PURPOSES & GUIDELINES

The SAGES Research Awards are open to any principal investigator who is a SAGES member, including Candidate members. SAGES would like to especially encourage grant funding to young investigators/candidate members in the hopes that funding through SAGES will lead to additional extramural funding.  Awards are conferred on a competitive basis by submission of a grant application, which is reviewed and evaluated by the SAGES Research Committee and approved by the Governing Board. 

 

AVAILABLE GRANTS

Grants are limited to no more than $30,000 each, for a period of one year, and are made to the principal investigator.  The purpose of these grants is to stimulate original research in gastrointestinal and endoscopic surgery.  The study may be either "bench" research or clinical.  In the spirit of supporting the goals of our membership, applicants are encouraged to review:

Urbach DR, Horvath KD, Baxter NN, Jobe BA, Madan AK, Pryor AD, Khaitan L,Torquati A, Brower ST, Trus TL, Schwaitzberg S. A research agenda for gastrointestinal and endoscopic surgery. Surgical Endoscopy 2007 for a recent review of key research questions.  Part of the grant review process includes evaluation of the importance of the research question.  The review committee will incorporate these published rankings to determine the importance of submitted topics.

 

GRANT GUIDELINES

It is assumed that some of the resources required to conduct the project are available through the investigator's institution. The research grant serves to provide supplemental support for personnel (not including the salary of the principal investigator), equipment or services required to complete the research. 

Awards are based on the scientific merit of the project as well as the investigator's capability and the likelihood that the project will be completed successfully.  Considerations include the investigator's experience, background, availability of patient material and other resources.  In the case of a junior investigator, the experience and background of the Co-PI mentor will be considered. 

Investigators are required to submit semi-annual updates to SAGES Research Committee during the course of the research, starting one year after the grant has been awarded.  At the conclusion of the project, the investigator is required to submit a report to the Research Committee. An abstract must be submitted for the SAGES Scientific Session which immediately follows the successful completion of the work.  Additionally, upon acceptance of the abstract for presentation at the SAGES Scientific Session, a manuscript on the study and your findings must be sent to Surgical Endoscopy.  

Since research facilities are factored into funding decisions by the Research Committee, the primary investigator must inform the SAGES office if he or she leaves his or her institution during the course of completing this research.  The SAGES Research Committee chair will work with the investigator to determine if the research funds will stay with the initial institution or move with the investigator.  SAGES reserves the right to make this final decision. 

SAGES Research Committee understands that studies may need modification during the execution phase.  If a study design is modified, the primary investigator MUST notify the committee.  The committee will then review the suggested changes and decide whether they will continue to fund the new study. 

 

INDIRECT COST POLICY

The monies SAGES awards for research grants are intended for use as seed money only and no indirect costs may be charged against these awards.

 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Complete the application cover sheet (.doc / .pdf) and submit with the grant application (.doc / .pdf). The body of the grant should be single-spaced. Please use a common 12-point type font.

2. Submit curriculum vitae for the principal investigator and any co-investigators in a 2 page, NIH biosketch format. The CVs should be placed after all of the items outlined in # 4 of these instructions, i.e. they should be the last item of the application.

2. Indicate in a one-paragraph statement if funds for this or related project(s) are pending or on hand through other sources. Give specifics.

4. If the Principal Investigator is a Candidate Member:  The "Responsible Co-PI" must be a SAGES Member who will assume responsibility for the grant should the Candidate Member leave the original institution and be unable to transfer the grant in the event of a move (e.g. the Candidate Member enters a practice where there are inadequate research facilities).  A letter must be included with the packet stating this understanding of responsibility.  The "Responsible Co-PI" is assumed to be the PI's mentor.

5. THE GRANT STRUCTURE: The grant application (.doc / .pdf) must be typed in 12 point type and contain the following sections in the following order. No two sections can appear on the same page. For example, if the Summary is only one paragraph, begin the next section, Background, on a separate sheet. Please see the enclosed memorandum, developed by SAGES grant application reviewers, regarding additional requirements for completing an acceptable application. Applicants are encouraged to make full use of page allowances.

A. Summary - Not more than one page outlining the planned research.

B. Background - Not more than two pages including the problem, its significance, prior or concurrent studies conducted, and any preliminary work the investigator has already completed on this subject.

C. Hypothesis - A statement of not more than one-half page outlining the question to be answered or the premise to be investigated.

D. Methods - Not more than four pages. Include a precise description of the methods of data collection, analysis and research model to be used. Specify the planned number of patients or experiments or observations to be evaluated to prove or disprove the hypothesis with power analysis.  (Please see memorandum for additional details.  Note: A grant submitted without this information will not be eligible for review.) Methods should be described in sufficient detail to allow peer reviewers to critically appraise their scientific merit.

E. Budget - Please use the attached work sheet. Total for the grant request may not exceed $30,000.

F. References - List scientific references if pertinent.

G. Local/Institution Review Board -IRB approval is required when studies in humans are planned. Animal care committee approval is required for animal studies. Approval in principle is sufficient at the time of the grant application, but documented IRB approval is required prior to funding.

H. Available Resources - Submit a list of equipment, facilities, personnel and services being provided in conjunction with the grant project, including funding sources for all investigators. Describe animal care facilities if they are to be used for the project. Letters of cooperation may be included if appropriate.

6. SUBMISSION – Please return the application by email to . If you do not have email access, submit the original and three copies of the entire grant proposal package to the SAGES office:

SAGES
11300 West Olympic Blvd., Ste. 600
Los Angeles, CA 90064
Attn: 2008 Research Grant Application

7. DEADLINE - Grant Proposals must be received by the SAGES office by December 7, 2007.  A decision for funding will be made by February 2008 and announced during the award ceremony at the SAGES 2008 Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, April 9-12, 2008.