The Florida Department of Health received 51 grant applications in response to the 2006-2007 Call for Grant Applications for the James & Esther King Biomedical Research Program. Requests for funding totaled over $20 million. The collection of applications included six Team Science Program (TSP) projects, five Small Business Technology Transfer (SBTT) projects, and 40 New Investigator Research (NIR) projects.
After undergoing an administrative screening process to assess compliance and eligibility, each application was independently reviewed by five to seven peer-reviewers against specific review criteria (click here to view the review criteria). In addition to answering a series of questions and providing comments and recommendations, each reviewer then assigned an overall proposal rating using a scale much like that used by the National Institutes of Health, with 1.0 representing the highest score, and 5.0 the lowest. In calculating the final score used to rank proposals, the highest and lowest scores were dropped and the average of the remaining scores was tabulated.
During the May 10 meeting of the Biomedical Research Program Advisory Council in Tampa, the Council was provided with information about the submitted proposals in a way that omitted any reference to PI or institution. Based on scores and general proposal characteristics, the Council recommended funding 17 research projects beginning July 1, 2006: three TSPs, two SBTTs, and 12 NIRs. Unless disqualified for eligibility reasons, proposals receiving scores falling above the designated pay lines were ruled to be fundable. Formal letters bearing notification of award status were prepared by the Department of Health by June 1st and provided to applicants.
2006-2007 James and Esther King Program Grantees:
New Investigator Research Grants:
- Mark Alexandrow, Ph.D, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, $427,500 over three years
- Susan Cappendijk, Ph.D., Florida State University, $383,889 over three years
- Li-Mei Chen, M.D., Ph.D., University of Central Florida, $427,500 over three years
- Bradley Fletcher, M.D. Ph.D, University of Florida, $427,500 over three years
- Stephen Grobmyer, M.D., University of Florida, $427,500 over three years
- Lin Liu, Ph.D, University of South Florida, $427,500 over three years
- Hendrik Luesch, Ph.D. University of Florida, $427,500 over three years
- Dana Rollison, Ph.D. H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, $401,820 over three years
- Layton Smith, Ph.D. M.S.C.I., Scripps Florida, $427,500 over three years
- Hengli Tang, Ph.D. Florida State University, $427,500 over three years
- Roberto Vazquez-Padron, Ph.D., University of Miami, $427,500 over three years
- Ewa Wojcikiewicz, Ph.D., University of Miami, $419,080 over three years
Team Science Project Grants:
- Paul Davenport, Ph.D., University of Florida, $949,404 over two years, with matching institution funds
- Alan Fields, Ph.D., Mayo Clinic, $950,000 over two years, with matching institution funds
- David Lee, Ph.D., University of Miami, $949,974 over two years, with matching institution funds
Small Business Technology Transfer Grants:
- Jonathan Li, Ph.D., University of Florida, $95,000 over one year
- Anthony McGoron, Ph.D., Florida International University, $94,928 over one year
During the month of June, grant candidates will be asked to address any budget concerns, obtain IRB and IACUC approvals, and update pending support overlap status. In the event applications initially recommended for funding become ineligible, alternate applications will be selected in consultation with the Biomedical Research Program Advisory Council according to the application scores.
