Eligibility

• The award will support competitive proposals of basic, translational or clinical, and public health research.
• Priority for funding will be given to proposals in the areas of cancer biology, mental health and brain sciences, and cardio-metabolic diseases (including diabetes mellitus and obesity). However, competitive proposals in other health and biomedical sciences areas may be considered.
• The award duration may be up to two years and therefore the proposed objectives and specific aims should be feasible within this timeframe.
• The award is open to full-time MBRU faculty as well as national and international researchers provided the work proposed is undertaken in collaboration with an MBRU faculty.
• An MBRU faculty member can be the Principal Investigator on only one proposal and a co-investigator on one additional proposal.

Budget

The total budget depends on whether the proposed project is laboratory- or non-laboratory-based. The following guidelines apply:

• Maximum funding of AED 300,000 for laboratory-based projects; and
• Maximum funding of AED 150,000 for non-laboratory-based projects.

Applications that exceed the maximum allowed budget will not be considered.

Proposal Submission Deadline

12:00 Midnight (UAE time), Sunday, June 30 2019

The quality of the application determines whether the project will be funded. The evaluation will be performed by qualified external experts/reviewers and is based on the following criteria:

• Scientific Merit and Significance: Is the review of the literature comprehensive and adequate? Does the project address an important problem in the field? Will successful completion of the project improve scientific knowledge, technical capability, clinical practice, concepts, methods, technologies, treatments, or services?
• Aims and Objectives: Is the rationale for the study clearly stated in the context of present knowledge? Are the objectives and hypotheses clearly stated? Are the objectives realistic (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Reasonable and Time-Bound)?
• Research Plan (Methodology and Data Analysis): Is the overall research plan well defined and appropriate to accomplish the specific aims of the project? Is the study setting well-described? Does the proposal provide a clear description of the study design? Are the study methods clearly outlined for each objective? Is the sample size provided and adequate? Is the data management and analysis plan adequate? What are the potential caveats in the research plan and are the potential problems and alternative strategies for success presented?
• Research Impact: What is the probability that the project will produce new knowledge or has impact on the research field? What is the potential for the project findings to support new or improved technology?
• Benefit to UAE: Are there opportunities for young scientists to participate in the project? Does this project provide potential training and capacity building opportunities? Does the project have potential to long-term positively impact on social, economic, or environmental issues in the UAE?
• Track Record of the Applicant(s): Are the investigators (PI and collaborators) qualified for the project? Does the team have the competence to successfully complete the proposed study? Does the track record of the PI and the collaborators/co-investigators provide evidence of successful grant management and completion?
• Feasibility of the Project and Budget Justification: Is the duration of the project realistic and appropriate? Are the roles and responsibilities of each collaborator clearly described? Are adequate facilities/infrastructure needed for the project available and accessible to the research team? Is the requested budget realistic and well-justified?

Each criterion may have a different weighing factor in the evaluation. Following the review process, the applicants, whether successful or not, will receive copies of the external reviews (with the reviewers’ identities removed).

Please submit a fully completed and electronically signed copy of the Application Form in PDF format to the MBRU Research and Graduates Studies Department by the below deadline:

12:00 Midnight (UAE time), Sunday, June 30 2019

For any enquiries, please click here.