“Under Construction” Building the Best Possible (Team) Grant Proposal.

““Under Construction”Under Construction”

Building the Best Possible Building the Best Possible (Team) Grant Proposal(Team) Grant Proposal

Components of a Components of a Successful GrantSuccessful Grant Good ideasGood ideas

Good writingGood writing

Well thought-through hypotheses, Well thought-through hypotheses, outcomes, contingenciesoutcomes, contingencies

Clear sense of “team science”Clear sense of “team science”

Specific to MBP 1018: Specific to MBP 1018: Components of the Team Components of the Team Science GrantScience Grant

Abstract (1 page)Abstract (1 page) Rationale (0.5 page)Rationale (0.5 page) Background and preliminary data (2.5 – 3.5 pages)Background and preliminary data (2.5 – 3.5 pages) Overall objective and hypothesis (0.5 page)Overall objective and hypothesis (0.5 page) Outline of specific aims and team collaborations (0.5 page)Outline of specific aims and team collaborations (0.5 page) Detailed description of team members’ specific aims (4 Detailed description of team members’ specific aims (4

pages per person)pages per person)– Objectives, hypotheses, study designs, contingencies, Objectives, hypotheses, study designs, contingencies,

outcomesoutcomes Summary and future directions (1 page)Summary and future directions (1 page)

– Includes integration of the work of team membersIncludes integration of the work of team members Translational significance (0.5 page)Translational significance (0.5 page) Feasibility and timeline (0.5 page)Feasibility and timeline (0.5 page) ReferencesReferences

Introduction/Introduction/BackgroundBackground Review the RELEVANT literatureReview the RELEVANT literature This is not meant to be an exhaustive This is not meant to be an exhaustive

literature review, but rather a discussion of literature review, but rather a discussion of what is most important to what you want to what is most important to what you want to dodo

Provide background for the disease and Provide background for the disease and questions you will be addressingquestions you will be addressing

Also provide background about any novel Also provide background about any novel technical approachestechnical approaches

Include a succinct rationale for the project Include a succinct rationale for the project (concept and approach)(concept and approach)

Specific AimsSpecific Aims

Should address:Should address:– What are the major questions your What are the major questions your

project is designed to address?project is designed to address?– What are the objectives of your What are the objectives of your

project?project?– How will each objective address the How will each objective address the

project-specific questions?project-specific questions?

HypothesesHypotheses

VERY IMPORTANT TO INCLUDE THESE!!VERY IMPORTANT TO INCLUDE THESE!!

Each hypothesis should correlate, Each hypothesis should correlate, where possible, with a specific where possible, with a specific objective or question being addressedobjective or question being addressed

EXCEPT when you are addressing a EXCEPT when you are addressing a technical objective (e.g., the creation technical objective (e.g., the creation of an experimental system)of an experimental system)

MethodologyMethodology

Describe your experiments in detailDescribe your experiments in detail Focus on study designFocus on study design

– Study design should match up with Study design should match up with objectiveobjective

Reference previously established Reference previously established techniques, except for specific techniques, except for specific modificationsmodifications– For example, no need to describe RNA For example, no need to describe RNA

isolation in detail…unless that’s your isolation in detail…unless that’s your project!project!

Need to address where your samples Need to address where your samples are coming fromare coming from

Probable Probable Outcomes/ContingenciOutcomes/Contingencieses What do you expect to observe?What do you expect to observe? What are your plans in case your experimental system What are your plans in case your experimental system

goes awry?goes awry?

You should not merely describe your experimental You should not merely describe your experimental plan – the reader would not be expected to know how plan – the reader would not be expected to know how the studies are supposed to turn outthe studies are supposed to turn out

Under what circumstances will your hypothesis be:Under what circumstances will your hypothesis be:– Proved?Proved?– Disproved?Disproved?

What will you do if something doesn’t work out that What will you do if something doesn’t work out that the rest of the project is dependent upon?the rest of the project is dependent upon?

Translational Translational ApplicationApplication How is your project relevant to the human How is your project relevant to the human

condition, and to patients?condition, and to patients?

Describe the relevance and importance of Describe the relevance and importance of your work to the diagnosis, prevention and your work to the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of cancer or the appropriate treatment of cancer or the appropriate diseasedisease

Be careful – sometimes use of patient Be careful – sometimes use of patient samples is not sufficient for translational samples is not sufficient for translational application!application!

Feasibility of StudiesFeasibility of Studies

Most grants are funded for a 2-5 year Most grants are funded for a 2-5 year timeframetimeframe

You need to ensure that, whatever you You need to ensure that, whatever you propose, it can be accomplished within that propose, it can be accomplished within that windowwindow– Aim for 3 years, knowing that you have margin for Aim for 3 years, knowing that you have margin for

error in that regarderror in that regard

Be careful about # samples and types of Be careful about # samples and types of experiments you proposeexperiments you propose– For e.g., a microarray study on a cohort of 100 For e.g., a microarray study on a cohort of 100

patients, prospectively over time (collecting 5 patients, prospectively over time (collecting 5 samples total) amounts to 500 array experiments, samples total) amounts to 500 array experiments, plus controls!plus controls!

– For Affymetrix GeneChip expression arrays, that’s For Affymetrix GeneChip expression arrays, that’s easily $300Keasily $300K

ReferencingReferencing

Be consistent in terms of styleBe consistent in terms of style # references provided are often # references provided are often

an indicator of effort put into an indicator of effort put into proposal developmentproposal development

At a graduate level, anything less At a graduate level, anything less than 20 references is NOT than 20 references is NOT acceptableacceptable

Evaluation: Is this team Evaluation: Is this team science?science?

Abstract (1 page)Abstract (1 page) Rationale (0.5 page)Rationale (0.5 page) Background and preliminary data (2.5 – 3.5 pages)Background and preliminary data (2.5 – 3.5 pages) Overall objective and hypothesis (0.5 page)Overall objective and hypothesis (0.5 page) Outline of specific aims and Outline of specific aims and team collaborationsteam collaborations (0.5 (0.5

page)page) Detailed description of team members’ specific aims (4 Detailed description of team members’ specific aims (4




Complete this chart for Complete this chart for yourselves…yourselves…

Member Member 11

Member Member 22

Member Member 33

Member Member 44

Month 1-Month 1-66

Month 7-Month 7-1212

Month Month 13-1813-18




Each group should…Each group should…

Know the points of collaborationKnow the points of collaboration

Know how all the projects “fit” Know how all the projects “fit” together (what does the puzzle look together (what does the puzzle look like?)like?)

Know the team’s failure modesKnow the team’s failure modes

Know each other’s timelinesKnow each other’s timelines

Evaluation: Is the Evaluation: Is the project planning project planning strong?strong?

Abstract (1 page)Abstract (1 page) Rationale (0.5 page)Rationale (0.5 page) Background and preliminary data (2.5 – 3.5 pages)Background and preliminary data (2.5 – 3.5 pages) Overall objective and hypothesis (0.5 page)Overall objective and hypothesis (0.5 page) Outline of specific aims and team collaborations (0.5 page)Outline of specific aims and team collaborations (0.5 page) Detailed description of team members’ specific aims Detailed description of team members’ specific aims

(4 pages per person)(4 pages per person)– Objectives, hypotheses, study designs, contingencies, Objectives, hypotheses, study designs, contingencies,



Building a Specific AimBuilding a Specific AimAim titleAim title ““To determine”/”Determining” X in YTo determine”/”Determining” X in Y

- Use strong action verbs where possibleUse strong action verbs where possible- Don’t hand wave or write “diffidently”Don’t hand wave or write “diffidently”

RationaleRationale ““Given that [X, Y and Z], it is likely that [A, B Given that [X, Y and Z], it is likely that [A, B and C] are true”and C] are true”- Set up as a series of logic statementsSet up as a series of logic statements- It’s OK to recap some preliminary data or language from the It’s OK to recap some preliminary data or language from the rationale (expected, even)rationale (expected, even)- Can be combined with your hypothesis statement (see below), Can be combined with your hypothesis statement (see below), but doesn’t have to be – and in some cases, probably shouldn’t but doesn’t have to be – and in some cases, probably shouldn’t bebe

HypothesisHypothesis ““We therefore hypothesize X”We therefore hypothesize X”- Make sure it’s falsifiable!- Make sure it’s falsifiable!

Study designStudy design ““In order to test this hypothesis, we will use In order to test this hypothesis, we will use samples derived from [X and Y] in order to samples derived from [X and Y] in order to conduct experiments [1, 2, 3 and 4]”conduct experiments [1, 2, 3 and 4]”- Don’t go overboard with methods – unless it’s not something - Don’t go overboard with methods – unless it’s not something the reviewer is expected to be familiar withthe reviewer is expected to be familiar with- Outline where your sample tissues are coming fromOutline where your sample tissues are coming from- Give enough detail so that the reviewer knows what you intend Give enough detail so that the reviewer knows what you intend to doto do- For discovery grants: Give specifics of data analysis For discovery grants: Give specifics of data analysis methodology heremethodology here

Building a Specific AimBuilding a Specific AimAnticipated Anticipated OutcomeOutcome

““If [X] is observed…”If [X] is observed…”- Be CONCISE yet SPECIFICBe CONCISE yet SPECIFIC- Don’t do more than one outcome at a time, as a rule – Don’t do more than one outcome at a time, as a rule – otherwise, it makes it hard to follow what’s going on.otherwise, it makes it hard to follow what’s going on.

InterpretatioInterpretationn

“…“…then [Y] must be true”then [Y] must be true”- Directly linked to your anticipated outcomeDirectly linked to your anticipated outcome- Your chance to explain what you think your outcomes mean and Your chance to explain what you think your outcomes mean and how they support/refute your hypotheseshow they support/refute your hypotheses

ContingencyContingency ““However, if A is observed, then we will do However, if A is observed, then we will do B”B”-Your chance to say “OK, I know things can go wrong – here’s why Your chance to say “OK, I know things can go wrong – here’s why this isn’t a lost cause!”this isn’t a lost cause!”- Contingencies can be necessary for technical reasons as well as Contingencies can be necessary for technical reasons as well as for scientific onesfor scientific ones- Repeat outcome/interpretation/contingency IF/THEN statements Repeat outcome/interpretation/contingency IF/THEN statements as often as necessaryas often as necessary

Summary Summary and and significancesignificance

““Therefore, taken together, these studies Therefore, taken together, these studies will allow us to determine [X]”will allow us to determine [X]”- Feel free to restate your aim languageFeel free to restate your aim language- Pull it all together – what does this aim mean, taken as a whole?Pull it all together – what does this aim mean, taken as a whole?

CaveatsCaveats

Mahadeo’s favourite way to write Mahadeo’s favourite way to write aimsaims

NOT the only approachNOT the only approach– Personal idiosyncrasies in stylePersonal idiosyncrasies in style– Clinical aims usually don’t fit the modelClinical aims usually don’t fit the model– Discovery aims can fit the model, with Discovery aims can fit the model, with

some creativitysome creativity

Evaluation: Is this Evaluation: Is this translationally translationally relevant/significant?relevant/significant?

Abstract (1 page)Abstract (1 page) Rationale (0.5 page)Rationale (0.5 page) Background and preliminary data (2.5 – 3.5 pages)Background and preliminary data (2.5 – 3.5 pages) Overall objective and hypothesis (0.5 page)Overall objective and hypothesis (0.5 page) Outline of specific aims and team collaborations (0.5 page)Outline of specific aims and team collaborations (0.5 page) Detailed description of team members’ specific aims (4 Detailed description of team members’ specific aims (4




Evaluation: Is the Evaluation: Is the writing solid?writing solid? Tips for successTips for success

– Follow formatting guidelinesFollow formatting guidelines– Make the grant look “pretty”Make the grant look “pretty”– Proofread!!!Proofread!!!– Catch silly mistakes (e.g., “Western Catch silly mistakes (e.g., “Western

blots detect DNA”)blots detect DNA”)– Team science = team reviewing and Team science = team reviewing and

editingediting

Evaluation: Is the Evaluation: Is the writing solid?writing solid? What does a reviewer look for?What does a reviewer look for?

– FlowFlow– Grammar and spellingGrammar and spelling– A “team voice” in writing – no jarring A “team voice” in writing – no jarring

discontinuities between sectionsdiscontinuities between sections– Glaring errors and inconsistenciesGlaring errors and inconsistencies– ““Mosquitoes” – irritants to the Mosquitoes” – irritants to the

reviewer that are idiosyncratic of reviewer that are idiosyncratic of their own reading/writing styletheir own reading/writing style

How to use How to use Figures/TablesFigures/Tables Show off somebody else’s Show off somebody else’s

preliminary datapreliminary data Schematics of modelsSchematics of models Workflows (especially for data Workflows (especially for data

analysis methods)analysis methods) TimelinesTimelines ““Concept maps”Concept maps”

ClarityClarity

Grant should be written as if it were directed Grant should be written as if it were directed at a general scientific audienceat a general scientific audience

You are the most knowledgeable person with You are the most knowledgeable person with respect to what you have writtenrespect to what you have written

Do NOT make assumptions about what the Do NOT make assumptions about what the reviewer knows or notreviewer knows or not

Be CLEARBe CLEAR EXPLAIN yourselfEXPLAIN yourself Your work should be able to be intuitively Your work should be able to be intuitively

followed by the reviewerfollowed by the reviewer

What to Make Sure What to Make Sure You Do When Writing You Do When Writing A GrantA Grant Follow formatting guidelines carefullyFollow formatting guidelines carefully

– 10 double spaced pages10 double spaced pages– Page count does not include figures, tables, Page count does not include figures, tables,

referencesreferences– 1” margins1” margins– 12 point font12 point font

Include a Title PageInclude a Title Page Include Page #’s!Include Page #’s! Include section headingsInclude section headings Include your hypotheses, clearly statedInclude your hypotheses, clearly stated Clearly delineate your goals and study Clearly delineate your goals and study

designsdesigns Reference your work carefullyReference your work carefully

QUESTIONS?QUESTIONS?

“Under Construction” Building the Best Possible (Team) Grant Proposal.

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