This RFP is now closed. For more information regarding the Murdock Foundry, please see: M.J. Murdock Diagnostics Foundry for Translational Research
Proposals are being solicited for health innovation pilot projects. M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust recently established the Biochemical Diagnostics Foundry for Translational Research that supports the research and development of biochemical diagnostics for translational research. This shared laboratory will enable the fabrication, assembly, packaging, and quality control and assurance of diagnostic devices to be evaluated in clinical studies. The facility will also serve the broader research and educational prototyping activities focusing on health innovation.
We seek proposals to support pilot projects that will be awarded to research teams at the University of Washington. These pilot grants should be used to support projects focusing on translational health innovation and to collect preliminary data that can be leveraged into future external funding. Allowable costs supported from the pilot grants may include: supplies, training, research assistant support, and user instrument time.
Proposals will be selected based on:
- Significance of the health challenge
- Potential health and scientific impacts
- Innovation and feasibility
- Probability that the preliminary data obtained will lead to future external funding
- Interdisciplinarity of the team
- Potential to enhance the use and capability of the foundry
We encourage proposals that have interdisciplinary teams that include health care practitioners and technical innovators. In addition to faculty, we also encourage students and postdoctoral scholars to submit proposals. Students and postdoctoral applicants should list an affiliation with a UW faculty member that can support administrative access to funds.
We expect to fund roughly 6-12 proposals. A maximum of $10,000 may be requested, but proposals may be funded at lower levels depending on the number and quality of submissions. Travel, principal investigator salary, or indirect costs will not be allowed. Pilot project funds must be spent by June 30, 2021. We anticipate a start date of March 1, 2021. Letters of Support are not required, but 2 letters will be accepted.
If awarded, applicants will be required to submit a 2-page written final report detailing their activities, accomplishments, and use of funds. Reports will be due within 30 calendar days following the end of the funding period.
Proposals are due February 8th, 2021 emailed to eihealth@uw.edu with the subject line “Murdock Pilot Project.” Please contact Jonathan Posner, jposner@uw.edu, with any questions.
Each application must contain the following sections:
- Title, investigators, affiliations
- Significance and goals
- Research plan that includes well-defined outcomes that support future funding
- Biographies for all investigators (limit of 250 words per investigator)
- Budget, budget justification and list of current funds related to proposed project (existing funds are not required)
Applications must meet the following standards:
- Submitted as a two letter-sized page PDF file (budget and budget justification do not count towards 2 page limit)
- Margins of at least 0.5 inch
- Single-spaced, eleven-point font or larger using either Arial or Times New Roman
M.J. Murdock Biochemical Diagnostics Foundry for Translational Research
The M.J. Murdock Biochemical Diagnostics Foundry for Translational Research is a set of instruments and facilities that supports the research and development of biochemical diagnostics for translational research. This shared instruments and facilities enable the fabrication, assembly, packaging, and quality control and assurance of diagnostic devices to be evaluated in clinical studies. The facility also serves the broader research and educational prototyping activities focusing on health innovation.
The Instruments in the foundry:
- High Precision CNC Mill (Datron NEO+) - MechE Bldg.
- Wide-area 3D Measurement System (Keyence VR-5000) - MechE Bldg.
- Reagent Dispenser (Biodot AD3220 Aspirate/Dispense) - Ben Hall
- Freeze Dryer / Lyophilizer (SP Scientific VirTis AdVantage Pro) - Ben Hall
- CO2 Laser Cutter (Universal Laser System PLS6.150D) - Ben Hall
- Digital flatbed cutter (Graphtec FCX4000-50ES) - Ben Hall
- Raman Microscope (Thermo Scientific DXR2) - Benson Hall
- Electrokinetic Surface Analyzer (Anton Paar SurPASS 3) - Ben Hall
- Oxygen Plasma Chamber (Harrick Plasma PDC-32G) - Ben Hall
- Class 1000 soft wall Clean Room - Ben Hall
- Glove Box (Innovative Technology) - Ben Hall
The instruments listed above will be part of a cost center and use time will be charged to recover maintenance costs. Please contact Jonathan Posner at 206.543.9834 or jposner@uw.edu for access.