The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation created the Broad Medical Research Program (BMRP) for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Grants in 2001.
IBD refers to two chronic inflammatory gastrointestinal disorders: Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Although numerous scientific advances have been made in understanding and treating IBD, the precise cause, successful treatment and prevention of IBD remain unknown.
The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, through the BMRP, provides 40 percent of all private funding for IBD research in the United States. Our approach is different than many traditional scientific and medical funding organizations. We fund early stage investigation – with the goal that innovative ideas need financial support for early testing to ultimately lead to effective treatment, diagnosis and prevention of IBD.
The BMRP provides rapid funding to investigators working in non-profit organizations worldwide for up to two years for basic or clinical IBD research projects that:
* Are innovative
* Are in the early stages of exploration
* Will improve the diagnosis, therapy or prevention of IBD in the near future; and
* Will lead to longer-term funding by more traditional granting agencies
The BMRP provides funding to generate pilot research data, rather than serving as the final grant source for a research project. Grantees are encouraged to generate sufficient preliminary data in the first year in order to compete successfully for continuation funding from us and/or other sources.
A grantee may receive second-year funding from the BMRP if the researcher demonstrates maximal progress in the first year of the grant, validates the original research premise and demonstrates a clear need for additional preliminary data.
Because we believe that great ideas could come from non-traditional sources, we encourage basic and clinical investigators and scientists not currently working in IBD and interdisciplinary teams to apply.
There is a two-step process for requesting funding from the Broad Medical Research Program (BMRP) for Inflammatory Bowel Disease:
1. The first step is to submit a Letter of Interest. Instructions and format for Letters of Interest may be found under “How to Apply.” Decisions on Letters of Interest are based on external expert review of the proposal and usually are made within four to six weeks.
2. If the BMRP is interested in pursuing a project, an invitation is extended to submit a full grant application. At that time, the grant application instructions and forms are sent to the Principal Investigator. Decisions on grant applications are made based on external review by subject experts and usually take eight to 10 weeks.
There are no deadlines or specific dates for applications. Proposals are accepted and reviewed year-round. Revised proposals may only be submitted at the request of the BMRP.
Special Requests for Proposals
The BMRP is currently soliciting proposals in two areas of research:
Differences in IBD incidence between developing and developed countries
The BMRP is funding innovative research into the possible reasons for low and high incidence of IBD in different areas of the globe. Proposals should be exploratory in nature or designed as pilot. The research should shed light on factors that may influence low versus high global areas of prevalence of the disease. The research should ultimately be helpful in improved understanding of the etiology of IBD and the factors that enhance or prevent the genesis of the disease.
IBD and Diabetes Mellitus
The BMRP is interested in early stage exploratory innovative research proposals to investigate the similarities and differences between inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and diabetes mellitus (DM).
Proposals should be exploratory in nature designed as pilot projects researching possible commonality in the etiopathogenesis between IBD and DM. Human or animal model studies are welcomed.
How to Apply
Applicants should submit a brief Letter of Interest (up to three pages, not including attachments) as the initial request for funding. Investigators whose Letters of Interest fit the BMRP's criteria and areas of interest will be invited to submit a full grant application.
We recommend you review “Policies” and “Frequently Asked Questions” prior to preparing a Letter of Interest.
Letter of Interest Format
The following information is part of the three-page limit:
* Title of the project
* Specific hypothesis or question to be investigated
* Methodology
* Data analysis
* Anticipated outcomes
The following items (except for #1) are required but not part of the three-page limit:
1. Supportive information, such as references, preliminary data or recent publications, may be included.
2. State why your project fits the BMRP's criteria (see "BMRP Goals"), including its relevance and likely benefits to patients with IBD in the next several years.
3. Attach the investigator’s curriculum vitae(s) or biographical sketch(es).
4. Briefly describe the laboratory or clinical environment.
5. Indicate the estimated total budget (see “Budget” under “Policies”) and the period for which funding is requested. Keep in mind that we are interested in funding exploratory projects in order to test new ideas and directions in IBD research. Thus, funding requests should be in concert with the foundation’s purpose.
6. Provide the principal investigator’s e-mail and postal addresses.
Letter of Interest Submission
1. Direct Letters of Interest to:
Daniel Hollander, M.D.
Director
Broad Medical Research Program
The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, Scientific | Medical Research
10900 Wilshire Boulevard, Twelfth Floor
Los Angeles, California 90024-6532
U.S.A.
2. If possible, please send your Letter of Interest and all attachments electronically to: info@broadmedical.org. If you send it electronically, please do not send a printed copy.
3. Receipt of your Letter of Interest will be acknowledged by e-mail within a few days. If you do not hear from us in a timely manner, please contact us at info@broadmedical.org to make sure that your letter has been received.
4. You may include suggestions for potential reviewers and also indicate individuals with potential conflicts of interest.
Unless required by your institution, Letters of Interest may be submitted directly to the BMRP by the Principal Investigator and do not require institutional approval or signature.
5. Letters of Interest are accepted and reviewed throughout the year; there are no deadlines.
