Gaucher Generation Grant
Program Overview
The Gaucher Generation Program distributes grants on a competitive basis to scientists and clinicians engaged in Gaucher disease research. The program is intended to stimulate and support the advancement of medical knowledge and practice in Gaucher disease through innovative investigator-initiated research. It represents Genzyme’s ongoing commitment to enhancing the care of Gaucher patients and supporting the Gaucher community. The ultimate goal of the program is to improve the lives of Gaucher patients.
Your Ideas. Our Support.
2011 will mark the fourth year of the Gaucher Generation Grant Program.
For the 2011 application year, we are pleased to announce the following changes to the grant program.
- Up to 3 Gaucher Generation grants will be awarded
- Two of the three awards will be to support a new investigator via the establishment of the New Investigator Award (NIA)
New Investigator Award (NIA)
With the establishment of the NIA, we hope to support the next phase of clinicians and scientists who show promise in advancing the understanding of Gaucher Disease. This award is intended for late postdoctoral investigators and/or new faculty, usually those at or below the rank of Assistant Professor. Many new investigators have exceptionally innovative research ideas, but not the preliminary data required to fare well in traditional grant reviews. NIA applications will be given special consideration during review process. The expert reviewers will be instructed to focus more on the proposed approach than on the track record, and to expect less preliminary data than would be provided by an established investigator.
Up to two awards will be awarded if volume and quality justify.
Senior Investigator Award (SIA)
One SIA will be awarded in 2011. The SIA is intended for experienced and established physicians and/or scientists in the area of the Gaucher Disease compared to those who apply for the NIA. Given the anticipated tenure for many of the potential applicants for the SIA, the expert committee will abide by the traditional criteria such that preliminary data is anticipated if deemed appropriate.
If unsure of which grant type to apply for, SIA versus NIA, please contact the Gaucher Grant Program Coordinator via email gauchergeneration@genzyme.com.
Funding & Length of Award
New Investigator Award will be for a two-year annual grant of up to $75,000 for a total grant amount of $150,000
Senior Investigator Award will be for a two-year annual grant of up to $100,000 for a total grant amount of $200,000
All proposals are considered proprietary and confidential, and are not reproduced except for purposes of program administration.
Research Topics for 2011
We will consider a wide range of research proposals for the award, including basic research, clinical research, ICGG Gaucher Registry-based research, and public health and patient education research. Higher consideration will be given to those proposals that can contribute to improving the lives of those with Gaucher disease.
Application Process and Timeline
- Step 1. Letter of Intent Submission:
The Letter of Intent is a brief summary, not to exceed three pages, outlining the research intent and approach. Download instructions for the Letter of Intent here. Your completed Letter of Intent documentation should be emailed to gauchergeneration@genzyme.com by March 25, 2011.
- Step 2. Letter of Intent Review:
An independent committee of Gaucher Disease experts will review all Letters of Intent in a blinded evaluation to determine if the proposed research is appropriate for the program.
- Step 3. Request for Proposals:
All applicants will be notified by late May, 2011 whether or not the committee recommends they submit a full research proposal.
- Step 4. Proposal Submission:
Requested Proposals must reach Genzyme by July 25th, 2011. Download the Research Proposal Instructions here. Completed proposals should be emailed to gauchergeneration@genzyme.com.
- Step 5. Research Proposal Review:
An independent committee of Gaucher disease experts will review all Research Proposals in a blinded evaluation to determine the grant recipients.
- Step 6. Notification of Winners:
Grant applicants will be notified in October 2011 of the review committee's decisions.
- Step 7. Research Agreements Signed:
Once your research is accepted, Genzyme will send a Research Support Agreement to your institution for review and signature. The payment schedule for the award will be defined in the Research Support Agreement, and payments will be made as specific study milestones are met. Payments will only be made once the Research Support Agreement is agreed upon and signed by both parties.
Review Criteria
An independent, internationally diverse committee of Gaucher disease experts, will review, evaluate, and score all Letters of Intent and Research Proposals. Membership on the committee will be rotated to ensure a broad range of scientific representation over time. Members of the committee will not be permitted to submit Letters of Intent or Research Proposals. In addition to the scientific merit of the proposed research, and its applicability to patient care, the committee of Gaucher disease experts considers the following criteria when evaluating proposals:
- Adequacy of the experimental design to answer the proposed question of interest
- Feasibility of the proposed study design, budget, and duration
- Clinical importance and potential impact on patients
- Innovation of the proposal
- Qualifications and experience of the principal investigator for the proposed research
Research Agreement
Should an applicant be awarded a Gaucher Generation Program grant, the recipient and Genzyme will sign a research agreement. This agreement will contain the terms and conditions of the research study, including obligations for the recipient to report study progress every six months, publication rights, confidentiality and first option rights for Genzyme when an industrial application is anticipated.
Downloadable documents:
Contact Information
For questions regarding the Gaucher Generation program or grant application process, please email gauchergeneration@genzyme.com.