets, and the expansion of chemical space available for drug screening.

Companion FOA: RFA-TR-21-002 - Virtual Approaches Towards New Chemistries for Un-drugged Targets through A Specialized Platform for Innovative Research Exploration (ASPIRE) Collaborative Research Program (U18 Clinical Trials Not Allowed)

Only one application per institution is allowed.

Deadlines:

  • Duke Internal: Feb. 26, 2021

  • Letter of Intent Due Date(s): June 8, 2021

  • Application Due Date(s): July 8, 2021

RFA-TR-21-001 Expiration Date July 9, 2021

Agency Website

Eligibility Requirements

This program requires the full collaboration of the extramural PD/PI of the applicant institution and the intramural investigator(s). Accordingly, the Multiple PD/PI model is allowed, but not required. For those applicants opting not to use the Multiple PD/PI model, the intramural investigator can hold any role other than the multiple PD/PI role. Applications must include at least one intramural scientist as either a Program Director/Principal Investigator or collaborator.

Amount Description

Application budgets are limited to $750,000 direct costs per year for the UG3 phase and $1,000,000 in direct costs per year for the UH3 phase. Application budgets need to reflect the actual needs of the proposed project.

The project period is limited to 2 years for the UG3 phase and 4 years for the UH3 phase. 

The total project period is limited to a maximum of 5 years.

Funding Type

Grant

Eligibility

Faculty

Category

Medical
Medical - Basic Science
Medical - Clinical Science
Medical - Translational

Internal Nomination

Owing to the sponsor's restriction on the number of applications that may be submitted from Duke, anyone wishing to pursue nomination should submit the following materials as one PDF.

    • NIH Biosketch of PI
    • Specific Aims (1 page)

Please submit internal materials through My Research Proposal. (Code ILN)  https://www.grantinterface.com/sl/XjL6TE

Instructions for creating an account (if needed) and submitting your materials: https://www.ctsi.duke.edu/myresearchproposal

Internal Deadline

February 26, 2021

External Deadline

July 8, 2021