New Investigator Resources

The Department of Medicine encourages all faculties to engage in research. If you are a new investigator entering the field of research, the information below provides resources and steps to introduce you to what the Department of Medicine and MUSC can offer.

Determine the Type of Funding Source

There are several types of funding mechanisms available: National Institutes of Health (NIH), VA Merit funding for those with a VA appointment, other federal sponsors such as DOD and NSF, foundation sponsors such as the American Heart Association and the American Cancer Society and industry-sponsored research.

National Institutes of Health

If you are interested in NIH funding, a list of the grant programs that is suited to your career stage can be found on the National Institutes of Health website. NIH posts Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs) describing the research topic they would like to fund. These include Requests for Applications (RFAs), which are one-time opportunities for a specific program objective and have a specific due date, Program Announcements (PAs), which are for new or ongoing programs and have standard due dates, and Parent Announcements, which are for your non-specific R21’s, R01’s, etc. and have standard due dates.

Certain NIH Institutes & Centers (IC’s), such as NCI, NHLBI, etc., offer specific funding opportunities, so if your research has a specific focus be sure to check these opportunities as well.

Other Federal Grant Funding Resources

CFDA (Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance)
Department of Defense (DOD)
Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA)
National Science Foundation (NSF)
VA

Common Department of Medicine Foundation Grants

American Cancer Society (ACS)
American Diabetes Association (ADA)
American Heart Association (AHA)
American Society of Nephrology (ASN)
Lupus Research Alliance (LRA)
Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI)
Scleroderma Foundation

If you need assistance with finding the appropriate funding opportunity or need more information on the latest funding opportunities, visit the Office of Research Development’s (ORD) website. You can also sign-up for research funding alerts on this website.

For industry-sponsored grants, seek out a mentor in your Division that is successful in this type of funding or you can reach out to Signe Denmark, denmark@musc.edu, in SCTR (South Carolina Clinical & Translational Research Institute). She can assist with finding industry sponsors for your type of specialty.

Setup a meeting with the Department’s Grants and Finance Team

To setup a meeting, email Mac Houck at houckrm@musc.edu. This meeting will provide information that will guide you through processes all research faculty should be aware of, including:

  • The Department’s “Grant Submission Form” Policy.
  • The Department’s and MUSC’s grant submission deadlines and policies.
  • Introduce you to the Research Support Offices available on campus and Resources for Researchers that include MUSC’s Cores, Centers, and Institutes.
  • Proposal peer-review offered by South Carolina Clinical and Translational Research (SCTR) Institute.

Identify Potential Collaborators

MUSC has a highly collaborative environment. You can find investigators at MUSC with expertise in a specific area by visiting the Palmetto Profiles website.

Writing your Grant Application for Federal and Foundation Applications

Once you have identified a funding mechanism and the people and facilities you will be working with, you can begin developing your research proposal. We strongly recommend that you begin formulating your research plan early, at least 4 months before your grant deadline, by outlining your preliminary data, hypotheses and proposed studies.

Opportunities for Peer-Review before Submission

Science Consultation: If you are submitting a NIH K-series or R-series application and your specific aims are complete, we highly recommend that you register for a Science Consultation from SCTR. This service is free and limited to MUSC investigators. This information is located on the South Carolina Clinical & Translational Research Institute website under the SCTR dropdown in green on the left-hand side of the page.

External Review of Extramural Grant Application: If you are submitting a NIH K-series, R-series, P-series, U-series or NSF application, SCTR offers the opportunity to have your application submitted for External Review. Your application must be completed and submitted at least six weeks prior to the agency deadline.  Please account for the Department’s deadlines in this time frame as well.

Beer and Better Science/SOCRATES (Society for Research & Translational Early Scientists): This is an opportunity to present your research to a variety of members of the MUSC research community. It is a valuable way to get real time feedback on your research. For more information, please reach out to Katie Henz at henze@musc.edu.   

Advancement, Recruitment, and Retention of Women in Science (ARROWS) Program: The Center for ARROWS is supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and provides programs and support for female scientists or female faculty focused on research. ARROWS offers the same type of external grant review as SCTR and information can be found on the Center for ARROWS website.

Contact Information

Jim Oates, M.D., Vice Chair for Research
oatesjc@musc.edu